As we’re all on the lookout for AMD’s RDNA 4 graphics cards, I’m telling you right out of the gate: They’re still not here. However, Biostar launched a new AMD GPU that’s fairly … unexpected, to say the least. In fact, I’d sooner expect AMD to just drop RDNA 4 into our laps with no warning than for Biostar to launch this GPU. Which card am I talking about? Why, the RX 580, of course — a GPU that’s now seven years old.
The new RX 580 comes in a stylish white shroud, but on the inside, it’s still the same GPU that’s in no danger of competing against some of the best graphics cards. The RX 580 sports 2,048 stream processors (SPs), 8GB of GDDR5 VRAM across a 256-bit bus, and a maximum clock speed of 1,750MHz. The card supports the PCIe 3.0 interface and comes with two DisplayPort 1.4a ports as well as one HDMI 2.0. Those specs are pretty outdated for 2024.
On the other hand, the RX 580 remains, to this day, one of AMD’s most beloved graphics cards. It did a great job when it was current, and remained in many gaming systems for years. In fact, it still shows up in the Steam Hardware Survey, although only a tiny number of gamers still use it; between two different versions of the card, it adds up to less than 1.5% of all survey participants.
Still, it’s hard not to wonder if it’s not time to let go. The Biostar RX 580 is likely going to be really cheap, although the manufacturer is still keeping the price a secret for now. Seeing as many GPU makers no longer produce the card, the only way to reliably get it is through the second-hand market. Biostar’s alternative could work if you’ve got your heart set on this particular card, and for gamers on a tight budget, the RX 580 could be a viable solution for casual gaming.
Assuming Biostar keeps the price at around $100, there could be some merit to this RX 580. But spending a bit more gets you a significantly better GPU; for instance, the RX 6600 costs around $180, and the Arc A580 comes in at a similar price range. Both outperform the RX 580, so the price will be the deciding factor here.
So that’s it for today’s new GPU release. When will we see next-gen graphics cards? No one knows, but the final quarter of this year or the beginning of 2025 seems like a good estimate for AMD.
