Valve has recently completed the final Design Validation (DV) prototype for the Steam Deck incorporating improvements from the previous EV2 builds. This latest design revision also sees the confirmation of retail packaging for the device which consists of a simple cardboard box with a region-specific power supply, Steam Deck, carry case, and setup instructions. The portable carrying case for the 64 GB and 256 GB models was also shown with the 512 GB version set to receive a unique version. The Valve Steam Deck features an AMD Zen 2 processor with integrated RDNA 2 graphics and is available to pre-order at 399 USD for the 64 GB base model with new orders not expected to ship until Q2 2022. Valve will begin shipping these DV kits to game developers shortly allowing them to optimize their titles for the device before it begins shipping in February 2022.

AMD announced the AMD Radeon PRO V620 GPU, built with the latest AMD RDNA 2 architecture which delivers high-performance GPU acceleration for today's demanding cloud workloads including immersive AAA game experiences, intensive 3D workloads and modern office productivity applications at scale in the cloud.

With its innovative GPU-partitioning capabilities, multi-stream hardware accelerated encoders and 32 GB GDDR6 memory, the AMD Radeon PRO V620 offers dedicated GPU resources that scale to multiple graphics users, helping ensure cost-effective graphics acceleration for a range of workloads. Built using the same GPU architecture that powers the latest generation game consoles and PC game experiences, the AMD Radeon PRO V620 GPU is also designed to develop and deliver immersive AAA game experiences.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and storage devices, today announced the new BIOSTAR AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics card. Built on the breakthrough AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture, the new BIOSTAR AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics card offers 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, 32 MB of high-performance AMD Infinity Cache and support for high-bandwidth PCI Express 4.0 technology. Optimized for performance, power efficiency and durability, the new BIOSTAR AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics card enables high-framerate 1080p gaming in the latest AAA titles.

The BIOSTAR AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics card offers 28 compute units with a Game Clock frequency of 2,044 MHz and a Boost Clock frequency of up to 2,491 MHz, enabling incredible 1080p gaming experiences without breaking a sweat. In addition, support for DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC and HDMI 2.1 VRR enables crisp, vivid video output.

Micron, today announced that its high-performance 16Gb / 16 Gbps GDDR6 memory solution is now available with AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series graphics cards built on the AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture. Using Micron's advanced 1z process technology, this latest version of GDDR6 enables up to 512 GB/s system performance for demanding applications like gaming and graphics. Today's announcement continues Micron's rich history of innovation and collaboration with industry leaders to deliver breakthrough performance that enables the most advanced gaming solutions.

As graphics and gaming applications become more demanding, so do the requirements for high bandwidth memory and system performance. Modern gamers expect high-resolution, immersive experiences, and GDDR6 delivers with its support of fast frame rates. The result is excellent performance and speed that minimize lag time and provide gamers with lifelike effects.

Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of premium gaming hardware, today announced a new AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics card - the Gigabyte Radeon RX 6600 Eagle 8G. The Eagle graphics card is the best choice for those who desire a unique design optimized for power efficiency and durability, and the ability to experience incredible high-framerate 1080p gaming.

AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics cards are based on the breakthrough AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture, designed to deliver the optimal balance of performance and power efficiency. Offering 32 MB of high-performance AMD Infinity Cache, 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, AMD Smart Access Memory technology and other advanced features, the new graphics cards are designed to bring next-generation desktop gaming experiences to the midrange market. They also support AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, an open-source spatial upscaling solution designed to increase framerates in select titles while delivering high-resolution gaming experiences.

ASUS today announced the Dual Radeon RX 6600 graphics card, combining the latest ASUS technology with the new AMD GPU to deliver 1080p gaming experiences to the midrange market.

AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics cards bring the power of AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture to the market. With support for cutting-edge DirectX 12 Ultimate technology including accelerated ray tracing, 32 MB of high-performance, AMD Infinity Cache, AMD Smart Access Memory technology and other advanced features, AMD Radeon RX 6600 graphics cards includes the latest technology in image quality and performance. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 supports the AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution open-source spatial upscaling solution, designed to increase framerates in select titles while delivering high-resolution gaming experiences.

