PC gamers are growing increasingly impatient for new desktop GPUs, especially as Nvidia’s latest cards continue to sell out instantly despite sky-high prices. Meanwhile, AMD’s decision to skip showcasing its upcoming Radeon designs at CES 2025 last month was widely viewed as a disappointment. However, the wait may soon be over—AMD’s CEO has now confirmed that the Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT will launch in early March, narrowing the previously announced Q1 2025 release window.
AMD initially set the deadline for the new GPUs by the end of March but later reinforced March as the target. During yesterday’s earnings call, the company provided a more specific timeframe, suggesting the launch will occur in the first half of the month. That means gamers could have the RX 9070 series in hand within just a few weeks. According to Dr. Lisa Su, AMD’s CEO, “RDNA 4 delivers significantly better ray tracing performance and adds support for AI-powered upscaling technology that will bring high-quality 4K gaming to mainstream players when the first Radeon 9070 series GPUs go on sale in early March.”
While AMD’s earnings call highlighted strong desktop CPU sales—particularly for the Ryzen 9 9800X3D, which has driven a 58% year-over-year revenue increase in the client segment—the gaming division is struggling. Nvidia’s dominance in the discrete GPU market, combined with a slowdown in console demand, has led to a sharp revenue decline for AMD’s gaming business. Both the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 rely on AMD’s semi-custom silicon, and with their sales cooling, AMD is feeling the impact. As a result, the upcoming Radeon launch could be a crucial moment for the company, especially as it plans to merge financial reporting for its Ryzen CPUs and Radeon GPUs in the future.
As for what gamers can expect from the RX 9070 and 9070 XT, details remain scarce. The RDNA 4-based cards are positioned as successors to the RX 7900 XT, 7900 GRE, and 7800 XT, which originally launched at $900, $550, and $500, respectively. However, the revised model number scheme makes direct comparisons tricky. A rumored AMD event later in February could provide further clarity, including specifications and pricing. Yet, with ongoing global trade instability and the looming effects of new tariffs, pricing for electronics remains unpredictable. Whether AMD’s upcoming GPUs will deliver a compelling alternative to Nvidia’s high-priced options will likely depend on performance, availability, and—most crucially—cost.
