AMD’s RDNA 4 Launch: 5 Ways It Could Fail and Give NVIDIA the Upper Hand

The long-awaited debut of AMD’s RDNA 4 graphics cards is just around the corner. David McAfee, AMD’s Corporate Vice President and General Manager, has announced on platform X (previously known as Twitter) that his team is actively working on unveiling the new Radeon RX 9000 Series GPUs, which is scheduled for February 28 at 8 AM EST. McAfee also confirmed that the anticipated Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 are slated to be launched in early March.

The moment you’ve been waiting for is nearly here! Mark your calendars for February 28th at 8 AM EST, where we’ll unveil the future of graphics with the release of AMD’s Radeon RX 9000 Series. Secure your spot to experience it firsthand by subscribing to our YouTube channel: https://t.co/4rkVxeoDIa

(February 13, 2025)

After several weeks of postponement, the anticipated unveiling of RDNA 4, initially scheduled for CES 2025, has been rescheduled due to timing and NVIDIA’s RTX 5000 launch concerns. Now, it appears that AMD is prepared to offer gamers a fresh alternative for top-tier desktop graphics.

Anticipation for the reveal is running high due to the rocky start NVIDIA has experienced with its “Blackwell” GPU launch. Scarcity has already driven scalpers to inflate prices on pre-launch listings, even before the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 officially hit the market. The promised performance increases have not been as substantial as predicted, with the latest NVIDIA GPUs heavily relying on DLSS 4 to enhance performance, a tactic some are criticizing as producing artificial frames – essentially frames rendered using AI technology.

A somewhat more concerning problem arises with the faulty drivers released together with the RTX 5000 series, leading to black screens and unidentifiable hardware. However, the most alarming aspect is that NVIDIA’s highest power-consuming card, the RTX 5090, has a tendency to consume so much power that it melts power cables, PSUs, and even the GPUs themselves.

The problem with the drivers released along with the RTX 5000 cards is causing black screens and unrecognizable hardware issues, but what’s really worrying is that NVIDIA’s most power-hungry card, the RTX 5090, can draw so much power it melts power cables, PSUs, and even the GPUs themselves.

As an ardent supporter of AMD, I can’t help but feel excited about their potential to reclaim a substantial portion of the GPU market with the upcoming RDNA 4 technology. The anticipation among gamers and tech enthusiasts is palpable, as many are eager to upgrade their systems. However, it’s crucial for AMD not to squander this opportunity by releasing less-than-stellar hardware.

Over the years, I’ve been a loyal user of AMD products, particularly their gaming CPUs like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing. Nevertheless, there’s a lingering sentiment among the community about some less-than-satisfactory product launches from Team Red in the past. Here’s hoping that this time around, they deliver a product that truly lives up to our expectations!

I genuinely wish that the unveiling of RDNA 4 on February 28 proceeds smoothly. It’s crucial for NVIDIA to face stiff competition in the GPU market to maintain fair practices. Yet, there are potentially five scenarios where AMD could stumble during the launch of their RDNA 4 GPU.

1. No RDNA 4 stock to sell at launch

It’s not beneficial for the GPU market when scalpers have additional chances to exploit scarce supplies. If AMD doesn’t manage to supply large quantities at major retailers initially, the following points become irrelevant because people won’t be able to purchase the hardware due to scarcity.

Positive update! It’s being rumored that AMD has been strengthening its inventory since early January, which was when the initial RDNA 4 unveiling was planned. This gives them approximately two months of manufacturing and delivery lead time, meaning they will likely have a wide variety of choices available on the launch day.

As an onlooker, I anticipate that many retailers will run out of the new RTX 5000 series GPUs on launch day or soon after, given their immense popularity. It’s a well-known fact that when demand is this high, supplies can dwindle quickly. AMD recognizes this and should aim to maintain a consistent flow of restock shipments if it intends to hold its own in the market.