The prices for NVIDIA Ampere and AMD RDNA 2 GPUs have increased 6% - 7% in Germany since August according to the latest report from 3DCenter. The report covers the period from January 2021 to September 2021 where prices reached 304% and 214% of MSRP for NVIDIA RTX 30 and AMD RX 6000 cards earlier this year before coming down to 150% and 153% respectively. We had hoped that this trend might continue downwards but these reductions have started to reverse with prices steadily increasing since early August. The latest period from August 29th to September 19th saw NVIDIA RTX 30 series prices increase from 159% of MSRP to 170% while AMD RX 6000 cards rose from 164% to 174%.

These price trends can be fairly closely attributed to the changes in supply as shown with the addition of an availability trend line to the graph in this latest report. The card which has experienced the largest price increase relative to MSRP is the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT which now sells for double the recommended € 649 price at € 1299. The least affected card is the NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti retailing for 26% above it's € 1199 MSRP at € 1511.

Watercool today released the HEATKILLER V watercooling block, now made compatible with the latest and greatest from AMD - the RX 6800, RX 6800 XT, and RX 6900 XT graphics cards. Due to the increased performance profile (and heat output) on AMD's latest-gen RDNA 2 graphics cards, the company has redesigned the base plate's channel routing, and improved the cooling structure along the Z axis - higher heat dissipation area means that watercooling now has more ways to transfer heat from the card to your radiator of choice, The company has also redesigned the backplate, adding a curved design that helps in hiding all the electronic bits and pieces that are usually visible in AMD's cards, further streamlining users' builds.

The baseplate is built out of nickel-plated electrolytic copper, while the cover is made of the generally abundant plexiglas. The cover itself is built out of annealed stainless steel, improving rigidity and resistance of the overall block, while the connection terminal is built out of the also usual Acetal. The block makes use of the standard 4x G ¼ inch sockets. Dimensions of the block stand at 270 mm length, 128 mm width (including the connection terminal) and 28.5 mm height (including the backplate). The HEATKILLER V is available in black and light metal gray for €164,95.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, today announced availability of the new BIOSTAR AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics card, engineered to deliver exceptional high-framerate, high-fidelity 1080p gaming.

Built on breakthrough AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture, the new BIOSTAR AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics card has everything a gamer needs and more. It offers 32 powerful compute units, 32 MB of high-performance AMD Infinity Cache, 8 GB of high-speed GDDR6 memory, and AMD Smart Access Memory, among many other advanced features for the next-level immersive gaming experience. With game clock speeds up to 2359 MHz and boost clock speeds up to 2589 MHz, the BIOSTAR AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics card can easily handle the latest AAA games thrown at it.

AMD today announced availability of the new AMD Radeon PRO W6000X series GPUs for Mac Pro. The new GPU product line delivers exceptional performance and incredible visual fidelity to power a wide variety of demanding professional applications and workloads, including 3D rendering, 8K video compositing, color correction and more.

Built on groundbreaking AMD RDNA 2 architecture, AMD Infinity Cache and other advanced technologies, the new workstation graphics line-up includes the AMD Radeon PRO W6900X and AMD Radeon PRO W6800X GPUs. Mac Pro users also have the option of choosing the AMD Radeon PRO W6800X Duo graphics card, a dual-GPU configuration that leverages high-speed AMD Infinity Fabric interconnect technology to deliver outstanding levels of compute performance.

ASRock, the leading global motherboard, graphics card and mini PC manufacturer, today launched new Phantom Gaming and Challenger series products based on AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT GPUs. The new ASRock graphics cards are built on the 7 nm manufacturing process and AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture, and include support for the DirectX 12 Ultimate API, hardware-accelerated raytracing, HDMI 2.1, and PCI Express 4.0. In addition, with high-speed 8 GB GDDR6 memory plus a wealth of exclusive features, the ASRock AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT series graphics cards can provide the ultimate 1080p gaming performance.

