AMD is Taking Time with Radeon RX 9000 to Optimize Software and FSR 4

[AleksandarK]

When AMD announced its upcoming Radeon RX 9000 series of GPUs based on RDNA 4 IP, we expected the general availability to follow soon after the CES announcement. However, it turns out that AMD has scheduled its Radeon RX 9000 series availability for March, as the company is allegedly optimizing the software stack and its FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4) for a butter smooth user experience. In a response on X to Hardware Unboxed, AMD's David McAfee shared, "I really appreciate the excitement for RDNA 4. We are focused on ensuring we deliver a great set of products with Radeon 9000 series. We are taking a little extra time to optimize the software stack for maximum performance and enable more FSR 4 titles. We also have a wide range of partners launching Radeon 9000 series cards, and while some have started building initial inventory at retailers, you should expect many more partner cards available at launch."

AMD is taking its RDNA 4 launch more cautiously than before, as it now faces a significant problem with NVIDIA and its waste portfolio of software optimization and AI-enhanced visualization tools. The FSR 4 introduces a new machine learning (ML) based upscaling component to handle Super Resolution. This will be paired with Frame Generation and an updated Anti-Lag 2 to make up the FSR 4 feature set. Optimizing this is the number one priority, and AMD plans to get more games on FSR 4 so gamers experience out-of-the-box support.



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[JustBenching]

No rush guys

 

[Rares]

This "sick" strategy chosen by AMD will only bring them harm. They will lose even the last 10% they still hold in the market. I don't believe the story about optimizing the drivers. I think their product is just bad.

 

[Lauri]

It will benefit AMD if they have FSR4 ready, good stock and for once they set the correct price from the start. Instead of lowering the price just months later.

 

[dartuil]

really hope 7900xt perf for 9070xt for 600

 

[londiste]

Did AMD get THAT scared of Nvidia's multi-frame generation?

 

[Octopuss]

This "sick" strategy chosen by AMD will only bring them harm. They will lose even the last 10% they still hold in the market. I don't believe the story about optimizing the drivers. I think their product is just bad.

A whole lot of ten posts worth of credibility.

 

[Kaleid]

Good, too many buggy releases are out
The only problem is that they didn't release something better than 7900xtx 24GB

 

[remekra]

Did AMD get THAT scared of Nvidia's multi-frame generation?

They probably want to avoid what has happened with FSR3 FG, where during the 7000 series launch they only had "Coming soon" and 5 sec demo of FG and then nothing for a year.

 

[AusWolf]

It will benefit AMD if they have FSR4 ready, good stock and for once they set the correct price from the start. Instead of lowering the price just months later.

Exactly. A lot depends on positive reviews that people watch months, even years after the product has launched.

Intel is still known for bad drivers thanks to A-series Arc reviews, even though I haven't heard of similar reports on B-series.

Not to mention, waiting for Nvidia to make the first move with the 5070 and Ti could also pay off in the long run.

 

[Jtuck9]

Hopefully they carry this into the future. I'd like to see parity with an upcoming title like that new Doom game, path tracing aside. Someone earlier said DLSS is seen as the superior choice, but hopefully the line between seen and seen become blurred enough to give pause for thought. At least at this price range.

 

[ZoneDymo]

Did AMD get THAT scared of Nvidia's multi-frame generation?

I mean they literally have the same thing on a freaking driver level so I highly doubt it.
Its probably just that pricing problem.

AMD wants to agressively price the product to compete hard but venders want that money....
So really AMD should, as the kids say, take the L and leave the vendors their money and just have less money for themselves in order to build that mindshare.

 

[kondamin]

Did AMD get THAT scared of Nvidia's multi-frame generation?

No they are waiting to see how the 5070 is going to be 900 usd so they can charge 850 for the 9070

 

[AusWolf]

AMD wants to agressively price the product to compete hard but venders want that money....
So really AMD should, as the kids say, take the L and leave the vendors their money and just have less money for themselves in order to build that mindshare.

It's not just that. Pricing the 9070 XT low still wouldn't prevent Nvidia from setting an even lower price correction on the 5070 which would result in more favourable reviews on the 5070 and everybody forgetting that the 9070 XT exists as soon as the 5070 is out.

