AMD RDNA 4: Focus on desktop GPUs, mobile chips remain an option for the future

AMD has officially confirmed that the first generation of products based on the RDNA-4 architecture is primarily aimed at the desktop market. Mobile platforms could follow, but at the moment the focus is clearly on the new Radeon RX 9000 series, which will compete against the NVIDIA RTX 4000 and RTX 5000 models.

In an interview with Notebookcheck, Ben Conard, AMD’s Director of Product Management for the premium mobile sector, gave an insight into the company’s strategy. It became clear that AMD is focusing primarily on desktop GPU performance in the current development phase of the RDNA-4 architecture.

Focus on the Radeon RX 9000 series

The recently announced Radeon RX 9000 series includes the RX 9070 and RX 9060 models, which are particularly aimed at the mid-range performance segment. These GPUs compete directly against the NVIDIA RTX 4070/5070 and 4060/5060 models and are intended to offer a better price/performance ratio. However, AMD has recently postponed the launch of the RX-9000 series. According to reports, this move is not only for software optimization, but also for a possible price adjustment in order to remain more competitive with the competition.

Conard emphasized that RDNA 4 is initially designed for desktop GPUs, but that mobile solutions are by no means excluded. He hinted that future APUs and mobile dedicated GPUs could also be based on RDNA 4.

RDNA and CDNA combined?

Another exciting topic that came up in the interview is the potential unification of the RDNA and CDNA architectures into a unified platform, referred to internally as “UDNA”. This long-term project could broaden the focus of the Radeon division, particularly with regard to machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI).

“The market trend is clearly pointing towards AI and machine learning. A common architecture could bring decisive advantages here,” says Conard. NVIDIA has announced similar plans with the launch of its Blackwell architecture, which could make the ML/AI market a battleground for the major GPU manufacturers.

A cautious market for AMD

While AMD is on the offensive with its desktop RDNA 4 strategy, the mobile GPU market remains a challenge for the company. The number of dedicated AMD GPU laptops remains manageable, which Conard indirectly admits. Nevertheless, RDNA 4 could eventually find its way into the laptop market via future APUs – such as the upcoming Ryzen chips – or dedicated mobile GPUs.

Wait and see

AMD is clearly focusing on the desktop sector with RDNA 4, possibly in order to gain a foothold in a highly competitive market segment. Mobile solutions remain in the background, but could become an important part of the strategy in the long term. The possible merger of RDNA and CDNA also holds exciting prospects, particularly with regard to AI and ML applications. So for technology fans, it’s time to stay tuned, because the GPU world is still on the move.

Source: Ben Conard