The high-end ASRock AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT Phantom Gaming D 8 GB OC graphics card features the triple-fan Phantom Gaming 3X cooling system for excellent cooling performance, as well as a unique Striped Axial Fan, Air Deflecting Fin and Ultra-fit Heatpipe to greatly increase cooling efficiency. The stylish metal backplate strengthens the structure and prevents damage to the board. With the addition of an ARGB fan, ARGB LED board, and Polychrome SYNC lighting control software, users can fully customize and control their own lighting system. The cool black and red appearance and the ultimate factory-preset overclocking settings make ASRock AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT Phantom Gaming D 8 GB OC graphics card ideal for hardcore gamers.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of premium gaming hardware, today announced new AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics cards with AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture. The Radeon RX 6600 XT GAMING OC PRO 8G, Radeon RX 6600 XT GAMING OC 8G and Radeon RX 6600 XT EAGLE 8G graphics cards are engineered to deliver incredible high-framerate 1080p gaming performance.

The graphics cards in the GAMING OC series feature the WINDFORCE cooling system and RGB Fusion 2.0, making them the best choice for performance-minded gamers. The EAGLE series is the best choice for those who desire a unique design, while maintaining both efficiency and durability.

ASUS today introduces the ROG Strix and ASUS Dual AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics cards with the AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture, which offer high performance and optimal cooling for the mainstream. The AMD RDNA 2 architecture has proven itself in the powerful AMD Radeon RX 6000 series and appeals to gamers who are looking for the best graphics with high-resolution monitors and a high refresh rate. The latest ROG Strix and ASUS Dual AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics cards unleash the next generation of features for extremely high performance in today's competitive games and smooth display in AAA titles.

As a leading brand in True Gaming hardware, MSI is proud to officially announce the MSI AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT GAMING X and MECH 2X graphics cards. Equipped with AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT GPUs powered by the breakthrough AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture, the new graphics are designed to deliver the ultimate in 1080p gaming for a wide range of enthusiast gamers.

Built upon AMD RDNA2 GAMING architecture, AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT series graphics cards are designed to deliver optimal performance and power efficiency. These new graphics cards support the latest technologies, including DirectX Raytracing (DXR), variable rate shading (VRS), and AMD FidelityFX, allowing gamers to experience realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections with rich detail in supported game titles.

MSI, a world-leading gaming brand, announces the all-new AMD-powered gaming laptop, Delta 15 and the revamped Alpha 15/17, equipped with the AMD Ryzen 5000 H Series Mobile Processors and the up to latest AMD Radeon RX6700M Series Mobile Graphics. MSI continues to fulfill the diverse demand of gaming and leverage the strength in the AMD product line.

Delta 15 and Alpha 15/17 all come with the latest Radeon RX6000M Series Mobile Graphics, 1.5x faster performance compared to previous generations AMD graphics. * Powered by the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, Delta 15 provides ultra-high frame rates, while the Alpha 15/17, equipped with the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, delivers 1080p gaming at max settings.

Previously, we have assumed that AMD 4700S desktop kit is based on Xbox Series X APU. Today, according to the findings of Bodnara, who managed to access one of these units, and we got some interesting discoveries. The chip powering the system is actually the PlayStation 5 SoC, which features AMD Zen 2 based system architecture, with 8 cores and 16 threads that can boost up to 3.2 GHz. The board that was tested features SK Hynix GDDR6 memory running at 14 Gbps, placed on the backside of the board. The APU is attached to AMD A77E Fusion Controller Hub (FCH), which was the one powering Xbox One "Durango" SoC, leading us to previously believe that the AMD 4700S is derived from an Xbox Series X system.

The graphics of this APU are disabled, however, it was the same variant of RDNA 2 GPU used by the PlayStation 5. Right out of the box, the system is equipped with a discrete GPU coming in a form of the Radeon 550, and this configuration was tested by the Bodnara team. You can find the images of the system and some performance results below.Performance:

HP introduced its latest gaming hardware and software designed for today's gamers with the powerful OMEN 16 and OMEN 17, bright and customizable OMEN 25i Gaming Monitor, and community gaming with OMEN OASIS Beta feature in OMEN Gaming Hub. The company also debuted Victus by HP, its next-generation mainstream-level gaming PC portfolio, with a 16-inch laptop.

Gaming continues to be an outlet for entertainment and connecting with friends. Two out of three people are spending more time watching videos and gaming than they did prior to the pandemic, with one in four gaming three to four hours more and almost one in five gaming six to ten hours more a week6. HP's next-generation gaming portfolio is designed for both veteran gamers and enthusiast explorers to be entertained, connected, and empowered to progress in their favorite games.

