AMD's RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT: A March 2025 Launch, Amidst Speculation and Market Dynamics

AMD unveiled its next-generation graphics cards, the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT, at CES 2025. However, their absence from the AMD keynote, despite vendor displays on the show floor, fueled intrigue. David McAfee, VP & GM of Radeon Graphics and Ryzen CPUs, subsequently confirmed a March 2025 release date via Twitter/X.

McAfee stated that the Radeon 9000 series hardware and software are in excellent shape, with plans for broad global availability. While the March launch is confirmed, crucial details like specifications and pricing remain undisclosed. Industry speculation suggests the RX 9070 series will compete directly with Nvidia's February-launching RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti in terms of price and performance.

Adding to the mystery, reports indicate that RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT units have already reached retailers and reviewers. eTeknix, for example, confirmed receiving review samples.

This situation has sparked considerable speculation. Some believe AMD delayed the official launch to strategically counter Nvidia's RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti releases, enabling a direct comparison. Others suggest pricing pressure from Nvidia prompted the delay.

The lack of concrete details surrounding the RX 9070 series has resulted in a somewhat muddled launch strategy. A June 2024 report highlighted Nvidia's commanding 88% share of the discrete GPU market, leaving AMD with a mere 12%. Facing a lack of significant competition in the mid-range and high-end segments, AMD's success in challenging Nvidia's dominance hinges on a carefully executed strategy.