AMD unveiled its next-generation graphics cards, the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT, at CES 2025. Surprisingly, these RDNA 4 graphics cards were absent from AMD's keynote, though vendors displayed them on the show floor with obscured specifications. David McAfee, VP & GM of Radeon Graphics and Ryzen CPUs, took to Twitter/X to announce that both cards will hit the market in March 2025.
"Radeon 9000 series hardware and software are looking great, and we are planning to have a wide assortment of cards available globally," McAfee stated. "Can’t wait for gamers to get their hands on the cards when they go on sale in March!"
While the launch is set for March 2025, AMD has yet to disclose specific details such as specifications or pricing. It's widely speculated that the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT will compete in the same price and performance segments as Nvidia's upcoming RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti, which are slated for a February release.
Despite the lack of official details, reports indicate that stock of the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT has already reached retailers and is in the hands of reviewers and critics. eTeknix confirmed receiving review samples of these upcoming graphics cards.
The situation has raised eyebrows, fueling speculation that AMD delayed the official launch to directly counter Nvidia's RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti, allowing for a head-to-head comparison. There's also speculation that pricing pressure from Nvidia may have influenced AMD's decision to delay the RX 9070 lineup's release.
With scant details available, the launch messaging for the RX 9070 lineup has been somewhat chaotic and confusing. A report from June 2024 shows Nvidia commanding 88% of the discrete GPU market, with AMD holding just 12%.
As no other company challenges Nvidia in the mid-range or high-end consumer graphics card market, AMD must strategically position its new offerings to erode Nvidia's dominant market share.