AMD’s next-gen Radeon RX 8000 graphics card lineup expected to feature at least four new GPUs - but there’s some bad news for hardcore PC gamers

A change of tactics for AMD?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

AMD’s new graphics cards are coming in hot, but the latest leak is sure to be a mixed bag for PC gamers - heavily depending on how much money you like to pour into your custom PC builds.

WithNvidiastill dominating the high-end of the battle for thebest graphics cards, AMD senior vice president Jack Huynh recently revealed in an interview withTom’s Hardwarethat Team Red actually plans to dial back its aspirations for flagship gaming GPUs, saying that “my number one priority right now is to build scale” - meaning that the focus will be more on the mid-range and affordable market space when it comes to gaming graphics cards.

Hot on the heels of Huynh’s statements, new leaks from Chinese tech siteBenchlifehave indicated that we’re going to see at least four new GPUs packing AMD’s new RDNA 4 graphics architecture, split into two ‘Navi 44’ and two ‘Navi 48’ cards.

For the uninitiated, ‘Navi’ is the codename for subdivisions of AMD’s GPU microarchitecture; for example, last year’sRadeon RX 7600 XTwas built on the Navi 33 architecture. These new Navi 44 and 48 cards will likely be sold under the Radeon RX 8000 family branding, marking AMD’s first step into an entirely new generation of desktop GPUs.

Although actual information about these four cards is fairly light right now, we do know that they will all feature GDDR6 VRAM, and based on Huynh’s new objectives for AMD’s graphics department, it would be reasonable to assume that none of them will be going directly up against therumored RTX 5090from Nvidia. If Ihadto guess, I might say that it’s likely we’re going to get an RX 8700 XT and XTX along with a more affordable RX 8600 XT and XTX, assome previous leaks have alluded to.

Opinion: AMD refocusing is a smart move right now

While some fans of Team Red will no doubt bemoan the lack of a flagship GPU in the upcoming RDNA 4 generation (which wouldprobablybe the Radeon RX 8900 XTX), it’s fair to say that this could be a savvy move on AMD’s part. Nvidia has absolutely dominated the high-end space with its currentRTX 4090- to the point whereit actually canceled a possible RTX 4090 Tibecause, let’s be honest, it would’ve been overkill.

Huynh rightly analyses that AMD needs to build its market share in the PC graphics space, and the right way to do that is to hit the midrange and budget arenas hard. Nvidia isn’t lacking in that area - theRTX 4060is a fantastic GPU - but it’s a fight that AMD is far more likely to win than going head-to-head with Team Green at the top end of the slate.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

AMD already has certain areas of the graphics market effectively locked down: the burgeoning popularity of gaming handhelds has no doubt been a boon for the company, since it makes the processors used in handheld PCs like the excellentAsus ROG Ally X,Lenovo Legion Go, and of course Vavle’sSteam Deck. AMD also works withSonyandMicrosoftto produce custom chips for the current generation of home consoles.

But when it comes to desktop and laptop GPUs, Team Red has been playing second fiddle to Nvidia for too long. With its rivalgoing all in on AIright now, AMD needs to situate itself as the real choice for PC gamers everywhere - and I’m hopeful that this new strategy will prove successful.

You might also like…

Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.

Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.

Intel Battlemage rumored for December – could new budget GPUs win over gamers neglected by Nvidia and save the Arc brand?

Nvidia RTX 5090 Ti suddenly pops up – and RTX 6000 GPUs are mentioned in trademark filings too – but don’t get excited

England vs Australia live stream: how to watch 2024 rugby union Autumn International online from anywhere