AMD's RDNA 2 architecture provided a significant performance increase for the company and allowed them to re-enter the high-end GPU market. AMD hopes to keep this momentum up with the launch of its RX 7900 XT card featuring the RDNA 3 architecture which will reportedly bring a further performance increase of at least 40% over the RX 6900 XT with internal projections as high as 60% - 80%. The RDNA 3 architecture is expected to feature a chiplet-based design with discrete I/O and compute dies similar to Ryzen processors. AMD has officially said they are targetting a 50% performance/watt increase over RDNA 2 with the new architecture which lends weight to this rumor. The RX 7900 XT is not expected to launch in the foreseeable future so take these rumors with a healthy dose of skepticism but if these performance improvements are anything close to accurate AMD could have a winner with RDNA 3.

The current supply of graphics cards has been very tight all over the world. Starting with the launch of the latest Radeon RX 6000 series of GPUs based on RDNA 2 architecture, AMD has found itself in big trouble when it comes to supply of the silicon, compared to the demand that exists for these new GPUs. We have discussed that many times in the past and saw that it represents a problem spanning everyone involved in getting the silicon chips to the hands of consumers. On Tuesday, April 27th, AMD held its Q1 2021 earnings call and webcast, where the company executives talked about the company's future, underlying problems, and ways of addressing them.

Among many topics covered in the call, AMD's President and CEO, Dr. Lisa Su, has talked about the GPU supply. According to Dr. Su, the company is ramping the production of its Radeon graphics cards, adding that the mobile Radeon GPU lineup is lurking. Here is a full quote from the earnings call.

Dr. Lisa Su—AMD Q1 2021 Earning CallAnd we're well-positioned for further growth as we have tripled our commercial notebook design wins with the largest OEMs this year. In graphics, revenue increased by a strong double-digit percentage year over year and sequentially, led by channel sales growth as revenue from our high-end Radeon 6000 GPUs more than doubled from the prior quarter. We introduced our Radeon 6700 XT desktop GPU with leadership 1440p gaming performance in March and are on track for the first notebooks featuring our leading-edge mobile RDNA 2 architecture to launch later this quarter. We expect Radeon 6000 Series GPU sales to grow significantly over the coming quarters as we ramp production.

SAPPHIRE Technology announces the newest addition to the RDNA 2 family with the SAPPHIRE NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Special Edition. With increased performance and an innovative spin on the award winning Tri-X Cooling Technology, this model is a powerhouse product for the ultra-aficionado 4K gamer. Designed with the classic NITRO+ minimalist aesthetic, additional fresh customizable RGB on the peripherals, and striking ARGB fans, the NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Special Edition is sure to be a photogenic part to complete the theme of any PC.

Overclocked straight out of the box to hit every frame, the NITRO+ AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Special Edition leads with 5120 stream processors and boasts a maximized Boost Clock of up to 2365 MHz and a Game Clock of up to 2135 MHz. It comes decked with 80 ray accelerators and 80 compute units to facilitate raytracing. The latest 16 GB of GDDR6 high-speed memory is clocked at 16 Gbps Effective with 128 MB of Infinity Cache, which dramatically reduces latency and power consumption, delivering higher overall gaming performance than traditional architectural designs.

Recently, Apple has updated its macOS operating system to support the next generation of GPUs for Mac devices, coming from AMD. The upcoming RDNA 2 GPU lineup in Macs will bring all the enhancements AMD made to the architecture, and pack it inside Apple's signature designs. Today, we have received information that Apple could refresh its Mac Pro lineup with AMD's Radeon Pro GPU based on RDNA 2 architecture. On Geekbench 5, there was a test run that was conducted on Apple Mac Pro "7.1" revision, that features not only Intel Cascade Lake-X processor but AMD's unreleased Radeon Pro W6900X graphics card designed for professional users.

While we don't know much about the exact specifications, we know that it features a Navi 21 GPU SKU. Judging by the naming scheme, the Radeon Pro W6900X is representing an Apple-exclusive GPU variant designed only for Mac Pro devices. A Chiphell leak has given us a sneak peek at the alleged card look, which you can see below. When it comes to performance, the Geekbench result measures Metal API performance and the Radeon Pro W6900X has managed to score 171448 points, which is even higher than the Radeon RX 6900 XT GPU, which tops out at 164294 points. Of course, this is representing a professional SKU, so there could be some tuning present as well.

