AMD today introduced Radeon Super Resolution (RSR), a new performance enhancement feature that's designed to improve frame-rates of thousands of games, whether or not they feature support for it. Put simply, RSR is a high-quality upscaling algorithm derived from FidelityFX Super Resolution 1.0, which is located on the driver-side, rather than game-side. In games that support FSR, the 3D scene rendered at a lower resolution is put through the FSR upscaler algorithm before post-processing and HUD are applied to its result. RSR doesn't require game-level integration, because it requires the game to simply run at a lower resolution than the display's native resolution; so it could act like a high-quality image upscaling algorithm.

This means that thousands of games can benefit from RSR, as the feature is agnostic to what it's upscaling. There are a couple of wrinkles, though. First, you'll need a Radeon RX 5000 or RX 6000 series GPU, based on the RDNA or RDNA2 graphics architectures. The older "Vega" or "Polaris" architectures don't support it. "Vega" is still a current architecture, given that Ryzen 5000 series processors with Radeon Graphics, use a "Vega" based iGPU. The feature should, however, work with the RDNA2-based iGPU of the Ryzen 6000 "Rembrandt" processor. The second big catch is that since RSR comes later down the rendering pipeline than even HUD application, you may notice low-quality HUDs in some games—especially RTS or RPGs with large cluttered HUDs and inventory icons. RSR is being released through the AMD Software 22.3.1 update today.

We explored RSR in greater technical detail, and tested its performance and image quality for you in our Radeon Super Resolution article.

AMD with its Version 22.3.1 driver release, announced the re-branding of AMD Radeon Software to simply AMD Software. Over the years, Radeon Software grew into something beyond simply GPU drivers and software strictly related to the GPU and display—it is now an all-encompassing suite of software relevant to gamers and creators, helping them organize and optimize their software, share their gameplay among multiple devices locally or over the Internet; and record or stream their experiences, all using software AMD provides to go with its hardware. Going forward, the nomenclature of AMD Software will be practically identical to that of AMD Radeon Software, just without the "Radeon" part. Today (17th March), the company is releasing AMD Software Adrenalin 22.3.1 to introduce several new features and updates. Although not part of the 22.3.1 release, we predict that AMD Software in the future could integrate components beyond graphics and gaming; including platform drivers, overclocking tools, processor-related components, and more.

In a livestream talking about AMD's mobile CPUs with HotHardware, Robert Hallock shone some light on the rumours about the Ryzen 7 5800X3D lacking manual overclocking. As per earlier rumours, something TechPowerUp! confirmed with our own sources, AMD's Ryzen 7 5800X3D lacks support for manual CPU overclocking and AMD asked its motherboard partners to remove these features in the UEFI. According to the livestream, these CPUs are said to be hard locked, so there's no workaround when it comes to adjusting the CPU multiplier or Voltage, but at least AMD has a good reason for it.

It turns out that the 3D V-Cache is Voltage limited to a maximum of 1.3 to 1.35 Volts, which means that the regular boost Voltage of individual Ryzen CPU cores, which can hit 1.45 to 1.5 Volts, would be too high for the 3D V-Cache to handle. As such, AMD implemented the restrictions for this CPU. However, the Infinity Fabric and memory bus can still be manually overclocked. The lower Voltage boost also helps explain why the Ryzen 7 5800X3D has lower boost clocks, as it's possible that the higher Voltages are needed to hit the higher frequencies.

AMD is preparing to announce their FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) successor tomorrow, on March 17th before a showcase of the technology at GDC 2022 as we previously reported on according to leaked slides obtained by VideoCardz. AMD FSR 2.0 will use temporal data and optimized anti-aliasing to improve image quality in all presents and resolutions compared to its predecessor making it a worthy component against NVIDIA DLSS 2.0. The slides also confirm that FSR 2.0 doesn't require dedicated machine learning hardware acceleration and will be compatible with a "wide range of products and platforms, both AMD and competitors".

The technology has been implemented in Deathloop where FSR 2.0 "Performance" mode with ray tracing increased frame rates from 53 FPS to 101 FPS compared to 4K native resolution with ray tracing. The slides do not reveal if AMD will make the source code for FSR 2.0 open-source as they have done for FSR and Intel is planning to do with XeSS. AMD is also expected to release Radeon Super Resolution which is an FSR driver implementation available for all games on March 17th.

