AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Preview: New RDNA 4 Model Technique, FSR 4 AI Upscaling And Extra

On stage at the moment at CES, AMD introduced the primary main updates to its graphics IP since late 2022. That is proper of us: RDNA 4 is lastly arriving, and true to hypothesis, it seems to be squarely focusing on the middle of the market. The primary RDNA 4 GPU would be the Radeon RX 9070 XT, together with its barely slower “non-XT” sibling, they usually’re coming together with some very massive characteristic updates, too.

For now, this is what we all know: the Radeon RX 9000 sequence is altering up the branding whereas introducing the RDNA 4 structure, which arguably units the stage for future generations of Radeon GPUs. We’ll discuss concerning the branding in a second, however let’s go over what we all know to this point about RDNA 4.

AMD spoke to us in obscure phrases about its new GPU structure. We all know that it may have radically improved ray tracing efficiency, and that the place the AI accelerators on RDNA 3 went largely unused, the AI accelerators this time round are way more distinguished. The corporate additionally says that it has completed so much to enhance on its media engine; AMD’s video encoder is at all times a favourite space of criticism for fanboys.

Certainly, arguably a bit late to the get together, AMD is totally embracing AI in its rendering pipeline with the brand new model of FidelityFX Tremendous Decision, or FSR. We have been promised this characteristic again in September, and at the moment we hypothesized that the brand new AI-powered FSR would seem at CES. Effectively, right here we’re, and right here it’s. It looks like the know-how will debut within the newest Name of Responsibility title, Black Ops 6.

A key caveat is that FSR4 was developed at the side of RDNA 4 and consequently it looks like it is just going to be suitable with the brand new playing cards. AMD particularly advised us that it was developed for the brand new machine studying structure of RDNA 4, though the corporate didn’t explicitly say that the brand new tech cannot be used with, say, RDNA 3 GPUs. We’ll have to attend and see how that performs out.

One of many cooler apps {that a} GPU vendor has launched lately is Intel’s AI Playground for its Arc GPUs. This can be a very handy software that permits homeowners of discrete and built-in Arc GPUs to utilize native AI processing in a really direct and fast approach. Effectively, AMD apparently agreed, as a result of it will debut a software, apparently constructed into its driver software program, referred to as Adrenalin AI.

Utilizing Adrenalin AI, it is possible for you to to generate pictures from textual content prompts, summarize paperwork you’ve saved in your machine utilizing a locally-hosted LLM, and ask stated LLM questions on AMD merchandise and applied sciences. AMD says that the aim of this characteristic is to provide Radeon homeowners a style of the AI capabilities of their shiny new GPU. We’re curious to see how helpful it truly is, although, particularly contemplating that the AI fashions in use will probably add a number of gigabytes to the already-bloated driver obtain. A separate app is likely to be the smarter play right here, AMD.

We talked about that AMD is revising its branding this time round, and this is the slide explaining that. AMD is altering its Radeon branding for 2 causes: to synchronize with the Ryzen workforce, and to make its GPUs look higher compared to NVIDIA’s. We tease, nevertheless it’s not fully a joke; AMD itself notes that it needs to simplify “direct competitor comparisons.” So, as a substitute of 9700 XT, we’ve the 9070 XT.

That branding does suggest that this is not the quickest GPU within the Radeon RX 9000 sequence, however we would not maintain our breath ready for that top-end half as a result of from every little thing we have heard via the grapevine, such a GPU merely would not exist. AMD could strive once more for the crown subsequent time round, however the aim this technology is clearly to seize market share, not benchmark crowns within the flagship area.

On the time of this writing, earlier than the precise announcement, we do not have actually any particulars in any respect on the playing cards. On condition that that is marked down as a “preview,” AMD did not present any specs nor did the corporate give out any efficiency estimates because the Purple Group is often so able to do. Hopefully that data comes out on stage; in that case, we’ll replace this submit accordingly.