Wednesday, October 28th 2020

AMD Radeon RX 6000 "Big Navi" RDNA2 Graphics Card Launch Liveblog

After thoroughly appetizing us with its "Where Gaming Begins: Episode 1" event announcing the Ryzen 5000 series "Zen 3" processors that offer up to 19% IPC gains, in the second Episode, we see the company announcing its next-generation Radeon RX 6000 "Big Navi" graphics cards based on the RDNA2 graphics architecture that introduce full DirectX 12 Ultimate readiness, including real-time raytracing hardware. In the run up to the RX 6000, NVIDIA is already reportedly preparing product-stack updates. In this liveblog, we uncover what has NVIDIA riled up, and whether AMD can pull off better pricing and availbility than the RTX 30-series.

Update 15:59 UTC: It is time! Welcome to the Radeon RX 6000 Series live blog.
Update 16:01 UTC: AMD CEO Dr Lisa Su takes centerstage, fresh off a good quarterly results announcement, and that big Xilinx acquisition announcement.
Update 16:03 UTC: FarCry 6 seems like an AMD optimized title.

Update 16:03 UTC: Possibly the flagship product.
Update 16:04 UTC: AMD is where gaming begins because next-gen consoles trust it. - Dr Su

Update 16:05 UTC: 50% generational improvement in perf/W.
Update 16:06 UTC: 26.7 billion transistors, almost as big as GA102
Update 16:07 UTC: RDNA2 has a breakthrough high-speed design.
Update 16:08 UTC: AMD RDNA2 compute unit 30% more energy efficient.
Update 16:09 UTC: InfinityCache works to significantly improve memory bandwidth, based on the Zen L3 cache. More than 2.17x bandwidth gain despite 256-bit.
Update 16:10 UTC: 30% higher frequencies on the same 7 nm node.
Update 16:10 UTC: DirectX 12 Ultimate and DirectStorage support.
Update 16:11 UTC: Over 2X performance gain over RX 5700 XT.
Update 16:11 UTC: The RX 6800 XT!
Update 16:12 UTC: 4K Gaming from AMD is here! Matches RTX 3080!!!
Update 16:13 UTC: Hello competition!
Update 16:14 UTC: Welcome back ATI Rage, as the AMD Rage Mode.
Update 16:15 UTC: When paired with Ryzen, you get a gaming performance boost, 13% perf increase.

Update 16:15 UTC: AMD introduces its take on the NVIDIA Reflex, announcing latest Radeon Lag and Radeon Boost. No special API needed.
Update 16:16 UTC: Full DX12 Ultimate support, including ray-tracing. Woirking on a DLSS-rival.
Update 16:18 UTC: AMD is leveraging studios working on Xbox Series X / PS5 devs to integrate its Radeon features on the PC.

Update 16:18 UTC: FarCry 6, DiRT 5, WoW Shadowlands (which gets raytracing), RiftBreaker, are AMD-optimized.

Update 16:21 UTC: Available Nov 18, starts, $649

Update 16:21 UTC: Also announcing RX 6800 : faster than RTX 2080 Ti, 4K + raytracing ready
Update 16:22 UTC: $579, November 18 availability for the RX 6800.

Update 16:22 UTC: Lisa gets ready for a "one more thing"

Update 16:23 UTC: Radeon RX 6900 XT: 80 CUs, 65% perf/Watt over 5700 XT.
Update 16:25 UTC: RTX 3090 BEATEN!!!!
Update 16:26 UTC: December 8 for the RX 6900 XT, priced $999.
Update 16:26 UTC: OOF, we cannot wait to test these cards out!

Update 17:08 UTC: The press-release can be found here.

Update 17:19 UTC: The complete AMD slide deck follows.
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351 Comments on AMD Radeon RX 6000 "Big Navi" RDNA2 Graphics Card Launch Liveblog

#26
Turmania
Last year, I said it there AMD is behind couple of years to Nvidia. It seems not only they caught up with them, they even passed them. well done. I love competition.
Posted on Reply
#27
xkm1948
So no DLSS2.0 equals, no mention of RTX performance.

Price is OK though.
Posted on Reply
#28
windwhirl
RX 6900 XT!? OH YEAH THIS IS HAPPENING LMAO

EDIT: Actually, meh, that should have had a 100 CUs lol
Posted on Reply
#29
B-Real
xkm1948So no DLSS2.0 equals, no mention of RTX performance.

Price is OK though.
:D :D I feel pity for you, really. DLSS 2.0 is supported maybe 2 games? LOL
Posted on Reply
#30
mouacyk
6900XT $899? please

Darn, off by $100
Posted on Reply
#31
windwhirl
mouacyk6900XT $899? please
999. That... might be a little high in this case... but if it matches or beats the 3090... that might be worth it.
Posted on Reply
#32
B-Real
6900XT faster or as fast as 3090, and $500 less? LOOOL
Posted on Reply
#33
Dinnercore
And just like that, the 3090 is obsolete. Insane!
Posted on Reply
#34
xkm1948
Nice 6900. Finally a top of the line since Fury days!
Posted on Reply
#35
Cheeseball
Not a Potato
Ooh $999 for the RX 6900 XT

Really not bad AMD. I like that pricing.
Posted on Reply
#36
kapone32
Nov 18 One pay cheque to buy a 5600X and another to get a 6000 series
Posted on Reply
#38
mouacyk
Not to mention AMD has absolutely been killing in Vulkan performance and Linux compatibility. Providing supply is good, I'm glad to have waited and will be jumping ship.

Rage mode, wtf is that?
Posted on Reply
#39
windwhirl
Now, the only thing left is the waiting game. AMD really needs to push the best drivers they can for November 18.
Posted on Reply
#40
hathoward
Awesome! Would've liked more insight into raytracing performance though :/
Posted on Reply
#41
owen10578
HYPE for the 6900XT! If it can truly match a 3090 at $999 AND a lower power level then Nvidia is screwed with how much they're charging for it...
Posted on Reply
#42
_Flare
no RT-Perf shown
RX 6800 at 579 is too expensive
Posted on Reply
#43
Vya Domus
Thing is in the last chart that was with the overclock and that smart memory access thing, so about 5% slower probably without those. Still, for 500$ less, it's not even funny. Sadly all of these years of thousand dollar flagships from Nvidia skewed the prices into the stratosphere, 999$ is still overpriced.
Posted on Reply
#45
Turmania
I expect price adjustment from Nvidia pretty soon, this is why I love competition. Though, they first have to make products available to purchase to make price arrangement, but you get the idea...
Posted on Reply
#46
MxPhenom 216
ASIC Engineer
I want a 6800XT to go with my 5800x build, unless Nvidia undercuts with a price drop.
Posted on Reply
#47
mouacyk
Vya DomusThing is in the last chart that was with the overclock and that smart memory access thing, so about 5% slower probably without those. Still, 500$ less, it's not even funny.
Can't wait to see NVidia response...
Posted on Reply
#48
kapone32
Well instead of Nov 18 I get a couple more pays to save for the 6900XT Dec 8 just in time for CP2077.
Posted on Reply
#49
milewski1015
Missed opportunity to call it the 6969 XT :cool:

Hopefully availability is good and drivers are stable
Posted on Reply
#50
Metroid
AMD wants margin, reason only 6800/6900 will be launched, amd wants to capitalize on the $600 gpus first then 6700 and so on around $400.
Posted on Reply
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