ASUS today announced BIOS support and updates for a variety of motherboards supporting the new AMD Ryzen 5000 and 4000 series CPUs. Matching the new Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which has a dedicated 96 MB L3 cache, AMD has released AGESA version 1.2.0.6b to improve system performance. Many ASUS 500, 400, A320 and X370 series motherboards already have BIOS updates with this new AGESA version. Other compatible models will receive corresponding BIOS updates by March 25th.

All CPUs in this series are recognized by ASUS mainboards of the 400 and 500 series via existing BIOS updates - also with AGESA version 1.2.0.6b. The updates can be downloaded from the ASUS support website. Previous generation ASUS motherboards will receive support for these new CPUs according to the table below:

Leading memory provider TEAMGROUP not only brings complete storage solutions to consumers worldwide but also strives to provide the best cooling options. In response to greater demands in the next generation of PC hardware for faster and more efficient cooling, its gaming sub-brand T-FORCE has announced the world's first ARGB All-In-One liquid cooling system that dissipates heat from two main heat sources, the CPU and SSD, at the same time.

The dual-cooling system of the T-FORCE SIREN Series All-in-One ARGB Liquid Cooler supports a wide range of Intel and AMD sockets, including the latest LGA1700 and AM5 sockets, and its meticulously-designed water blocks are made for mainstream M.2 2280 SSDs, making the cooler perfect for a large variety of gaming PC setups. The T-FORCE SIREN Series All-in-One liquid cooling system allows gamers to solve both CPU and SSD heating issues with an easy installation and helps provide stable operation when both components are under heavy loads, contributing to longer hardware lifespans. Its ARGB dual water block design can also display a wide array of dazzling lights, giving players the freedom to create their own unique, eye-catching PC rig.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today announced X570, B550, A520, X470, B450, and A320 motherboards can support the newly launched Ryzen 5000 and Ryzen 4000 series processors without updating BIOS. Users can customize their system according to personal budget, performance request, and accustomed configuration to enjoy the full advantages of GIGABYTE motherboards.

The new launched AMD processors include Ryzen 7 5700X, Ryzen 5 5600, Ryzen 5 4600G and Ryzen 5 5500, Ryzen 5 4500, Ryzen 3 4100, bring users more comprehensive options with various performance and pricing segment. To fully support and unleash all advantages of the new processors, GIGABYTE X570, B550, A520, X470, B450, and A320 motherboards are shipped to market with the latest BIOS. Users can either get the optimal performance by X series motherboards with Ryzen 7 5700X processors, or build a price-competitive platform of A series motherboards with Ryzen 3 4100 processors.

Today Lenovo announced the latest additions to the ThinkPad portfolio: the X13 and X13 Yoga Gen 3, plus refreshed third generation ThinkPad L series laptops designed to empower a hybrid workforce with enhanced collaboration and connectivity features. Following the unveiling of the latest ThinkPad X1 and all-new Z series at CES, and more recently the innovative ThinkPad X13s and updated workhorse T series, refreshing ThinkPad X series and L series completes one of the most comprehensive business laptop portfolios available. Devised to offer customers the best choice, ThinkPad is built leveraging the core tenets of design, innovation and quality. Focused on enhancing the fundamental features that power hybrid working, the latest laptops deliver enhancements including Dolby Voice, FHD cameras, Wi-Fi 6E1, 5G sub6 and 4G LTE wireless WAN, and battery options on select models for the best choice between lightweight mobility and the flexibility of extended battery life.

With more distributed workforces, security remains the number one concern amongst IT decision makers. ThinkShield hardware and software protection that integrates a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) with Windows 11 Secured core PCs enhances security from every angle. Complementary security features embedded in Intel Hardware Shield available exclusively on Intel vPro platform-based devices or AMD Ryzen PRO 6000 Series processors with AMD PRO Security demonstrate the ThinkPad "secure by design" philosophy. Furthermore, ThinkPad is integrating the optional fingerprint reader into the power button for added convenience.

In addition to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which AMD claims to be the world's fastest gaming processor, AMD gave its desktop processor product-stack a major update, with as many as six other processor models spanning a wide range of price-points that help the company better compete with the bulk of the 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" processor lineup. The new lineup sees the introduction of the Ryzen 7 5700X (not to be confused with the Ryzen 7 5700G). The 5700X is based on the same "Vermeer" multi-chip module (MCM) as the Ryzen 7 5800X, unlike the 5700G, which is a desktop APU based on the "Cezanne" monolithic silicon. Both "Vermeer" and "Cezanne" are based on the "Zen 3" microarchitecture.

