AMD’s CES 2025 keynote may have been light on graphics card details, but a recent interview with Frank Azor, AMD’s chief architect of gaming solutions and gaming marketing, sheds light on the upcoming RX 9000 series and the future of FSR 4. One key takeaway? The RDNA 4-exclusive upscaling technology might eventually come to older AMD GPUs.
Azor’s interview with Michael Quesada, later shared by El Chapuzas Informatico and VideoCardz, touched upon FSR 4, the anticipated performance of the RX 9070 XT, and AMD’s overall value-driven strategy for the new lineup. The conversation highlighted AMD’s commitment to competitive pricing, positioning the RX 9000 series as a compelling option for gamers.
The exclusivity of FSR 4 to the RX 9000 series, a departure from previous FSR iterations, has been a point of discussion. However, Azor suggested that this might not be a permanent situation. While emphasizing AMD’s ongoing investment in ray tracing and the continued development of the more widely compatible FSR 3, he hinted at the possibility of FSR 4 eventually supporting RDNA 3 architecture.
GigabyteAMD’s Frank Azor discusses the future of FSR 4 and RX 9000 series GPUs. (Image Credit: TechPowerUp / Gigabyte)
“By using Machine Learning we can get better quality. But you need a lot of computational performance to do that. That’s why RDNA4 graphics cards are the only ones that have the power to run FSR 4 technology,” Azor explained (machine translated from Spanish). “We may be able to optimize it to work on RDNA3 architecture. And we are, we want to do it, but we have work to do for now.”
This statement, while not a concrete promise, offers a glimmer of hope for owners of older AMD GPUs. It contrasts with Nvidia’s approach, where DLSS 3 remains exclusive to the RTX 40-series, and the next iteration is expected to be locked to the RTX 50-series.
Regarding pricing, Azor indicated a range between $300 and $1,000 for the RX 9000 series, though leaks suggest a price point closer to $500 for the reference RX 9070 XT. He emphasized the aim to strike a balance between power and price, drawing parallels to successful launches like the RX 7800 XT.
“We’re going to bring a very competitive product. Everyone will win with this launch. It will be worth the wait,” Azor stated, adding that AMD’s previous attempts at $1,000 GPUs in RDNA 2 and RDNA 3 proved costly due to resource-intensive manufacturing processes. He cited the RX 7900 GRE and RX 7800 XT as examples of well-received products with aggressive pricing in a competitive market. This reinforces AMD’s focus on value.
While the RX 9000 series and Ryzen Z2 chips were notably absent from the CES 2025 keynote, Azor has previously confirmed that AMD will soon share more details about RDNA 4 at a dedicated event. The decision to wait and observe Nvidia’s announcements suggests a strategic approach to market positioning. Recent leaks point to preorders opening on January 23.
