AMD Pushes Radeon RX 9000 Series Launch to March 2025 Amid Market Pressure
TLDR
- Radeon RX 9000 Series launch delayed to March 2025
- Decision follows Nvidia’s RTX 5070 pricing announcement
- RX 9070 XT expected to compete with RTX 4080-level performance
- Pricing anticipated between $479 and $550
- Retailers already have stock, causing potential logistics challenges
AMD has officially confirmed a March 2025 launch window for its RDNA 4-based Radeon RX 9000 Series graphics cards, marking a delay from the previously anticipated January release. David McAfee, AMD’s Corporate Vice President and General Manager, made the announcement via social media platform X.
Market Positioning and Pricing
According to industry sources, the delay may be linked to pricing pressures following Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5070 launch. Here’s how the anticipated pricing stacks up against the competition:
| Graphics Card | Expected Price | Target Performance Tier |
|---|---|---|
| RX 9070 XT | $479-$550 | High-End Gaming |
| RX 9070 | $449-$479 | Performance Gaming |
| RTX 5070 | $549 | Direct Competitor |
| RTX 4080 | $699 | Performance Reference |
Technical Specifications and Performance
Early benchmark results show promising capabilities for the RX 9070 XT:
| Benchmark | RX 9070 XT | RX 7900 GRE | RTX 4070 Ti |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 22,894 | 22,386 | 22,839 |
| Ray Tracing Score | 14,723 | 12,373 | 15,753 |
Launch Lineup
The RDNA 4 product stack is expected to include:
| Graphics Card | GPU | Cores | Clock (Max) | Memory | TBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radeon RX 9070 XT | Navi 48 @ 4nm | 4096 | ~2.9 GHz | 16 GB GDDR6 | 330W? |
| Radeon RX 9070 | Navi 48 @ 4nm | TBD | TBD | 16 GB GDDR6 | TBD |
| Radeon RX 9060 XT | Navi 44 @ 4nm | TBD | TBD | 8 GB GDDR6? | TBD |
| Radeon RX 9060 | Navi 44 @ 4nm | TBD | TBD | 8 GB GDDR6? | TBD |
Retail Complications
The delayed launch has created challenges for retailers who have already received stock. Sources indicate that AMD may need to implement rebates or discounts on future shipments to compensate partners and stores for the extended inventory hold.
Market Impact
The postponement raises several considerations: – Allows AMD to assess GeForce RTX 5080 and 5070 market performance – Provides time for building inventory ahead of launch – May affect Q1 2025 revenue projections – Creates opportunity for driver optimization and game support
Future Outlook
While the delay may disappoint eager consumers, industry analysts suggest it could strengthen AMD’s competitive position through: – Better price positioning against Nvidia’s offerings – Improved driver maturity at launch – Enhanced game support through FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 – More comprehensive retail availability
The March launch window suggests AMD is prioritizing a strong market entry over early availability, potentially learning from previous generation launch challenges.