The Ryzen 7 5700X is an 8-core/16-thread processor clocked at 3.40 GHz base and 4.60 GHz boost, compared to the 3.80 GHz base and 4.80 GHz boost frequency of the 5800X. Another key difference is its 65 W TDP, compared to 105 W of the 5800X, which could differentiate its boosting behavior and overclocking headroom compared to the 5800X. AMD is pricing the 5700X at USD $299 (MSRP), making it a competitor to the Intel Core i5-12600KF. Interestingly, the retail PIB (processor-in-box) package of the 5700X does not include a stock cooler despite its 65 W TDP. A 95 W-capable Wraith Spire wouldn't have hurt.

AMD announced that it is bringing official Ryzen 5000 "Zen 3" desktop processor support to the oldest of Socket AM4 motherboards out there, which are based on AMD 300-series chipset models—the X370, B350, and A320. The company is working with motherboard and pre-built gaming desktop OEMs to push UEFI firmware updates with support. In addition to Ryzen 5000, this would also add Ryzen 3000 and Ryzen 4000 "Zen 2" support across the board. Motherboard firmware updates that add Ryzen 5000 support will encapsulate AGESA V2 PI 1.2.0.7 microcode, so look for this AGESA version in the change-log of the firmware update. AMD expects that motherboard and pre-built vendors will start pushing these updates from May 2022.

AMD today announced its Spring 2022 update for the company's Ryzen desktop processors, with as many as seven new processor models in the retail channel. The lineup is led by the Ryzen 7 5800X3D 8-core/16-thread processor, which AMD claims is the "world's fastest gaming processor." This processor introduces the 3D Vertical Cache (3DV Cache) to the consumer space.

64 MB of fast SRAM is stacked on top of the region of the CCD (8-core chiplet) that has 32 MB of on-die L3 cache, with structural silicon leveling the region over the CPU cores with it. This SRAM is tied directly with the bi-directional ring-bus that interconnects the CPU cores, L3 cache, and IFOP (Infinity Fabric Over Package) interconnect. The result is 96 MB of seamless L3 cache, with each of the 8 "Zen 3" CPU cores having equal access to all of it.

You're not going to get an award for guessing who TSMC's biggest customer is, but based on details in TSMC's latest earnings report, its biggest customer stands for no less than 26 percent of TSMC's total revenue. That's up a whole percentage in 2021 over 2020 and as you most likely have already guessed, that company should be Apple. TSMC doesn't, for obvious reasons, reveal who their customers are, but it's no secret that Apple is spending a lot of money with the company. TSMC had a consolidated revenue of NT$1.587 trillion (US$55.73 billion) in 2021, or up 18.53 percent from 2020. The second largest source of revenue for TSMC might surprise some, at least based on the kind of information that the usual analysts tend to claim in their reports.

Although second place in terms of revenue only accounts for another 10 percent of TSMC's total revenue, we're still looking at some serious money here. However, as both Qualcomm and NVIDIA departed for Samsung in 2021, second place is said to be taken by AMD, which might not have been everyone's first guess. Unsurprisingly, 64 percent of TSMC's revenue is coming from companies in the USA, with Taiwan being the second largest source of revenue at 12.8 percent. As far as the PRC is concerned, revenue is said to be down by 29.6 percent and only makes up 10.3 percent of TSMC's revenues for 2021. This is largely due to the US sanctions against Huawei, according to the Taipei Times. The 7 nm node is still the big money maker for TSMC, which pulled in over NT$440 billion, followed by the 5 nm node at over NT$262 billion. However, the 5 nm node revenue grew by 188 percent in 2021, while the 7 nm node only had a revenue growth of 11.5 percent.

AMD is scheduled to hold an event discussing "Next-Generation Image Upscaling for Games" at the Game Developers Conference on March 23. The event only includes a brief description that "AMD will present some of the results of their research in the domain of next-generation image upscaling technology" but the developer of CapFrameX has recently claimed to see footage from FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 2.0 so AMD may be preparing to announce the technology imminently.

