Wednesday, October 28th 2020

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

Updated by
btarunr
 Updated: Discuss (351 Comments)
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

#51
jabbadap
B-Real6900XT faster or as fast as 3090, and $500 less? LOOOL
*with rage mode on. Either way full blown competition is finally here again, can't wait to see full line ups from both IHVs.
Posted on Reply
#52
neatfeatguy
Awesome!

I'm scraping together cash for a new system build - with AMD and Nvidia having good cards with more reasonable prices over the last gen, I shouldn't have an issue finding one that fits my needs when the time comes to build a new system next month. Can't wait for the other cards and official reviews to come out.
Posted on Reply
#53
Dux
Those performance nubmers of RX 6900XT...it said down next to it..+ RAGE + the infinity setting. Does that mean both of those things were activated for benchmark?
Posted on Reply
#54
Turmania
_Flareno RT-Perf shown
RX 6800 at 549 is too expensive
Yeah it seems it is direct competitior to 3070, but with higher price and higher power draw. they probably will make a price adjustment before availiability. I would just spend extra 75 to get the 6800 xt.
Posted on Reply
#55
MxPhenom 216
ASIC Engineer
milewski1015Missed opportunity to call it the 6969 XT :cool:

Hopefully availability is good and drivers are stable
Yeah drivers are my main concern now that i know the performance is there for the most part. I wanna see actual reviewer benchmarks too see where the RTX performance is at.
Posted on Reply
#56
repman244
Looks good, but I was hoping for 6800 to be cheaper...I guess the days of top cards going for 400€ are long gone.
Posted on Reply
#57
B-Real
windwhirlNow, the only thing left is the waiting game. AMD really needs to push the best drivers they can for November 18.
And pray for better stocks than NV this time.
Posted on Reply
#58
HD64G
Performance is a bit better than I expected and that's because they pushed power draw to 300W. But prices are logical. Feature set is very nice. Synergies with Zen3 is a great marketing tool also. Good product series imho. AMD turns to a ramming machine for gaming lately. 6700(XT) series for next year probably.
Posted on Reply
#59
B-Real
_Flareno RT-Perf shown
RX 6800 at 549 is too expensive
LOL
Posted on Reply
#60
ratirt
6900XT 300 Watts only :O Not sure about you guys but that's awesome and $999? Can't say only since it is a bit but beating 3090 and so much less power.
I only wonder, If there is any way these can be overclocked. I mean 300 Watts so if you add 50W more what would the clocks look like?
Must say I'm impressed.
Posted on Reply
#61
Vya Domus
TurmaniaI expect price adjustment from Nvidia pretty soon, this is why I love competition.
You're gonna be left waiting, Nvidia is very much like Apple, no price change for the lifetime of the product. Last time they lowered prices was back in 2016 and even then it was a joke because most cards were being sold way over their MSRP anyway.
Posted on Reply
#62
windwhirl
ratirt6900XT 300 Watts only :O Not sure about you guys but that's awesome and $999? Can't say only since it is a bit but beating 3090 and so much less power.
I only wonder, If there is any way these can be overclocked. I mean 300 Watts so if you add 50W more what would the clocks look like?
Must say I'm impressed.
Until the cards are reviewed, we don't know. But I think they already push the clocks quite a bit straight from fabs, so I don't think there will be huge gains by OCing it.
Posted on Reply
#63
BoboOOZ
_Flareno RT-Perf shown
RX 6800 at 549 is too expensive
I think they anticipate good yields and they prefer to sell the 6800XT to you.

Which is probably the one I'll get, looks like awesome value.
Posted on Reply
#64
B-Real
MxPhenom 216Yeah drivers are my main concern now that i know the performance is there for the most part. I wanna see actual reviewer benchmarks too see where the RTX performance is at.
If you check drivers in the last years of NV, they are non better than AMD's. AMD had bigger driver issues back in the days of the 7000 series as far as I remember and it burned into people's mind. Just like the hot and egg frying things.
repman244Looks good, but I was hoping for 6800 to be cheaper...I guess the days of top cards going for 400€ are long gone.
There's definitely be smaller cards later.
Posted on Reply
#65
Space Lynx
Astronaut
AMD HAS BEAT NVIDIA!!!! RTX 3090 $1500 KILLER!!!! RX 6900 XT AT $999!!!! this is the golden age!!!!!
Posted on Reply
#66
windwhirl
lynx29AMD HAS BEAT NVIDIA!!!! RTX 3090 $1500 KILLER!!!! RX 6900 XT AT $999!!!! this is the golden age!!!!!
The day of miracles has come? lol
Posted on Reply
#67
Turmania
2020 has become a weird year even more. The landscape has changed even in PC industry. Well done AMD. Now, hopefully you can send the samples to review sites so we can make a final decision before launch date.
Posted on Reply
#68
MxPhenom 216
ASIC Engineer
B-RealIf you check drivers in the last years of NV, they are non better than AMD's. AMD had bigger driver issues back in the days of the 7000 series as far as I remember and it burned into people's mind. Just like the hot and egg frying things.


There's definitely be smaller cards later.
Except if you ask 5700XT owners on this site they still have problems a year later...
Posted on Reply
#69
okbuddy
6900xt $500 cheaper than no stock 3090
Posted on Reply
#71
kapone32
DuxCroThose performance nubmers of RX 6900XT...it said down next to it..+ RAGE + the infinity setting. Does that mean both of those things were activated for benchmark?
Does it matter?
Posted on Reply
#72
windwhirl
lynx29im buying 6900XT 100%
Cool down, dammit, you're too hyper for me with that signature LMAO
Posted on Reply
#73
MxPhenom 216
ASIC Engineer
lynx29im buying 6900XT 100%
Jesus your signature is an eye sore
Posted on Reply
#74
Tomgang
Hot dam. If AMD'S number are true. I for the first time ever, may have to admit AMD nailed it on both cpu and gpu side.

Nvidia really have to release a rtx 3080 ti now. That rumor rtx 3080 20 gb is already DOA.

One thing does concern me. For me to chose amd gpu for the first time ever. They really need to be sure that they can release stable and trouble free drivers. One of the reasons I have always on til now choosen Nvidia's cards. Is that it seems nvidia driver is more stable, but not trouble free either.

So am I for the first time ending up with pure amd based pc. I don't know yet. But it sure as he'll seems to be a great time to replace X58 with what ever I end up chosing.
Posted on Reply
#75
repman244
B-RealThere's definitely be smaller cards later.
I'm not talking about "smaller" cards, I'm talking about prices going sky high.
Posted on Reply
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