AMD vows to close the gap with Nvidia using ray tracing and ML-backed FSR upscaling

On January 6, 2025, AMD provided a glimpse into its next-generation graphics architecture and the upcoming Radeon RX 9000 series. This announcement is particularly significant as it aims to address notable weaknesses in AMD's current GPU lineup, especially concerning ray tracing performance. The new GPUs will be built using a 4 nm manufacturing process, an upgrade from the previous 5 nm and 6 nm processes that characterized earlier models. The first cards in this series, the Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070, are set to debut in the first quarter of 2025, though more detailed specifications have yet to be revealed. AMD emphasized optimizations in compute units and improvements in AI compute and ray tracing capabilities. Notably, the new architecture will debut AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 4, which will utilize machine learning for enhanced upscaling, targeting improved graphical performance compared to previous methods. This positions AMD more competitively against Nvidia, which has established a stronghold with its DLSS technology. Furthermore, it aims to close the gap that has traditionally favored Nvidia in ray tracing performance under various workloads. The company indicated that although it has revamped its naming convention to simplify comparisons with Nvidia’s cards, it currently lacks a direct response to Nvidia’s top-tier models like the RTX 4080 or 4090. The documents do hint, however, that further updates may address those gaps in the future, suggesting ongoing development in this highly competitive space as AMD seeks to reclaim market share. AMD's cautious approach to releasing concrete data stands in contrast to Nvidia's unveiling of the RTX 50 series, which also took place recently. This ongoing competition in the GPU sector intensifies as both companies aim to better their offerings and cater to a demanding market that prioritizes performance enhancements in ray tracing and AI-driven gaming technologies. AMD’s next announcement, revealing further details about the RX 9000 series, is likely to draw significant attention from both consumers and industry analysts, reinforcing the importance of this development phase.