The developer claims that FSR 2.0 switches to a temporal upscaling approach with optimized anti-aliasing that doesn't require AI acceleration unlike DLSS & XeSS meaning that it can work with GPUs from multiple vendors. The technology can also allegedly improve image quality beyond native resolution but we will need to wait for the official announcement and reviews before reaching any conclusions.

EK, has partnered up with XFX to bring you a factory water-cooled Radeon RX 6900 XT GPU. The XFX Speedster ZERO Radeon RX 6900XT RGB EKWB is one of the fastest AMD Radeon-based graphics cards on the market. This new Speedster series GPU is equipped with a 14-phase VRM power delivery system, consisting of DrMOS and high polymer capacitors. To make sure these lightning-fast graphics processors manage to hit their maximum clocks, a unique EK water block is pre-installed which also brings a prolonged lifespan due to the superior thermals that the liquid cooling provides. This also makes sure that no precious gaming time is spent on the water block mounting, and there are no questions regarding the warranty.

A powerful 14+2 Phase Power Design allows more stable performance by better distributing power across more power phases in the VRM which results in more overclocking and boosting headroom. Couple that with the incredibly cool components due to the full cover EK water block and you get a recipe for high performance, stability, and a long lifespan.

Earlier this week, we learned about AMD making several additions to its Ryzen 5000 Socket AM4 desktop processor lineup, to better compete against the bulk of the 12th Gen Intel Core "Alder Lake" processors. It turns out that there are three more additions to the lineup that we missed, because they're slated for a slightly later availability from the other chips (later by weeks).

The first of these three is the Ryzen 7 5700 (non-X). This chip is uniquely different from the Ryzen 7 5700X and the Ryzen 7 5600G. It is an 8-core/16-thread processor that's based on the 7 nm "Cezanne" silicon, with its iGPU disabled. This means you still get eight "Zen 3" CPU cores, but no iGPU, just 16 MB of L3 cache, and the PCI-Express interface of the chip is limited Gen 3. The Ryzen 3 5100 is the spiritual successor to the very interesting Ryzen 3 3100. It is a 4-core/8-thread processor based on the same "Cezanne" silicon with "Zen 3" cores, but with only 8 MB of L3 cache, and the iGPU remaining disabled. The third chip on the anvil is the Ryzen 7 4700, an interesting 8-core/16-thread offering based on the older "Renoir" silicon with "Zen 2" CPU cores.

Less than 24 hours after Apple's launch event, the first Geekbench numbers for the new Apple M1 Ultra CPU are out and the numbers are interesting to say the least. For starters, the system the Geekbench numbers are from, is the top of the range 20 Core SKU with 128 GB of RAM. This helps us get some additional insight into Apple's new CPUs. As Apple didn't provide much in technical terms yesterday, nor on its website, we now know that the clock speed of the M1 Ultra is the same 3.2 GHz as the regular M1. It also appears that the CPU cache remains the same, even though Geekbench is only listing the cache of the efficiency cores for some reason.

Although Geekbench isn't a reliable cross-platform benchmark, we do at least get an idea of how the new SoC from Apple performs. The single core performance is more or less on par with the Apple M1 Max, but loses out quite easily to Intel's Alder Lake processors. However, once we move to the multi-threaded test, the M1 Ultra really shows what it's capable of. Surprisingly the performance scaling is almost linear with the double of performance CPU cores compared to the M1 Max, which suggests that Apple's multi-chip module design is extremely capable. The interesting thing will be to see how well this design scales for GPU intensive applications. Stepping outside of the Apple ecosystem, the M1 Ultra ends up somewhere around an AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X in terms of multi-core performance. Scaling over some of the detailed tests aren't somewhere between 80-90 percent depending on the particular test compared to the M1 Max, if we compare to the faster results on Geekbench, which is still quite impressive considering we're looking at two M1 Max CPUs that are technically glued together.

MSI Is ready with the monstrous WS WRX80 motherboard for AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO workstation processors. Slotted in the company's MSI PRO lineup, the board is based on the AMD WRX80 chipset, features the sWRX8 CPU socket, and comes with out of the box support for Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5000WX processors based on the "Zen 3" architecture, as well as previous-generation Threadripper 3000WX "Zen 2" processors. Built in the E-ATX form-factor, the board draws power from a 24-pin ATX, two 8-pin EPS, as well as two 6-pin PCIe power. It uses an expensive 14-layer PCB, and the CPU VRM solution is made up of 11 phases, using 105 A power-stages.