 

[JustBenching]

So literally amd not competing with nvidia is the reason the prices are high. If they released now and nvidia then undercuts them and then amd has to undercut them again, we all win. But nope, amd says you gotta pay bud.

 

[Kaleid]

So literally amd not competing with nvidia is the reason the prices are high. If they released now and nvidia then undercuts them and then amd has to undercut them again, we all win. But nope, amd says you gotta pay bud.

No it's not. People buy Nvidia regardless of the competition. It's the easy way out, just hear someone repeating common "truths" again and it's a sell.
It doesn't matter if they release now, the common truth will be that Nvidia is the bestest!!!!111
People will be told to wait for Nvidia releases

 

[AusWolf]

So literally amd not competing with nvidia is the reason the prices are high. If they released now and nvidia then undercuts them and then amd has to undercut them again, we all win. But nope, amd says you gotta pay bud.

Naturally. No company works for less profit if they can make more. Nvidia and AMD undercutting each other until they're basically giving away these GPUs for free would be madness.

No it's not. People buy Nvidia regardless of the competition. It's the easy way out, just hear someone repeating common "truths" again and it's a sell.
It doesn't matter if they release now, the common truth will be that Nvidia is the bestest!!!!111
People will be told to wait for Nvidia releases

That too.

 

[AVATARAT]

It's funny - we have new cards ready to sell, here they are, but we're not going to sell them today, but some other day because they're not ready to sell

Did AMD get THAT scared of Nvidia's multi-frame generation?

Are they scared of that?

Spoiler

 

[JustBenching]

No it's not. People buy Nvidia regardless of the competition. It's the easy way out, just hear someone repeating common "truths" again and it's a sell.
It doesn't matter if they release now, the common truth will be that Nvidia is the bestest!!!!111
People will be told to wait for Nvidia releases

If people buy nvidia regardless of the competition then nvidia wouldn't try to undercut them...

 

[Woomack]

I'm sure there is something more behind the delay, as these cards have already been collecting dust in some large stores since the beginning of January (I can't share the source). Some review samples were also shipped as vendors were sure that the release date for the first models was the end of January. There are already many theories as to why AMD delays the RX9000.

 

[AusWolf]

If people buy nvidia regardless of the competition then nvidia wouldn't try to undercut them...

Good logic. But then, there's no point in trying to undercut Nvidia and lose profit, is there?

I'm sure there is something more behind the delay, as these cards have already been collecting dust in some large stores since the beginning of January (I can't share the source). Some review samples were also shipped as vendors were sure that the release date for the first models was the end of January. There are already many theories as to why AMD delays the RX9000.

My theory is this:

Pricing the 9070 XT low still wouldn't prevent Nvidia from setting an even lower price correction on the 5070 which would result in more favourable reviews on the 5070 and everybody forgetting that the 9070 XT exists as soon as the 5070 is out.

I think they're waiting for the 5070 to be released at original price so they can walk in with a checkmate move. If the 9070 XT released now, Nvidia could make a price correction on the 5070 before release, which would tip reviews in their favour.

 

[londiste]

I think they're waiting for the 5070 to be released at original price so they can walk in with a checkmate move. If the 9070 XT released now, Nvidia could make a price correction on the 5070 before release, which would tip reviews in their favour.

I am trying to remember - has Nvidia ever done a price correction like this quickly after a release?

 

[Kaleid]

If people buy nvidia regardless of the competition then nvidia wouldn't try to undercut them...

They really don't have to do a lot, they really do dominate and have for a very long time.

 

[Rightness_1]

Yeah, sure it is... Something NV did at their keynote destroyed AMDs marketing for these new cards. I doubt it was the price, and I doubt it was the VRAM quantity or type. This has something to do with the lack-lustre performance uplift of the Lovelace refresh a.k.a. the minor refresh "Blackwell" chip. AMD possible has an opportunity to catch up with NV's midrange cards, and maybe they were not expecting that.

 

[Vayra86]

I am trying to remember - has Nvidia ever done a price correction like this quickly after a release?

Not that I know of... the only corrections I've seen from Nvidia are when they refresh one or more GPUs, and even then, its rare.