AMD plans to launch an RX 9070 GRE GPU, a special edition graphics card positioned as a budget-friendly option under the RDNA 4 architecture, targeting the value-for-money market. It is reported that this graphics card was initially designed for the Chinese market, but based on past experience, some GRE models are expected to gradually go global. The GRE designation first appeared in the RX 6750 GRE and RX 7900 GRE in 2023, which at the time was interpreted as “Golden Rabbit Edition,” echoing Chinese zodiac culture. However, with the release of the RX 7650 GRE in February of this year, this label has been adjusted to “Great Radeon Edition,” which is more universal and free from specific year constraints, thus seamlessly adapting to international market demands.
The RX 9070 GRE is expected to be based on a streamlined version of the Navi 48 chip, equipped with 12GB of GDDR6 memory and a 192-bit memory interface. This configuration gives it good performance at 1440p resolution, achieving a very good balance between image quality and frame rate. According to AMD’s product tiering, the RDNA 4 series may center around the RX 9070 XT, RX 9070, and RX 9070 GRE. Among them, the RX 9070 GRE is positioned between the RX 9060 XT and RX 9070, with an estimated price of around $450. This speculation is based on AMD’s past 60 XT-level graphics cards (such as the RX 7600 XT), which are usually priced around $350, while the RX 9070’s MSRP is $550, with the RX 9070 GRE filling the gap between the two.
In terms of performance, the specific specifications of the RX 9070 GRE have not been fully disclosed, but 12GB of memory and 192-bit memory bandwidth are sufficient to meet the demands of current mainstream games at 1440p. In comparison, the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT are equipped with 16GB of memory and a 256-bit interface, respectively, focusing on higher performance. Taking the RX 9070 series released in March of this year as an example, the RX 9070 XT’s average performance at 4K resolution is 42% higher than the RX 7900 GRE, while the RX 9070’s is about 20% higher. If the RX 9070 GRE continues this trend, its performance may be close to a lower-spec version of the RX 9070, while maintaining a certain price advantage.
At the same time, Nvidia is also intensively laying out the mid-range market. It is rumored that the RTX 5060 Ti will be launched in the third week of April, offering 8GB and 16GB memory versions. The price range of the 5060 Ti highly overlaps with the RX 9070 GRE, making it a major competitor. Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti may have advantages in ray tracing performance and DLSS technology, but the RX 9070 GRE, with its larger memory capacity and high cost-effectiveness, is expected to attract budget-conscious gamers. In addition, AMD’s FSR 4 (FidelityFX Super Resolution 4) technology is expected to provide support for the RX 9070 GRE, further enhancing its performance at high resolutions.
Market supply is also worth noting. The retail price of this generation of graphics cards is limited by TSMC’s wafer production capacity, and the actual transaction will have a certain premium. If the RX 9070 GRE is launched exclusively for the Chinese market first, its global launch time may be close to that of the RX 9060 series. The latter is expected to use the smaller Navi 44 chip, with a memory capacity of 8GB, targeting the entry-level 1440p market.
From a technical perspective, the RX 9070 GRE’s Navi 48 chip uses a 4nm process, which improves energy efficiency and performance compared to the RDNA 3 architecture. RDNA 4 introduces an optimized computing unit design and higher clock frequencies, while enhancing ray tracing core performance. It is reported that the ray tracing throughput of the RX 9070 XT is doubled compared to RDNA 3, and although the RX 9070 GRE is streamlined, it is still expected to be significantly better than the RX 7900 GRE. In addition, this graphics card will also be equipped with 128 AI accelerators, supporting emerging applications such as neural rendering, providing additional value to content creators.
Pricing strategy is crucial to the success of the RX 9070 GRE. If AMD can control its pricing between $400 and $450, it can not only compete head-on with the RTX 5060 Ti, but also potentially seize more market share. Referring to the experience of the RX 7900 GRE, this model was initially sold only in China, and later expanded globally due to strong demand, with the price also adjusted from $549 to $499. If the RX 9070 GRE follows this path, it may become a popular choice in the mid-range market in 2025.
Currently, more details of the RX 9070 GRE are yet to be officially announced, including the specific launch date and final specifications. This graphics card is mainly positioned to provide a cost-effective solution for 1440p gamers, while playing an important role in the competition between AMD and Nvidia. As the RDNA 4 product line is gradually improved, AMD is striving to gain a foothold in the mainstream market through differentiated strategies.