The sWRX8 socket is flanked by eight DDR4, each with a dedicated 1DPC path to the processor's 8-channel memory interface. There are seven PCI-Express 4.0 x16 slot, all wired to the processor and running at full x16 bandwidth. There could be as many as four M.2 NVMe slots with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring, with an included M.2 to PCIe card with four additional M.2 slots. Other storage options include two U.2 ports, and eight SATA 6 Gbps. Networking options include 10 GbE, 2.5 GbE, and Wi-Fi 6E with Bluetooth 5.2. There's also an ASpeed AST2600 BMC IPMI remote-management chip with its dedicated 1 GbE management port. USB connectivity includes 20 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports. We'll know more about this board as Threadripper PRO 5000WX nears retail availability. Right now it's exclusive to the Lenovo ThinkCenter P620 pre-built workstation.

TechPowerUp has verified a rumour posted over on VideoCardz that is quite puzzling, as AMD has asked motherboard makers to remove support for overclocking in the UEFI/BIOS for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. When we asked for a reason as to why this was the case, we were told that AMD was keeping that information to themselves for the time being. The details provided by AMD are short and to the point "5800X3D 8C16T 100-xxxxxxxxx 105 W AGESA: PI 1206b 1/28 Please hide Vermeer-X CPU OC BIOS SETUP options".

The information suggests that this happened back at the end of January, although it's no surprise that this information took some time to leak, as it's not the kind of information that would normally make its way outside of the motherboard manufacturers. AGESA 1.2.0.6 B is also the most current release for a wide range of motherboards, even though it doesn't seem to be offered as a final release from all of the board makers just yet. It's unclear why AMD has done this, but it suggests that there might be some issues related to the 3D V-Cache and overclocking.

Intel is reportedly targeting early-Summer (May-June) for the launch of its ambitious attempt at AAA gaming graphics cards for desktops, the Arc "Alchemist" series, based on the Xe-HPG graphics architecture, according to a report by Igor's Lab. Product launches are expected anywhere between May 2 and June 1, so one could expect some market availability within Summer. The Arc "Alchemist" series is designed to be sold through a handful board partners Intel already has strong industry relations with. The Arc "Alchemist" lineup will initially target four market segments, including the performance segment, meant for maxed out AAA gaming, with XeSS possibly even enabling 4K Ultra HD gameplay. Intel's entry to the gaming graphics space is expected to introduce an element of competitive pressure against both NVIDIA and AMD, as the company has the financial muscle to keep investing in this market if it tastes success with "Alchemist."

AMD today announced availability of the new AMD Radeon PRO W6600X GPU for Mac Pro, developed to help professional users push the limits of what is possible. Built on the award-winning AMD RDNA 2 architecture, AMD Infinity Cache and other advanced technologies, the new GPU delivers stunning visuals and exceptional performance to power a variety of today's popular professional applications and workloads.

AMD Radeon PRO W6000X Series GPUs provide several graphics options for Mac Pro, which is engineered for extreme performance, expandability and configurability. The new AMD Radeon PRO W6600X GPU delivers an outstanding combination of image quality and exceptional performance, helping enable Mac Pro users to achieve amazing levels of productivity and creativity. Users can also select from several other powerful AMD GPUs to power an extensive range of professional workloads, including the previously announced AMD Radeon PRO W6900X, AMD Radeon PRO W6800X and AMD Radeon PRO W6800X Duo GPUs.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, the company's ambitious new 8-core/16-thread Socket AM4 processor that claims to match the Core i9-12900K "Alder Lake" in gaming performance, will launch at an MSRP of USD $449, according to prices of several upcoming AMD Ryzen processors leaked to the web. The 5800X3D is clocked lower than the 5800X, with 3.40 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost frequencies, but the large 96 MB L3 cache from the 3D Vertical Cache memory, overcomes this.

The Ryzen 7 5700X is an interesting new 8-core/16-thread part. It's based on the "Vermeer" MCM just like the 5800X, and unlike the 5700G that's based on the "Cezanne" monolithic silicon. The 5700X is clocked at 3.40 GHz base, with 4.60 GHz boost, compared to the 3.80 GHz base and 4.70 GHz boost frequency of the 5800X. The Ryzen 7 5700X is launching at $299 MSRP, which implies that the company is cutting the MSRP of the Ryzen 5 5600X that originally occupied this price-point.Update Mar 9th: Correction: the Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core/12-thread part.