AMD has announced that Microsoft's Xbox Series S|X now features support for the company's FidelityFX suite. This move, which enabled previously PC-centric technologies on Microsoft's latest-generation gaming consoles, will bring feature parity between RDNA 2-powered graphics, and will eventually enable support for AMD's FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), the company's eventual competition to NVIDIA's DLSS tech.

This means that besides the technologies that are part of the DX 12 Ultimate spec (and which the consoles already obviously support), developers now have access to AMD's Fidelity FX technologies such as Contrast Adaptive Sharpening, Variable Rate Shading, ray traced shadow Denoiser, Ambient Occlusion and Screen Space Reflections. All of these AMD-led developments in the SDK allow for higher performance and/or better visual fidelity. However, the icing on the cake should be the FSR support, which could bring the Series X's 8K claims to bear (alongside high-refresh-rate 4K gaming) - should FSR turn out be in a similar performance-enhancing ballpark as NVIDIA's DLSS, which we can't really know for sure at this stage (and likely neither can AMD). No word on Fidelity FX support on the PS5 has been announced at this time, which does raise the question of its eventual support, or if Sony will enable a similar feature via their own development tools.

Graphics cards have been developed over the years so that they feature multi-level cache hierarchies. These levels of cache have been engineered to fill in the gap between memory and compute, a growing problem that cripples the performance of GPUs in many applications. Different GPU vendors, like AMD and NVIDIA, have different sizes of register files, L1, and L2 caches, depending on the architecture. For example, the amount of L2 cache on NVIDIA's A100 GPU is 40 MB, which is seven times larger compared to the previous generation V100. That just shows how much new applications require bigger cache sizes, which is ever-increasing to satisfy the needs.

Today, we have an interesting report coming from Chips and Cheese. The website has decided to measure GPU memory latency of the latest generation of cards - AMD's RDNA 2 and NVIDIA's Ampere. By using simple pointer chasing tests in OpenCL, we get interesting results. RDNA 2 cache is fast and massive. Compared to Ampere, cache latency is much lower, while the VRAM latency is about the same. NVIDIA uses a two-level cache system consisting out of L1 and L2, which seems to be a rather slow solution. Data coming from Ampere's SM, which holds L1 cache, to the outside L2 is taking over 100 ns of latency.

ASRock, the leading global motherboard, graphics card and small form factor PC manufacturer, has launched the ASRock Radeon RX 6900 XT OC Formula 16 GB graphics card. The graphics card features the breakthrough AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture, 80 compute units, 5120 stream processors, hardware-accelerated raytracing, 16 GB of 256-bit GDDR6 memory and a host of additional features to deliver the ultimate 4K gaming experience.

The ASRock Radeon RX 6900 XT OC Formula 16 GB graphics card offers a 21-phase power design with high-quality components that maximize performance by delivering more power to the GPU. The all-metal cover with a triple-fan cooling system provides excellent heat dissipation. The card's exclusive Striped Axial Fan enhances airflow and minimizes noise, while the metal backplate protects the PCB from damage. The ARGB LED supports Polychrome SYNC, allowing users to customize lighting effects.

When AMD introduced RDNA 2 architecture and higher-end Navi 21 GPU SKUs, it was only a matter of time before the company launches these GPUs inside professional-grade graphics cards. Today, thanks to the Chiphell forums, we have pictures and some specifications of AMD's upcoming Radeon Pro workstation graphics card. Pictured below is a new RDNA 2 based design that features AMD's Navi 21 GLXL GPU SKU. The new GLXL GPU SKU is supposed to be rather similar to the Navi 21 XL GPU found inside AMD's Radeon RX 6800 XT graphics card, judging by the number and arrangement of capacitors on the back of the card.

When it comes to memory, the upcoming Radeon Pro workstation card is featuring 16 GB of VRAM, likely a variant of GDDR6 found on gaming-oriented graphics cards from RDNA 2 generation. When it comes to cooler design, the Radeon Pro graphics card has a blower-type cooler helping tame the Navi 21 GLXL GPU. Given that blower-type coolers are suitable for situations with less airflow, the TDP of this card could be around or under 250 Watts. You can take a look at the card below, however, do note that it is an engineering sample and the final product can look a bit different.