AMD is rumored to launch its next-generation "RDNA 5" GPU family for Radeon graphics cards in the mid of 2027.
Rumors Point Towards Mid-2027 Launch For RDNA 5 "Next-Gen Radeon" GPUs, Taped Out on N3P Node
It looks like 2026 will mostly be a silent year as far as new AMD Radeon GPU launches are concerned, since Kepler_L2 has stated that the next-gen RDNA 5 GPU launch isn't expected until mid-2027. The 2027 plans reveal that AMD will mostly focus on production of these GPUs around the second half of 2026 to prepare for mass consumer launch in 2027.
Kepler_L2 actually responded to some recent rumors that Samsung's fabs will be used for the production of the next-gen RDNA 5 lineup, but that was debunked. As per the rumor, AMD has already taped out its next-generation lineup on TSMC's N3P process technology, which is a step up from the TSMC N4P node used for the existing RDNA 4 lineup.
The TSMC N4P process technology was a refinement of the 5nm (N5) process, while the N3P node is a more refined version of the 3nm (N3) technology. Versus TSMC's N5, the N3P process offers 18% higher speeds, operates at 36% lower power, and a 24% reduction in area. So we can expect a nice gain from the node alone.
But AMD has already hinted at some next-generation technologies that will be embedded in its future GPU architectures, such as RDNA 5. Some of the highlights of these three updates include:
- Universal Compression: A new system that evaluates and compresses all available data within the GPU to dramatically reduce memory bandwidth usage.
- Neural Arrays: A collection of compute units configured to share and process data to work together like a single AI engine.
- Radiance Cores: New dedicated ray traversal hardware to deliver high-performance real-time ray tracing and path tracing.
These technologies won't be limited to just discrete RDNA 5 GPUs but will also be part of the next-gen Sony PlayStation (Orion) and Microsoft Xbox (Magnus) SoCs.
Besides this, we have seen a few leaks here and there, but nothing conclusive yet. Some rumors have hinted at over 12,000 cores and 128 cores per compute unit, plus we have also seen a few early configs detailed. Certain next-gen RDNA GPUs, GFX13 IP, have already shown up in early Linux Kernel codebases. It was also previously rumored that AMD's next-gen RDNA 5 GPUs will enter production by Q2 2026, though that might be pushed back to late 2026.
Currently, all GPU vendors have their eyes set on the DRAM market, which has led to a severe crisis on the PC memory front, affecting not only RAM but also the prices of GPUs and even SSDs due to heightened demand for DRAM and NAND ICs from the AI segment. So it looks like it will be some time before we get concrete details on AMD's next-gen lineup. Maybe RDNA 4 will get a refresh down the road in 2026, but even that seems unlikely given the current market situation.
Potential AMD RDNA 5 / UDNA GPU Configurations (via Kepler_L2):
| GPU Die | Navi 5X | Navi 5X | Navi 5X | Navi 5X |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Flagship-Tier | Mid-Tier | Low-Tier | Entry-Tier |
| Max Compute Units | 96 CUs (12288 Cores) | 40 CUs (5120 Cores) | 24 CUs (3072 Cores) | 12 CUs (1536 Cores) |
| Max Memory Bus | 512-384 bit | 384-192 bit | 256-128 bit | 128-64 bit |
| Max VRAM Capacity | 24-32 GB | 12-24 GB | 8-16 GB | 8-16 GB |
News Source: Videocardz
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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