What to expect from AMD in 2025

amd He has a lot of things in store for us next year. Its new hardware releases expected in 2025 include RDNA 4 graphics cards, more Ryzen 9000 processors, including new 3D V-Cache offerings, and an avalanche of APUs that could seriously liven up thin and light gaming laptops and portable PC gaming devices in a big way.

There are some interesting things brewing, and the best part is that AMD is rumored to be showing off much of this hardware early next year, at CES 2025.

Next generation RDNA 4 GPU

Radeon RX 7700 XT and Radeon RX 7800 XT — (Image credit: AMD)

Probably the most anticipated release from AMD next year, certainly for PC gamers who can’t stand the prices of best graphics cards – are the new RDNA 4 desktop GPUs.

As long rumored, AMD’s RDNA 4 series is expected to peak in the midrange. The red team will not be a challenge NVIDIA at the top end of the market, by all accounts.

The most recent speculation (as of this writing) has theorized that AMD will release a RX 9070 XT and vanilla 9070, which, if it happens, seems to be a strange kind of one-upmanship game with Nvidia (as in RX 9070 > RTX 5070 in the mid-range). Previously, rumors believed the RX 8800 XT would be the next-gen flagship, and that could still happen, but we’re strictly in wait-and-see territory here.

If the rumors are true, the high-end RDNA 4 (Navi 48) graphics card, whatever What’s it called, it could match Nvidia’s RTX 4080 GPU for non-ray tracing performance, and the RTX 4080 Super when it comes to ray tracing – an exciting prospect. Yes, the theory is that AMD has made great strides towards ray tracing performance in particular.

We should see these RX 9070 models (or even 8800 XT and its brother) revealed at CES 2025 If the rumors are correct, the GPUs will go on sale in the first quarter. Of course, there are likely more RDNA 4 products in the pipeline later this year as well.

If the initial launch is indeed the RX 9070 We can only hope, as AMD’s RX 6600 is a stalwart cheap GPU for a cheap PC buildbut he’s looking distinctly tired now (especially after the successful launch of the Intel Arch B580).

FSR 4 finally embraces AI

Soldiers fight in a train yard.

(Image credit: Activision)

On the software front, AMD has told us that it is incorporating AI into its FSR frame rate boosting technology (finally).

FSR 4 will undoubtedly arrive sometime in 2025 with AI, and AMD said it will usher in the “next generation of ML (machine learning or AI)-based FSR” for Obligations: Black Ops 6 to start (and other PC games will no doubt follow). A recent rumor suggested that FSR 4 could air as soon as CES 2025.

We still don’t know much about how the AI implementation will work, but it should improve FSR frame generation and also image quality.

Several clues have been dropped that FSR 4 will help wearable devices achieve better battery lifewhich is a key aspect for portable gaming devices. If it shows up at CES, expect to receive only a teaser and some initial information.

Many more Ryzen 9000 CPUs

An AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D in a male hand

(Image credit: Future/John Loeffler)

Another safe bet for 2025 is the launch of more Ryzen 9000 processors, since so far there are only five models.

The latest to arrive is the 3D gaming champion V-Cache, the Ryzen 9800X3Dand you are expected to join him High-end Zen 5 X3D CPU at CES 2025. These should be the Ryzen 9950X3D and 9900X3D, which will probably go on sale shortly after their presentation.

Later in 2025, at some point, we’d bet on seeing a more wallet-friendly 3D V-Cache chip, like perhaps a Ryzen 9600X3D (and if this happens, it’ll be interesting to see if it’s exclusive to Micro Center). in the United States, once again).

AMD will surely also expand the range of basic Ryzen 9000 processors and will probably add simple (slightly more affordable) non-X variants of Zen 5 CPUs, as it did with the Ryzen 7000, so we will get the Ryzen 9600 (running alongside the 9600X) and so on. In fact, that Ryzen 9600 could appear in January 2025, according to recent speculation.

Some more affordable AM5 motherboards are also expected to launch in early 2025, with the B850 and B840 models launching early in the year to accompany more premium X870 offerings.

A real party of new APUs

AMD Ryzen 5 2500X

AMD has made a name for itself with powerful APUs of late, all-in-one chips that include not just a CPU but also integrated GPUs and NPUs, and we’ll be getting some new heavy hitters in terms of laptop APUs in 2025.

The most excitement has been generated around the Ryzen AI Max 300 mobile chips (known as Strix Halo).

The Strix Halo flagship is rumored to be an outright APU with 16 cores (Zen 5) and integrated RDNA 3.5 graphics (updated RDNA 3) with 40 CUs, which in theory provides a similar performance level to the RTX 4070 laptop GPU.

Frankly, this is incredible for an integrated GPU, if it works, which could mean this is a highlight of the year, again with an expected reveal at CES 2025 (and launch later).

The problem with Ryzen AI Max 300 is that the High-end APUs may be intended for workstations rather than gaming laptops, and the latter may only get the mid-range Strix Halo silicon. That said, even if this happens, they could still be impressively powerful chips.

Rumor has it that workstations with Ryzen AI Max 300 could arrive in the first quarter of 2025, and thin and light gaming laptops could also debut in that quarter, although most of the latter could follow in the second quarter.

AMD is also rumored to be launching Kraken Point APUwhich will follow the current Hawk Point chips, sitting below the Strix Halo, built on top of Zen 5 and RDNA 3.5, but still categorized as a premium offering.

Along with that, we have Fire Range, AMD’s take on the Ryzen 9000 desktop as a laptop APU, following in the footsteps of Dragon Range. Crucially, these will include X3D models, and all of these APUs are expected to be unveiled at CES 2025.

New APUs to power portable devices

Handheld PC gaming computer on white table

(Image credit: future)

That won’t be all for the new APUs in 2025, as we also expect the sequel to AMD chips designed for portable devices.

Ryzen Z2 and Z2 Extreme are the next-gen offerings that we anticipate will be shown again at CES 2025, if the rumors are correct.

It is said that the Ryzen Z2 Extreme could have 8 Zen 5 CPU cores plus RDNA 3.5 graphics with 16 CUs, which would make it a dynamic upgrade from its Z1 predecessor.

In particular, the Z2 could mean better efficiency and therefore longer battery life for handhelds, which is another key aspect in the portable gaming space – gains in longevity that could be amplified by FSR 4 , as we already mentioned.

Final thoughts

AMD logo

(Image credit: Shutterstock / JHVEPhoto)

We’re really looking forward to those RDNA 4 graphics cards, and rumors about the RX 9070 XT make the board look like it could become the mid-range champion of desktop GPUs, if AMD prices the product right.

Seeing the RX 9060 model debut early next year would also be great for those looking for a more affordable GPU.

The other major highlights for us are the Strix Halo APUs, which have sounded huge since the first leak about the chips, and also those Ryzen Z2 processors for portable devices that could help seriously improve both the performance and battery life of these portable devices. Whichever way you look at it, there’s a lot to expect from AMD in 2025.