ROCm 5.6 from AMD lists a slew of unannounced Radeon RX 7000-series graphics cards.
So far, AMD has released only two RDNA 3-based graphics cards, both aimed at demanding enthusiasts with deep pockets. While it is obvious that AMD intends to expand its Radeon RX 7000-series with new models, it is unclear what AMD is planning and when it will do so. A recently discovered AMD ROCm 5.6 pull request discovered by a Reddit user, however, may shed some light on AMD's intentions.
AMD is working on a slew of new Radeon RX 7000-series products, including the Radeon RX 7950 XTX, 7950 XT, 7800 XT, 7700 XT, 7600 XT, and 7500 XT for desktop computers, as well as the Radeon RX 7600M XT, 7600M, 7700S, and 7600S for laptops. Several items on this list catch my eye.
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7950 XTX | RDNA3 | gfx1100
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7950 XT | RDNA3 | gfx1100
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7900 XTX | RDNA3 | gfx1100
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7900 XT | RDNA3 | gfx1100
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7800 XT | RDNA3 | gfx1101
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7700 XT | RDNA3 | gfx1102
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7600 XT | RDNA3 | gfx1102
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7500 XT | RDNA3 | gfx1102
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7600M XT | RDNA3 | gfx1102
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7600M | RDNA3 | gfx1102
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7700S | RDNA3 | gfx1102
- AMD Radeon™ RX 7600S | RDNA3 | gfx1102
For starters, it includes the previously unannounced Radeon RX 7950 XTX and Radeon RX 7950 XT graphics processors based on the Navi 31 (gfx1100). Of course, AMD already offers the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and Radeon RX 7900 XT (both of which are among the best graphics cards available today), so the 7950 models could be either refreshed versions due at least a couple of quarters down the road or placeholders for potential products if AMD feels the need for them. Apart from faster clocks, we're not sure what AMD could do to justify the model number increase. (As one possible option, it could double down on the stacked cache on the MCD.)
Radeon RX 7800 XT based on gfx1101 is also included in the pull request. That's most likely a Navi 32 GPU, but it could be something else. There is no sign of a standard Radeon RX 7800 yet, and this is the only gfx1101 GPU available. That's odd, but let's move on for the time being. According to the list, Navi 33 (or gfx1102) will power everything from the high-end Radeon RX 7700 XT to the entry-level Radeon RX 7500 XT. However, there is no mention of non-XT versions.
To put it in context, AMD exclusively used Navi 22 for its Radeon RX 6700-series desktop graphics cards, as well as the Radeon RX 6700M and Radeon RX 6800M laptop GPUs. Navi 32 appears to be used in only a few products. That, or AMD has other plans that have yet to be revealed. Meanwhile, Navi 23 was used in the RX 6600-series (RX 6600, RX 6600 XT, and RX 6650 XT), as well as mobile variants. Navi 33 is rumoured to be a monolithic die, and it appears that it will be used in parts ranging from entry-level (RX 7500) to mainstream (RX 7600/7700).
AMD has yet to comment on the ROCm 5.6 list of graphics cards. Meanwhile, it should be noted that while the list indicates AMD's intention to release specific products, it does not imply that they will be available immediately. Furthermore, their specifications are currently unknown — it's a safe bet that each step down the list (at least on desktop parts) will include fewer GPU shaders, but we don't know about clocks, memory bus width, or cache sizes.
The memory bus, in particular, will be a source of contention. AMD has made a big deal about how Nvidia is shipping "limited" GPUs with less than 16GB of memory, whereas AMD has the RX 6800 through RX 6950 XT with 16GB, as well as the newer RX 7900 XTX/XT with 24GB/20GB of VRAM. The 7900 series parts have 320-bit and 384-bit interfaces provided by five or six MCDs — for more information on the chiplet architecture, see our RDNA 3 deep dive. If Navi 32 has a 256-bit interface, consumer cards will most likely be limited to 16GB, but Navi 33 is more likely to have 192-bit or even 128-bit interfaces.
Unless AMD decides to put VRAM on both sides of the PCB, those would be limited to 12GB and 8GB, respectively.
In any case, we'll know more in the coming months. There are still plenty of RX 6000-series cards available, which is probably why AMD hasn't released lower-tier RX 7000-series GPUs. If the RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT are on the way, it could mean AMD has finally cleared out the majority of its RDNA 2 inventory.
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