Arrr, matey! Word be out that the AMD Navi 4X GPU be packin' more punch than the RX 7900 XTX by 50%! Aye, shiver me timbers!
2024-04-29
Arrr mateys, word on the digital seas be that the fabled Navi 4C / 4X GPU be a mighty beast indeed, despite its unfortunate cancellation. Ye scallywags best be keepin' an eye out for any treasure hunts to uncover its power!
A prominent hardware leaker has uncovered new patch notes revealing that the now-allegedly canceled AMD Navi 4X / 4C graphics cards would have been significantly more powerful than the current AMD flagship RX 7900 XTX. Uncovered by Kepler_L2 (via Tweaktown), new patch notes for AMD GFX12 supposedly showcase Navi 4X die models, the newer equivalent of the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, which would feature up to 50% more shader engines. Specifically, the patch notes reveal that Navi 4X / 4C die GPUs would have featured nine shading engines, a significant upgrade over the six available from Navi 31 for a significant boost. RNDA 4 appears to be targeting the value crowd, so while the tech could have technically rivaled leading models from Intel, it's likely the top-end was cut due to wanting to keep the prices competitive.According to Videocardz, AMD decided to cancel the highest-end RDNA 4 GPU but no reason was offered. To speculate, this could have all come down to pricing. While we're champions of bleeding-edge hardware, it's important to remember that the top-end will always be a luxury few can afford. For AMD to compete at the top-end, as it sounds like the 4C GPU could have, we would likely have seen prices creeping up past the $1,000 mark. Losing that edge to compete on a power front likely would have done more harm than good.
Cost is king in the new GPU market
Until the release of the RTX 4080 Super, AMD had cornered the mid-range market with its line of 1440p and 4K graphics cards for gamers, and losing that edge to compete on a power front likely would have done more harm than good.