Did AMD just say it won’t make any more RDNA 3 graphics card models? Nope…
AMD won’t be producing any new RDNA 3 chips, and the current-gen line-up is complete as it stands, an exec has confirmed.
In an interview (highlighted by VideoCardz) after AMD’s Gamescom launches – where the new RX 7800 XT and 7700 XT were announced, along with FSR 3 – Team Red’s Scott Herkleman, who heads up the Radeon division, made the revelation.
.@sherkelman: AMD “RDNA3 portfolio is now complete” pic.twitter.com/e92ioJPcy1August 26, 2023
Herkleman was asked if the two new mid-range RDNA 3 GPUs completed AMD’s current-gen portfolio, and replied: “Well, the RDNA 3 portfolio is now complete. Of all products that we have planned to launch, this is the last few products that we will launch.
“We may have some different versions, but they are not a new ASIC … It’s been a journey, it’s been about a year since we launched the very first RDNA 3 and now we are a year later finishing up the series.
“We should be done, we’re done and we are excited. And I think we now have a broad spectrum covered for people who want RDNA 3 up and down the price stack.”
Analysis: What does this mean exactly?
This is a slightly tricky one to get a handle on in some ways. On the one hand, Herkleman clearly states that the latest launches for RDNA 3 are the “last few products that we will launch.”
On the other hand, the exec also tells us there may be different versions coming in the future – it’s just that these won’t be a new ASIC. What that means is they won’t use a new chip – they will be based on existing chips (Navi 31, 32, 33).
So, this does leave room to theorize that AMD could still put out, say, a vanilla RX 7800 and/or RX 7700 aiming to get on our best graphics card list – with the latter closing the big gap between the RX 7600 and 7700 XT. (Remember, with discounts starting to creep through, the RX 7600 is not far off half the price of the 7700 XT that, much to the disappointment of many folks, hit an MSRP of $449 rather than $399).
That said, Herkleman’s comment that there ‘may’ be new models – there also may not be – and that clear initial statement that these are the last few products for RDNA 3 tell us that a major new current-gen graphics card won’t be coming (though we could still get minor spins on existing models).
The overall vibe is that AMD regards RDNA 3 as pretty much finished up at this stage – or at least there are no existing plans for more models right now. The company has planned the range out, and released all those models it wanted to put on shelves – but there may be further plans for fresh spins concocted down the line.
We’ll keep hoping for a plain RX 7700 to bridge the gap between the 7700 XT and 7600, but the previously rumored RX 7500 looks on shaky ground at this point.