2. Uncompetitive RDNA 4 pricing

A key aspect of AMD’s RDNA 4 enigma surrounds pricing, and some recent whispers and speculation have given me a sense of what the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 might cost at their debut. The website Videocardz reported on a leak from user momomo_us, where XFX Swift Radeon RX 9000 GPUs were momentarily posted on Amazon.

https://t.co/qvqVjmZhf8February 15, 2025

Although nothing is officially confirmed, it seems that the Radeon RX 9070 might debut at around $649, while its variant, the RX 9070 XT, could cost approximately $100 more. It’s important to note that these prices are from XFX’s Swift, Mercury, and Quicksilver product lines, so they don’t necessarily reflect the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP).

According to a recent leak discovered by Videocardz on AnandTech forums by user Tomasz Gawroński, Canada Computers has revealed a selection of RDNA 4 graphics cards from PowerColor and XFX. With the exchange rate between CAD and USD causing some fluctuations, it seems that the non-XT RX 9070 will be priced around $586, while the XT version is expected to start at approximately $697.

The Radeon RX 9070 XT and the RTX 5070 Ti are predicted to be similarly priced, with the former retailing around $749 (Founder’s Edition) and the latter around $549 (also Founder’s Edition). However, custom versions of these GPUs from third-party manufacturers may cost more.

It seems AMD might price their upcoming RDNA 4 products higher than NVIDIA’s, a pattern that has occurred previously. I just hope they avoid repeating this strategy.

3. Poor RDNA 4 ray tracing performance

As a researcher focusing on graphics technology, I’ve noticed that AMD’s ray tracing capabilities have historically lagged behind NVIDIA’s offerings. For years, it appears AMD has been playing catch-up in this area. However, the increasing reliance of modern games on ray tracing for illumination means that this is no longer a matter that can be overlooked by AMD. Without robust ray tracing capabilities, AMD’s success is likely to suffer significantly.

I’m not expecting any magical enhancements here. The ray tracing capability of RDNA 4 should outperform RDNA 3, but the exact degree is yet to be determined. If AMD intends to sell its GPUs at a higher price point than NVIDIA, it needs to deliver some significant improvements to effectively challenge Team Green.

4. Poor FSR 4 performance

AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) is similar to NVIDIA’s DLSS; they are both methods that increase the number of frames beyond what the hardware can produce by itself. The newest version, FSR 3.1, uses sophisticated spatial upscaling algorithms to achieve its effects.

With the introduction of FSR 4, it is anticipated that things will shift. AMD now claims that this upgrade leverages machine learning. This marks a significant advancement in our efforts to rival NVIDIA’s DLSS, which has thus far demonstrated superiority and is expected to improve further as Multi Frame Generation reaches its full potential.

There isn’t much information available on FSR 4 as of now, but a video by Hardware Unboxed offers an insightful comparison. Preliminary analysis suggests that FSR 4 seems to address some of the problems faced by FSR 3.1 when rendering fine details at high quality in swift-moving sequences.

If AMD manages to impress us with FSR 4 during its unveiling on February 28, I am confident that it will win over many prospective clients.

5. Not enough VRAM

The exceptional game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was released, but it brought to light a persistent challenge for graphics processing units (GPUs). Notably, NVIDIA’s RTX 4060, equipped with 8GB of video memory (VRAM), finds it difficult to maintain a high frame rate when running this game. Remarkably, the older RTX 3060, boasting 12GB of VRAM, outperforms the RTX 4060 in this context.

NVIDIA asserts that DLSS 4 addresses some VRAM issues by relying more on Tensor cores instead, leading to better frame rates. Yet, the 12GB and 16GB of VRAM for the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti respectively, remain a contentious point among users.

Based on certain leaks that have been discussed, it seems both the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT models might boast 16GB of VRAM. This is promising news, as I hope this to be accurate. My RX 6800 has served me well with its 16GB of VRAM, and I’m eager to avoid purchasing a GPU with less for the upcoming generation.

Wrapping up

On February 28th, it is anticipated that many of my critical questions will be addressed as AMD officially unveils its RDNA 4 GPUs. Regardless if you’re a supporter of Nvidia (Team Green) or AMD (Team Red), I believe we can all concur that increased competition in the GPU market is essential to ensure fairness.

As a researcher, I’m confident that there might be some aspects I overlooked regarding potential challenges AMD could face with the launch of their RDNA 4 GPU. I’m eagerly awaiting your insights and thoughts on this exciting development in the comments below.

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2025-02-19 15:10