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AMD may launch a new cheap GPU, but don’t get too excited

Monica J. White
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Rumor has it that AMD’s RDNA 2 graphics cards lineup may soon receive a new addition: The AMD Radeon RX 6300.

If this proves to be true, AMD may indeed be working on a very budget-friendly graphics card. However, you may not be able to get one to install inside your own PC.

AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT.
AMD

We already know that AMD is soon set to release several new RDNA 2 graphics cards before it moves on to RDNA 3. The AMD Radeon RX 6950XT, RX 6750XT, RX 6650XT, as well as the entry-level RX 6500 and RX 6400 are rumored to launch soon, although it seems that their release date may have been pushed back.

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This is where things get interesting in relation to the reputed RX 6300 — AMD’s RX 6400 was initially supposed to be a manufacturer-only card. This means that AMD would be selling it directly to its partners for them to install inside pre-built PCs and that it wouldn’t be available on the DIY market. However, it now seems that the RX 6400 will be sold as a standalone graphics card as well and will be made available for PC builders.

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On the other hand, the RX 6300 seems to be taking the place of the RX 6400 in that it will only be distributed to AMD’s partners. The information comes from known hardware leaker Komachi_Ensaka on Twitter. Their tweets are private, but Wccftech spotted the leak and passed it on.

According to Komachi_Ensaka, the RX 6400 is no longer pre-built PC-exclusive, and AMD is preparing the 6300 to be found inside pre-made budget builds. Although much like any rumor, this needs to be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism, there is some official merit to Komachi_Ensaka’s tweet. On the official AMD website, the company discloses that the latest GPU Performance API adds support for AMD Radeon RX 6300, 6400, and 6500-series graphics cards, proving that the card indeed exists.

Lisa Su, the CEO of AMD, pictured holding an AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT graphics card.
AMD

No specifications have been shared about the GPU, but it’s safe to say that you won’t find one of these in the best gaming PCs — it will likely be a similar offering to some of the integrated graphics found in recent AMD APUs or Intel processors.

In times of the GPU shortage, more graphics cards are never bad, even if the RX 6300 is unlikely to blow anyone away with its performance. It’s also not a given that it will never make it to the DIY market.

Consider what seems to be happening with the (also entry-level) AMD Radeon RX 6400. The same thing could one day happen with the RX 6300, introducing it to the consumer DIY market much the same way AMD seems to be doing for the RX 6400. Of course, people who buy future pre-builts with the RX 6300 may also end up re-selling the card on the secondary market, but that’s not very likely to be a worthy purchase for the buyer.

This year is shaping up to be a very busy time for AMD. Between the upcoming CPU releases on April 20, the RDNA 2 refresh (now allegedly moved to May 10), and the next-gen processors and graphics cards, the company is going to flood the market with a whole lot of new products — which is exactly what we need right now.

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Monica J. White
Monica J. White
Computing Writer
Monica is a UK-based freelance writer and self-proclaimed geek. A firm believer in the "PC building is just like expensive…
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