AMD Expands RX 7000 Graphics Card Lineup for 1440p Gaming
AMD Bolsters RX 7000 Graphics Card Lineup: New Offerings Aimed at 1440p Gaming
In a move to fill a significant void in its current-gen graphics card lineup, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is introducing two new offerings to its RX 7000 family.
This expansion addresses the absence of options between the RX 7600 ($269) and the pricier RX 7900 cards (above $700). Up until now, the gap was bridged by last-gen RX 6000 graphics cards, which remain available and often retail well below their original prices.
The recent announcement introduces two graphics cards designed specifically for 1440p gaming. The RX 7700 XT, set to launch on September 6, comes with a $449 price tag. Meanwhile, the RX 7800 XT, priced at $499, offers more memory, an 11% boost in compute units, and a wider memory interface compared to its counterpart.
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Challenges in the Market and Pricing Concerns
AMD’s cautious approach to rolling out its RX 7000 lineup could be attributed to the state of the graphics card market. In the first quarter, graphics card shipments plummeted by 38.2% YoY, leading to a significant cut in AMD’s unit market share. The demand slump post-COVID-19 has also normalized pricing.
Recent graphics card launches from both NVIDIA and AMD have faced lukewarm responses, particularly within the high-volume midrange segment. NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti, targeting the $299 to $499 price range, were met with skepticism due to their limited memory interface. The highest-priced RTX 4060 Ti variant at $499 hardly justifies its cost, according to industry analysts.
AMD’s sole midrange offering within the current-gen lineup is the RX 7600, which slightly outperforms the last-gen RX 6650 XT at a higher price point. In this price-sensitive market, AMD reduced the price of the RX 7600 to match NVIDIA’s $299 RTX 4060.
While AMD positions the RX 7800 XT to compete with NVIDIA’s RTX 4070, priced around $100 higher, it also competes with its own discounted last-gen graphics cards.
The anticipated minimal performance gain of 6% to 8% for the RX 7800 XT, as estimated by experts, might not be sufficient to entice upgrades from last-gen card owners. Additionally, last-gen card prices could decrease further after this launch.
Anticipated Third-Quarter Performance
Despite the new graphics card launch occurring within AMD’s third quarter, the company does not expect a positive impact on its gaming business. The gaming segment, encompassing console chips and GPUs, is projected to experience a YoY and sequential decline in Q3.
While console chip demand typically surges in preparation for the holidays, the graphics portion is projected to underperform.
To make a significant impact in the market, AMD needs to substantially undercut NVIDIA on price and significantly improve performance per dollar against its own last-gen cards.
FAQ
Q1: What are the new additions to AMD’s RX 7000 graphics card lineup?
AMD has introduced two new graphics cards, the RX 7700 XT and RX 7800 XT, aimed at 1440p gaming.
Q2: How do the new graphics cards differ from each other?
The RX 7800 XT offers more memory, an 11% increase in compute units, and a wider memory interface compared to the RX 7700 XT.
Q3: Why has AMD’s RX 7000 rollout been slow?
The graphics card market’s challenges, including a significant decline in shipments and increased competition, may have contributed to AMD’s cautious approach.
Q4: How has the recent graphics card market performed?
Graphics card shipments dropped by 38.2% YoY in the first quarter, and demand has normalized since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Q5: How does AMD’s RX 7800 XT compare to its competitors and its own last-gen cards?
AMD’s RX 7800 XT competes with NVIDIA’s RTX 4070 and its own discounted last-gen graphics cards. The performance gain is estimated to be around 6% to 8%, potentially making it challenging to entice upgrades.
Q6: What is the expected impact of the new graphics card launch on AMD’s gaming business?
Despite the new graphics card launch, AMD does not anticipate improvement in its gaming business during the third quarter, projecting a YoY and sequential decline.
