AMD Announces RDNA4 GPUs, and Ryzen 9000 X3D, Ryzen 9 9000HX3D mobile CPUs

CES 2025 brought several key announcements from AMD, but one of the spotlight was on the preview of their RDNA4 architecture Radeon RX 9070 GPUs, and new Ryzen 9000 X3D desktop CPUs.

While there were no full product launches, AMD opted for a measured reveal, likely timed to counter Nvidia’s impending GeForce RTX 50 series announcement (Update : Nvidia has announced the RTX 50 series GPUs). Here’s a detailed breakdown of what AMD showcased and what it means for gamers and creators.

AMD RDNA4 Radeon RX 9070 Series GPU

AMD announced the Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 GPUs, promising availability in Q1 2025 through brands like Asus, Gigabyte, Sapphire, and PowerColor. Notably, MSI is absent from the RDNA4 line-up due to unresolved business differences.

AMD refrained from sharing detailed specifications, performance benchmarks, pricing, or exact release dates. This has led to speculation that AMD is strategically waiting to counter Nvidia’s RTX 50 series announcements.

Expected Performance

Based on some of the slides, though not accurate, the performance of RX 9070 XT is expected to match the previous generation’s top-dog RX 7900 XT.

• RX 9070 XT: Likely on par with the RTX 4070 Ti and RX 7900 XT.
• RX 9070: Anticipated to perform between the RX 7800 XT and RX 7900 XT.

AMD RDNA4 Architecture Enhancements

• Built on TSMC’s 4nm Node: A shift from the 5nm compute die used in RDNA3.
• Optimized Compute Units: Improved IPC (instructions per clock) and higher clock frequencies suggest a significant performance leap.
• Enhanced AI Capabilities: RDNA4 features substantial upgrades for AI tasks.
• Overhauled Ray Tracing Engine: Promises better performance but lacks concrete metrics.
• Second-Gen Radiance Display Engine: Improves display connectivity and quality.
• Substantially Improved Media Encoder: Benchmarks reveal better H.264 quality, addressing a critical weakness in RDNA3.

AMD’s shift to a 9000-series naming scheme aligns with their Ryzen CPUs and mirrors Nvidia’s nomenclature for easier comparison.

AMD Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs

Following the immense success (Outselling the non-x3D versions) of Ryzen 7 9800X3D, AMD revealed two new desktop CPUs featuring second-gen 3D V-Cache technology:

• Ryzen 9 9950X3D: 16 cores, 128MB of L3 cache, and a max boost clock of 5.7 GHz.
• Ryzen 9 9900X3D: 12 cores, 128MB of L3 cache, and a max boost clock of 5.5 GHz.

Performance Claims

The 9950X3D offers an 8% improvement over the 7950X3D and 20% faster gaming performance compared to Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K. It is also expected to deliver a 13% increase in creative workloads over the 7950X3D.

Both CPUs maintain the same TDPs as their predecessors—170W and 120W, respectively. AMD aims to balance high-performance gaming and productivity, positioning these chips as versatile options for enthusiasts.

AMD Ryzen 9 9000HX and “Fire Range” 9000HX3D Mobile Processors

In addition to the preview of RDNA4 GPUs and Ryzen 9000 X3D desktop processors at CES 2025, AMD also unveiled the Ryzen 9 9000HX and 9000HX3D mobile processors. Targeting enthusiast gaming laptops and portable workstations, these chips mark a significant leap in mobile computing performance.

The Ryzen 9 9000HX and 9000HX3D processors are designed to compete with Intel’s Core Ultra 200HX series, delivering exceptional performance for demanding applications like gaming and content creation.

Key Features and Specifications

• Built on AMD’s desktop-class “Granite Ridge” chiplet design, these processors bring the power of full-sized Zen 5 cores to portable devices.
• Support for AVX512 instructions, ensuring high performance for advanced workloads like AI and computational simulations.

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D (Flagship Model)

• 16 cores / 32 threads with 3D V-Cache for enhanced gaming performance.
• 144 MB total cache (L2 + L3).
• Clock speeds: 2.50 GHz base, 5.40 GHz boost.
• Configurable TDP: 55W to 75W.
• I/O Capabilities: 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes (16 for GPU, 2x NVMe Gen 5 connections).

Ryzen 9 9955HX

• Same core/thread count and clock speeds as the 9955HX3D.
• No 3D V-Cache, resulting in 80 MB total cache.
• Configurable TDP: 55W to 75W.

Ryzen 9 9850HX

• 12 cores / 24 threads, ideal for lighter workloads or entry-level gaming.
• 76 MB total cache (L2 + L3).
• Clock speeds: 3.00 GHz base, 5.20 GHz boost.
• Configurable TDP: 45W to 75W.

AMD has not yet shared performance benchmarks for these processors, but their focus on maximizing core counts, cache, and clock speeds indicates a strong emphasis on multitasking and gaming performance (for the X3D part).

Laptops powered by Ryzen 9 9000HX and 9000HX3D processors are expected to hit the market in the first half of 2025. Enthusiasts can look forward to portable systems that blur the lines between desktop and mobile performance.