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AMD has been playing catchup in the GPU race. However, the upcoming release of the RDNA 4 gives AMD the potential to significantly increase its market share.
Earlier this month, a leaker known as Kepler_L2 shared some details about the upcoming RDNA 4, suggesting some notable improvements to its performance compared to the RDNA 3. This will delight buyers of the upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro, which will be an early benefactor of the RDNA 4.
These leaks follow those released five months ago by a YouTube channel known as Moore’s Law is Dead. The channel has over 180,000+ subscribers and predicts that the RDNA 4 will be available with a Navi 48 or Navi 44 chip.
In this article, we’ll examine everything we know about AMD RDNA 4 so far, including the expected release date, features, and pricing.
Key Takeaways
- A leaker known as Kepler_L2 has revealed basic details about the RDNA 4.
- RDNA 4 will feature a double intersect ray tracing engine, among other improvements.
- Such improvements could help its GPUs to better compete against Nvidia.
- Youtuber Moore’s Law is Dead suggests the RDNA 4 will be available with a Navi 48 or Navi 44 chip.
- Expected to launch in Q1 2025.
What Is AMD RDNA 4?
AMD RDNA 4 is a next-generation GPU or graphical processing unit that will follow up on the RDNA 3, a GPU released back in December 2022 and available via AMD’s 7900 XTX and XT models.
At this stage, the RDNA 4 is expected to have a number of core improvements, including a double intersect ray tracing engine, ray tracing trim pair optimization, BVH footprint improvement, and more.
When Will AMD RDNA 4 Be Released?
“We are on track to launch the first RDNA4 GPUs in early 2025,” said AMD CEO Lisa Su. This news was delivered during AMD’s Q3 2024 earning call on October 30.
This confirmation suggests the official announcement could be made at CES 2025, which will take place from 7 to 11 January in Las Vegas.
Expected AMD RDNA 4 Features
- Double intersect ray tracing engine
- RT instance node transform
- 64B RT node
- Ray tracing Tri Pair optimization
- BVH Footprint Improvement
- Support for OBB and Instance Node Intersection
It is unclear how these will impact the performance and capabilities of the RDNA 4, but we do know they will offer GPU-enhanced ray tracing, making this one that gamers will keep an eye on.
For instance, some experts believe the RDNA will have double the RT units of the RDNA 3 or the ability to process double the amount of ray-triangle intersection calculations.
Expected AMD RDNA 4 Specs
Once again, the information about the RDNA’s specifications is also limited, but arguably, it has been put together by Moore’s Law is Dead, providing some leaks about the Navi 48 and Navi 44 versions. The details can be found below:
Navi 48
- Rasterization performance roughly between the RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX
- Die Size estimated at 300-350mm2
- 256-bit memory controller
- 20 Gbps
Navi 44
- Rasterization performance above the RX 7600 XT, but below the RX 7800 XT
- Dize size below 210mm2
- 128-bit memory controller
AMD RDNA 4 vs. AMD RDNA 3
| Feature | AMD RDNA 3 | AMD RDNA 4 (expected) |
|---|---|---|
| Ray Tracing Engine | Single intersect ray tracing engine | Double intersect ray tracing engine |
| RT Instance Node Transform | Not available | Available |
| 64B RT Node | Not available | Available |
| Ray Tracing Tri Pair Optimization | Not available | Available |
| BVH Footprint Improvement | Not available | Available |
| Support for OBB and Instance Node Intersection | Not available | Available |
| RT Units | Standard | Double the RT units |
| Rasterization Performance (Navi 48) | RX 7900 XT to RX 7900 XTX | Between RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX |
| Die Size (Navi 48) | Estimated at 350-400mm² | Estimated at 300-350mm² |
| Memory Controller (Navi 48) | 256-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory Speed (Navi 48) | 18 Gbps | 20 Gbps |
| Rasterization Performance (Navi 44) | Above RX 6600 XT, below RX 6700 XT | Above RX 7600 XT, below RX 7800 XT |
| Die Size (Navi 44) | Estimated at 200-250mm² | Below 210mm² |
| Memory Controller (Navi 44) | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| Expected Release Date | December 2022 (for RDNA 3-based GPUs) | Late 2024 or early 2025 |
| Ray Tracing Capability | Standard | Enhanced with new optimizations |
| Price (Navi 44) | $300 – $400 | Expected to be under $400 |
| Price (Navi 48) | $500 – $600 | Expected to be around $500 |
Expected AMD RDNA 4 Price
RDNA 4: Performance vs. Price
Above all, the early leaks of the RDNA 4’s specs highlight that AMD is investing in enhancing its ray tracing capabilities. Its double intersect ray tracing engine will be key to competing against Nvidia’s GPUs in the future.
That being said, while doubling ray tracing performance would be a big plus for chipmakers, it won’t be enough to match the performance of top Nvidia GPUs like the RTX 5090.
Instead, AMD will need to compete by providing solid performance at an affordable rate. Based on what we know now, the RDNA 4 is well-positioned to do just that.
The Bottom Line
The GPU market is immensely competitive, and AMD needs a big release. Fortunately for AMD, there has been lots of excitement around the release of the RDNA 4, and if it can deliver on the expectations set by these initial leaks, then it will be in a good spot to increase its market share.
