AMD has already introduced its new Ryzen Z2 chips for handheld PCs, however its CES 2025 keynote additionally included a complete new technology of graphics playing cards and new X3D processors for each desktops and laptops.
We’ll begin with the graphics information, because the American agency detailed two fashions on the brand new RDNA 4 structure – the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 – in addition to a long-awaited improve to their FSR upscaling tech, FSR4.
The RX 9070 XT and 9070 are positioned to counter Nvidia’s mid-tier 40-series and 50-series graphics playing cards, with the RDNA 4 structure promising improved ray-tracing efficiency, higher AI capabilities and even an improved media encoder – all areas of relative weak spot for AMD versus opponents like Nvidia and Intel. The playing cards are produced on a 4nm course of and ship this quarter, with fashions coming from the likes of Acer, Asus, Sapphire, XFX, ASRock, Gigabyte and PowerColor.
FidelityFX Tremendous Decision 4 is the primary time AMD is utilizing AI for its upscaling, one thing lengthy embraced by Nvidia to good impact. The characteristic is unique to RDNA 4 graphics playing cards, and hopefully will provide a step change past earlier AMD efforts in what’s now fairly a aggressive house with the likes of Sony, Intel and Nvidia all producing affordable options. As earlier than, body technology and anti-lag tech is included.
AMD can be leveraging its playing cards improved AI capabilities to let customers generate photographs, summarise locally-stored paperwork and ask a chat-bot AMD-related questions – so I am positive it will not be lengthy after the playing cards are launched that humorous screenshots of inappropriate bot behaviour are posted.
The corporate’s CPU bulletins are maybe somewhat extra simple. First, we received what all of us anticipated was coming: two new desktop 9000 X3D CPUs, the 9950X3D and 9900X3D, each to return within the first half of 2025.
| Mannequin | Cores/Threads | Max Enhance/ Base | Whole Cache | PCIe | TDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen 9950X3D | 16C/32T | 5.7GHz/ 4.3GHz | 144MB | Gen 5 | 170W |
| AMD Ryzen 9900X3D | 12C/24T | 5.5GHz/ 4.4GHz | 140MB | Gen 5 | 120W |
Should you’re aware of the 7950X3D and 7900X3D, that is acquainted territory, with each being two-CCD elements however the increased quantity akin to a fully-activated half and the decrease a cut-back model. Which means 16 cores for the 9950X3D and 12 for the 9900X3D, with the flagship half providing a 5.7GHz max enhance and 144MB of vertically-stacked v-cache. It does not look the cache options on each cores, which is a little bit of a disappointment.
The 9950X3D efficiency numbers look good too, with AMD’s figures indicating an eight p.c benefit over the 7950X3D throughout 40 titles. There are some pretty vital beneficial properties right here as effectively in sure video games, with a 1.58x turn-out in Counter-Strike 2, 1.28x in Far Cry 6 and 1.16x in Starfield. Versus the considerably much less threatening Core Extremely 9 285K, AMD’s labs discovered a 20 p.c efficiency benefit on common, with 1.3x or increased ends in the likes of Starfield, Cyberpunk 2077, House Marine 2, Last Fantasy 16, Far Cry 6 and Watch Canine: Legion.
In addition to the desktop chips, AMD additionally introduced its first X3D chip for laptops, the 9955HX3D. The highest of a lineup codenamed Hearth Vary that additionally contains two non-X3D chips, the 9955HX and 9850HX, the flagship X3D chip contains 144MB of cache, a 5.4GHz max turbo and a 16-core, 32-thread design.
| Mannequin | Cores / Threads | Max Enhance / Base | Whole Cache | GPU | cTDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D | 16/32 | 5.4GHz/ 2.5 GHz | 144 MB | AMD Radeon 610M graphics | 55-75W |
| AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX | 16/32 | 5.4GHz/ 2.5 GHz | 80 MB | AMD Radeon 610M graphics | 55-75W |
| AMD Ryzen 9 9850HX | 12/24 | 5.2GHz/ 3.0 GHz | 76 MB | AMD Radeon 610M graphics | 45-75W |
That appears like a system for an especially highly effective CPU that must outclass even laptops with full desktop chips, however we’ll have to attend till nearer launch within the first half of this 12 months to get some efficiency figures, it appears.
Total, it is fairly a powerful collection of bulletins from AMD, although I am positive there will probably be some disappointment that the bigger Ryzen 9000 X3D chips aren’t going to go on sale instantly.
Keep tuned for extra information because it is available in – with Nvidia being the subsequent to fireside its keynote salvo within the early morning UK time.
