AMD’s next-gen Radeon GPUs would possibly function utterly new ray tracing {hardware}

The massive image: AMD has trailed Nvidia in ray tracing efficiency throughout a number of GPU generations for a number of years. Nonetheless, a dependable leaker now means that Group Crimson is poised to reassess its technique concerning this know-how. This data contradicts earlier rumors indicating that the upcoming Radeon lineup wouldn’t see important enhancements in ray tracing capabilities.

Famend leaker Kepler_L2 not too long ago remarked that AMD’s upcoming RDNA 4 graphics playing cards will function a “model new” ray tracing implementation. Whereas this remark does not explicitly state whether or not the forthcoming merchandise, possible named Radeon RX 8000, will considerably improve ray tracing efficiency in comparison with their predecessors, it does counsel a renewed emphasis on the know-how.

When questioned additional, Kepler elaborated that whereas the RX 7000 GPUs deal with ray tracing equally to the RX 6000 sequence, the RDNA 4’s RT know-how seems to be “utterly totally different.”

Ray tracing has been an space the place current AMD merchandise have notably lagged behind Nvidia’s choices. As an example, our benchmarks reveal that AMD’s present flagship, the RX 7900 XTX, experiences a considerably better efficiency affect from ray tracing in comparison with Nvidia’s equally priced GeForce RTX 4080.

RDNA3 RT was primarily based on RDNA2 with some enhancements. RDNA4 RT appears utterly totally different.

– Kepler (@Kepler_L2) April 30, 2024

Prior experiences introduced a markedly totally different outlook. Earlier this 12 months, sources knowledgeable YouTuber RedGamingTech that RDNA 4 would solely see a 25 % enchancment in ray tracing efficiency over RDNA 3. This determine would possible place AMD’s upcoming playing cards unfavorably towards Nvidia’s forthcoming Blackwell sequence and Intel’s Arc Battlemage GPUs when it comes to ray tracing capabilities. All three GPU generations are anticipated to debut later this 12 months.

One facet the place sources concur is AMD’s choice to abstain from the present heavyweight GPU competitors, as a substitute concentrating on extra inexpensive mid-range choices. Kepler reiterated earlier experiences indicating that no RDNA 4 card will rival the highest two Blackwell GPUs – possible named the RTX 5090 and 5080.

Current data-mined code suggests that AMD scrapped a card that probably may have doubled the efficiency of the 7900 XTX, boasting as much as twice as many chiplets and compute models. In the meantime, the Battlemage sequence will mark Intel’s inaugural entry into the enthusiast-class discrete graphics chip market.

One other intriguing improvement concerning AMD’s future ray tracing efficiency revolves across the anticipated specs of Sony’s upcoming PlayStation 5 Professional console.

Rumors counsel that, regardless of being primarily based on RDNA 2 structure, it may deal with ray tracing operations as much as 4 instances quicker than the bottom PS5. This projection may probably surpass the ray tracing capabilities of any present AMD product, together with RDNA 3 GPUs that exceed the console’s worth vary. It stays to be seen whether or not Sony has proprietary know-how at play or if the mid-generation refresh will incorporate AMD’s newest improvements.