It's been an extremely hectic period for AMD. They are stopping to appreciate recent achievements and provide a glimpse of what is to come. From the hubbub over their newest Radeon graphics cards to rumors of even more potent Ryzen processors, there is plenty to decode from AMD's recent interviews.
RDNA 4 Launch: Better Than Anticipated
AMD is calling the launch of their RDNA 4-based Radeon RX 9070 line of GPUs "unprecedented." This claim seems to be backed up by strong sales and over-demand. According to AMD's David McAfee, the cards have been selling well, among the top sellers at big box stores. Such a warm reception is a big victory for AMD as they try to establish themselves in the world of graphics cards.
However, this popularity brings challenges. Supply seems not to be in a good position to meet the tremendous demand for the RX 9070 series. While AMD outdid a competitor in initial sales volume, initial stock cleared through at a frantic rate. This supply shortage has unfortunately led to price increases by some retailers and board partners, pushing prices beyond the initial MSRP.
AMD acknowledges the price issue is one they cannot directly address. They sell the GPU chips (ASICs) to board partners, and those partners set their own prices. But they indicate they are moving aggressively to increase supply of the Navi 48 ASIC, the heart of the RX 9070 series. They want to restock retailers and enable gamers to buy these cards at reasonable prices. AMD's message is unequivocal: they would like to ensure RDNA 4 success translates to cards available at the intended value for gamers.
Ryzen's Future: More Cores and Cache
Switching over to CPUs, the issue of 3D V-Cache and core numbers was the buzz on the agenda. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D extends the success story of AMD's V-Cache technology, delivering improved gaming performance. But what about taking it further.
Dual 3D V-Cache: Still on the Horizon
The idea of two CCDs (chiplet cluster dies) in CPUs both being 3D V-Cache has been a long-standing rumor. It is hard to fathom the cache. AMD describes that while it is theoretically possible, the economics just do not break out for most users at this time. McAfee indicates that for the overwhelming majority of workloads, gaming and content creation, one 3D V-Cache CCD, even in dual-CCD systems, offers the optimal performance/cost point.
There is a performance penalty in maintaining cache coherence among multiple 3D V-Cache CCDs. Currently, not many applications can best use that massive amount of cache to justify the added cost. Individual 3D V-Cache CCD configurations are, for now, the sweet spot for consumer Ryzen CPUs, says AMD. But they leave hope for the future alive, leaving the door open to the possibility that for niche, high-market-demand cases (perhaps a "HALO" product one day), dual 3D V-Cache could happen.
Beyond 16 Cores: Is More on the Horizon
For several generations, AMD's premium Ryzen CPUs have topped out at 16 cores. Is that the limit? No, according to AMD. While 16 cores is enough for current workloads, they concede that software is evolving to take advantage of even more cores. While their Threadripper line caters to the high-end high-core count buyer, there's clearly thought given to cramming more cores onto the mainstream AM5 platform.
Speculation is already in the air about next-gen Zen 6 architectures potentially having 24 and even 32-core variants on AM5. This would be a huge jump. AMD indicates they are aware of the trend towards higher core counts and are ready to fill that demand when the time comes.
Looking Ahead: Growth and Enthusiast Ambitions
Overall, the tone from AMD is one of confidence and strategic expansion. The RDNA 4 launch success is seen as an important step toward increasing market share and establishing greater connections with game developers. While they are currently focused on value and greater market reach, the enthusiast crowd was not forgotten by AMD.
They talk about plans to one day enter the full spectrum of the graphics market, from enthusiast-class cards all the way to the high-end enthusiasts. But they are doing it slowly, learning from the mistakes of the past and gaining a firm grasp in the mainstream market before moving hard on the high end. Today, AMD's emphasis is on "growing scale" and building those critical developer relationships – laying the groundwork for potentially more aggressive forays into the enthusiast GPU space in the future.
Overall, it's riding the wave of RDNA 4, producing on demand, and suggesting some exciting times are coming in both CPUs and GPUs. That's an active time in the hardware sphere. AMD certainly appears to be pushing aggressively to make a significant impact across the board.
