AMD Big Navi (Navi 2X): Release date, price, specs and performance

The next-gen AMD Big Navi (aka Navi 2X) graphics cards are expected to launch this year, and will go head-to-head with the upcoming Nvidia Ampere GPUs to win the privilege of sitting inside your gaming PC. 

AMD’s CEO, Dr. Lisa Su, has already confirmed that 4K-capable Radeon graphics cards will launch in Q4 2020, and with that launch window creeping up, rumours are starting to intensify.

The latest details have been dished out by renowned leaker wjm47196, who has a reputation for providing accurate information. They claim AMD Big Navi graphics cards will feature 16GB of VRAM capacity, which is double that found in existing Radeon GPUs. The leaker didn’t clarify whether the type of memory architecture will be GDDR6 or HBM2(e), but Wccftech points out the claimed 512-bit bus interface means that GDDR6 is the most likely out of the two.

Otherwise, AMD has already confirmed that it believes the new RDNA 2 architecture will offer a 50% improvement compared to the current lineup of Radeon cards, which would give the high-end cards enough of a boost to reach a 4K-capable performance. Big Navi is also set to become the first generation of Radeon graphics cards capable of ray tracing.

A Wccftech source suggests the Big Navi graphics cards could be available to buy in October 2020, with the first official reveal expected around September. AMD has also confirmed Big Navi will be the first RDNA 2 product released to the public, meaning the next-gen graphics cards will launch ahead of the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

For more information on AMD Big Navi graphics cards, keep scrolling down.

Related: Best Graphics Cards 2020

AMD Big Navi release date – When will AMD’s next-gen GPU launch?

The AMD Big Navi graphics cards are expected to arrive around October.

A Wccftech source claims the graphics cards will launch in October, a month after the expected Nvidia Ampere release. Big Navi could potentially coincide with the release of AMD’s Zen 3 based Ryzen 4000 desktop processors.

AMD hasn’t offered any specific dates, but CFO David Kuman suggests the new Radeon graphics cards will launch before both the PS5 and Xbox Serires X, both of which are rumoured for Novemeber. AMD has also reiterated on Twitter that its next-generation Radeon graphics cards will launch “at the end of the year” so there’s no concerns that Covid-19 has delayed the launch to 2021.

$AMD on track to launch next-gen “Zen-3” CPUs and RDNA 2 GPUs in late 2020. pic.twitter.com/hhHyN86CI3

— AMD News (@AMDNews) April 28, 2020

Related: AMD Ryzen 4000

AMD Big Navi price – How much will AMD’s GPU cost?

AMD has not provided pricing details for its Big Navi graphics cards, which comes as no surprise as we’re still a few months away from a release. AMD will likely want to find out the price of the Nvidia Ampere graphics cards before making a final decision. 

Wccftech suggested the Big Navi range will be split up between ray tracing-capable graphics cards, and cheaper alternatives that don’t feature such fancy features. This would imitate the same model Nvidia uses with its GTX and RTX graphics cards.

AMD has long proved to be the more affordable option though, so don’t expect the eye-watering price of the RTX 2080 Ti.

Related: Nvidia Ampere

AMD Big Navi specs and performance

AMD is yet to reveal specs for its Big Navi graphics cards, although did confirm it will feature RDNA 2 architecture that supports variable-rate shading and hardware-based ray tracing.

However, Wccftech reports ray tracing will be exclusive to the high-end and enthusiast cards, leaving the low-end cards to focus on power efficiency and affordability.

AMD also confirmed its high-end Navi 2X graphics cards will be powerful enough for 4K gaming, which is no surprise since it’s rumoured to be more powerful than Nvidia’s RTX 2080 Ti. The new RDNA 2 architecture is said to boast a 50% performance-per-watt improvement on the current generation, potentially resulting in a significant performance increase. 

Renowned leaker wjm47196 also claims Big Navi will see up to 16GB of VRAM capacity, which is double the spec of the existing Radeon RX 5700 XT graphics card.

But while leaks point towards the flagship AMD Big Navi graphics card having enough power to compete with (or even surpass) Nvidia’s RTX 2080 Ti, it’s likely Nvidia Ampere graphics cards will raise the performance ceiling even further when it launches later this year.

Related: Intel vs AMD

AMD Big Navi design

While it’s far too early to see exactly what AMD’s next-gen graphics cards look like, AMD has confirmed on Reddit that there will be no blower reference fans. This news comes after a Reddit user spotted the use of an axial-fan cooling solution on a Financial Analyst Day presentation slide.

Nvidia has been using this cooling system with its RTX graphics cards, resulting in improved efficiency and quieter fans. With a seemingly dual-fan setup, it’s likely the upcoming AMD graphics cards will end up looking very similar in design to Nvidia’s  current offering, which is no bad thing.

Otherwise, we know very little about how it looks, with Wccftech reporting that AMD is yet to finalise the Big Navi PCB design.

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