CORSAIR, a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, today announced a powerful new tool to help gamers design their next PC or upgrade, tailor-made for their needs: CORSAIR PC Builder. Combining a vast PC part compatibility database with expert hardware insights and building tips, CORSAIR PC Builder is an invaluable resource when researching and configuring a new PC build.

CORSAIR PC Builder curates your components checklist to your PC gaming needs, drawing on a database covering the full specs from thousands of currently sold PC components. Users need only to specify their chosen Intel or AMD processor, graphics card, and motherboard, and CORSAIR PC Builder will offer a comprehensive parts list of award-winning CORSAIR components, all guaranteed for compatibility with your desired system. PC Builder also ensures that all the parts fit inside your chosen case, whether it be a CORSAIR case or third-party. The result is a carefully curated shopping cart, filled with exactly what you need to build the optimal PC to run your favorite games.

AMD today launched its first Ryzen Threadripper processors based on the "Zen 3" microarchitecture, with the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5000WX series. Designed to be drop-in compatible with workstations and motherboards based on the AMD WRX80 chipset, these processors come in core-counts of up to 64-core/128-thread, with an enormous I/O offering that includes 8-channel DDR4 memory with ECC support, and a 128-lane PCI-Express 4.0 root complex. The biggest change over the previous generation Threadripper PRO 3000WX series has to be the use of "Zen 3" CCDs, each with 8 CPU cores, sharing a common 32 MB of L3 cache. AMD isn't using the "Zen 3" chiplets with 3DV Cache.

The full AMD PRO management feature-set from Ryzen PRO is available on these processors, including PRO Security, PRO Management, and a special support channel that includes planned parts and software availability. What's more, AMD has been working with ISVs of most professional content-creation software since the past generation of Ryzen Threadripper PRO, to optimize their software for the processors (high core-counts, NUMA topology, etc.). The benefits of these are shared with all generations of Threadrippers. Although all parts in the Threadripper PRO 5000WX series are rated for a TDP of 280 W, AMD claims to have worked on power-management, offering up to 67 percent lower power per core, compared to the competition (2P Xeon Scalable Platinum 8280).

According to yet another leak, it would appear that AMD is planning to release no less than four new CPUs in its Ryzen 5000-series this month, with the obvious headline product being the already announced Ryzen 7 5800X3D. However, details of a further three CPUs have turned up on Twitter and it looks like AMD is planning to go head to head with Intel, if the rumoured price brackets are indeed correct. The expected three new CPUs are the Ryzen 7 5700X, Ryzen 5 5600 and Ryzen 5 5500.

The Ryzen 7 5700X is as expected an eight core, 16 thread CPU that is said to be cheaper than an Intel Core i5-12600KF, which means an MSRP around the US$250-270 mark. The six core, twelve thread Ryzen 5 5600 on the other hand, is said to be cheaper than the Core i5-12400, so it should get a sub US$200 MSRP. Finally the six core, six thread Ryzen 5 5500, is said to land at the same price point as the Core i3-12100, pointing at a US$130 MSRP. Unfortunately, no indication of pricing for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D was given, but based on the fact that AMD seems to be dropping the pricing of its current Ryzen 5000-series of processors in the US market, it'll hopefully get a competitive price point.

The rumor mill is attempting to nail down the specific launch date of AMD's purported RDNA 2 series refresh. According to renowned leaker Enthusiastic Citizen over at Chiphell forums, AMD is now planning to launch updated versions of its RDNA2 graphics cards around April 20th or April 21st. It seems that AMD is updating three different SKUs based on the RDNA2 silicon, perhaps in order to increase their market attractiveness (and competitiveness) against both NVIDIA's lineup and Intel's upcoming Arc Alchemist series, which is expected to launch in the next several weeks as well.

The new cards, which are expected to carry updated model names, are currently expected to be the RX 6950XT (a response to NVIDIA's oft-delayed RTX 3090 Ti graphics card), the RX 6750XT (likely meant to compete against Intel's upcoming Arc Alchemist A700 series, and the RX 6650XT. The only available details purport to the RX 6950XT, which is expected to not only carry upgraded 18 Gbps GDDR6 VRAM, but also an increased power limit of 350 W (above the 300 W from the reference RX 6900XT. The other two GPU updates should follow suit along the memory frequency and power consumption increases.