Skip to main content

Don’t buy a new GPU — AMD’s RDNA 3 could be right around the corner

A new rumor suggests that AMD’s RX 7000 graphics cards — based on the RDNA 3 architecture — could launch as soon as October.

Known AMD and Nvidia leaker Grymon55 says that AMD’s next-gen graphics cards are set to launch in late October, and they’ll be here “no later than mid-November.” Although we haven’t seen an official release date, AMD’s graphics road map recently re-confirmed that the cards will launch before the end of 2022.

Recommended Videos

https://twitter.com/greymon55/status/1536630402151985152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1536630402151985152%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvideocardz.com%2Fnewz%2Famd-radeon-7000-rdna3-series-rumored-to-launch-between-late-october-and-mid-november

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!

The only official news AMD has shared is that the cards offer a 50% improvement in performance per watt versus the previous generation. Rumors suggest even higher performance. One leaker said RX 7000 GPUs are 130% faster than the previous generation, which could put AMD in the running to have the best graphics card on the market.

Greymon’s rumor comes at an interesting time. GPU prices are falling, and many graphics cards are available at or below list price. Although AMD’s current offerings are impressive, rumors point to next-gen cards offering a massive performance increase. Some speculation says that even entry-level RX 7000 GPUs will be able to outperform the mighty RX 6900 XT.

AMD isn’t the only one releasing new GPUs this year. We also expect Nvidia to release its RTX 40-series graphics cards. Nvidia hasn’t confirmed that it’s even working on these cards, but the company’s normal release cycle suggests new graphics cards are on the way.

Leakers say Nvidia’s next-gen GPUs will use a 4nm manufacturing process, which could give Team Green a leg up. However, rumors from the past several months point to RTX 40-series GPUs drawing an obscene amount of power. We don’t have official specs from AMD or Nvidia, but murmurs suggest that AMD’s cards could be more efficient.

AMD RX 6950 XT installed in a PC.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Although we don’t have any confirmed release date from AMD, we’ll almost certainly see AMD’s Ryzen 7000 CPUs before next-gen GPUs arrive. AMD confirmed that Ryzen 7000 CPUs will launch in early fall and confirmed several key specs (such as that the flagship chip will come with 16 cores). Given that we have more confirmed details about Ryzen 7000, we expect them first.

Regardless of which comes first, we expect Ryzen 7000 and RX 7000 to launch within a few months (or maybe even weeks) of each other. RX 7000 GPUs are rumored to support PCIe 5.0, and Ryzen 7000 is AMD’s first platform to support the new PCIe standard. Although AMD has confirmed Ryzen 7000 GPUs are coming in 2022, the recently released Ryzen road map confirms mobile options won’t arrive until the beginning of 2023.

It’s not a great time to buy a new GPU if you want the best performance, but graphics card prices may rise again. The GPU shortage is over, but it’s possible that next-gen options from AMD and Nvidia will push prices up again. Regardless of when you buy, make sure to keep our roundup of the best GPU deals handy so you can save some money.

Jacob Roach
Lead Reporter, PC Hardware
Jacob Roach is the lead reporter for PC hardware at Digital Trends. In addition to covering the latest PC components, from…
Don’t buy the Ryzen 7 7800X3D right now. Here’s what to get instead
A hand holding AMD's Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor.

Amazon Prime Day 2024 deals are out in full swing, so if you're in the market for a gaming CPU, you might gravitate toward the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. While it's true that it's discounted right now, it's not the only CPU to get a deep price cut for Prime Day -- and you could get a potentially better CPU for less. Similarly, these deals are making one thing clear -- there's no need to wait for Zen 5.

AMD's 3D V-Cache CPUs are known for their gaming prowess, and while they've received multiple price cuts since launch, you'd be hard-pressed to find them cheaper than this. Let's take a closer look at the deals:

Read more
This could be the reason you upgrade your GPU
The RTX 4080 in a running test bench.

Now more than ever, the best graphics cards aren't defined by their raw performance alone -- they're defined by their features. Nvidia has set the stage with DLSS, which now encompasses upscaling, frame generation, and a ray tracing denoiser, and AMD is hot on Nvidia's heels with FSR 3. But what will define the next generation of graphics cards?

It's no secret that features like DLSS 3 and FSR 3 are a key factor when buying a graphics card in 2024, and I suspect AMD and Nvidia are privy to that trend. We already have a taste of what could come in the next generation of GPUs from Nvidia, AMD, and even Intel, and it could make a big difference in PC gaming. It's called neural texture compression.
Let's start with texture compression

Read more
Don’t upgrade your GPU until you’ve read this
The RTX 4070 sitting on top of another GPU.

We’re on the brink of a new generation of graphics cards. AMD, Nvidia, and even Intel have all hinted that we’ll see new graphics cards this year, and if you’ve been sitting on your GPU for a while, you’ll probably be eyeing an upgrade.

Upgrading your graphics card isn’t as simple as looking up a few reviews and making a decision, though. If you get too eager to buy a shiny new GPU, you could be missing out on extra performance, better value, or even additional features. If you’re looking to upgrade your GPU soon, make sure to follow these guiding principles.
Forget the name

Read more