AMD will continue using traditional PCI Express power connectors for its upcoming Radeon RX 9000 series RDNA 4 graphics cards, according to recent information shared on the Chiphell forum. While there were some expectations that AMD would mimic NVIDIA's approach, which requires the newer 16-pin 12V-2×6 connector for its GeForce RTX 50 series, the latest information suggests a more traditional power approach. While AMD plans to release its next generation of graphics cards in the first quarter, most technical details remain unknown. The company's choice to stick with standard power connectors follows the pattern set by their recent Radeon RX 7900 GRE, which demonstrated that conventional PCI Express connectors can adequately handle power demands up to 375 W. The standard connectors eliminate the need for adapters, a feature AMD could highlight as an advantage. An earlier leak suggested that the Radeon RX 9070 XT can draw up to 330 W of power at peak load.

Intel reportedly cited similar reasons for using standard power connectors in their Arc "Battlemage" graphics cards, suggesting broader industry support for maintaining existing connection standards. NVIDIA's different approach reportedly requires all board partners to use the 12V-2×6 connector for the RTX 50 series, removing the option for traditional PCI Express power connectors. In contrast, AMD's decision gives its manufacturing partners more flexibility in their design choices, and MBA (Made by AMD) reference cards don't enforce the new 12V-2×6 power connector standard. Beyond the power connector details and general release timeframe pointing to CES, AMD has revealed little about the RDNA 4 architecture's capabilities. Only the reference card's physical appearance and naming scheme appear to be finalized, leaving questions about performance specifications unanswered, as early underwhelming performance leaks are somewhat unreliable until final drivers and final optimizations land.

AMD's entry-level Radeon RX 7600 GPU launched last May—critical reception was lukewarm, and Team Red enthusiasts found more compelling "budget" options within the preceding RDNA 2 generation. AMD's board partners rolled out customized Radeon RX 7600 8 GB cards—as planned—but the reference design was a scarcity around launch time. As pointed out by TPU's resident graphics card reviewer extraordinaire, W1zzard, a "Made by AMD" (MBA) model was lined up for direct sale via official AMD online stores, "as well as through its board partners, with minimal re-branding." Plans were (apparently) scuppered by a discovery of 8-pin power cable insertion issues—review outlets informed AMD about these problems prior to launch.

According to a fresh VideoCardz report, AMD has started to offer its Radeon RX 7600 reference design through official European channels: "despite the initial promise of offering the RX 7600 directly to gamers through their webstore, AMD has struggled to generate significant interest in the card nearly a year after its launch. Furthermore, there hasn't been a substantial change in pricing, with the card still retailing at $269 (in the US). Turns out, the Radeon RX 7600 MBA is now available in Germany." Several European shop portals display prices of €295 (~$318) and €300 (~$324)—at the time of writing. Potential customers will have to weigh up the benefit of AMD's extra time spent on ironing out the reference design's past issues, versus market-tested + custom-cooled partner models.