AMD’s RDNA 4 images show the architecture’s design complexity

You may have heard rumors that AMD is canceling its high-end RDNA 4 GPUs and focusing on mainstream chips like the Navi 43 and Navi 44. There were also rumors that models expected to have MCM design such as Navi 4C and Navi 4X on high-end chips will also take place. Now a few renders have been shared showing what this high-end GPU will look like. Although these images do not carry any formality, they reveal the complex structure of the design.

Engineering marvel, design mess

While AMD is in the process of releasing the Radeon RX 7000 series based on the RDNA 3 architecture, speculation goes much further. Leaked images of the Navi 4C die schematic have surfaced recently, revealing that possibly this complex design may not be viable in the near future, with some suggesting that it could be used for the RDNA 4’s successor. The conceptual visuals that we will go into details are shaped on the basis of this information. Considering it’s based on multiple leaks, it may be the most likely image of the Navi 4X GPU AMD is working on.

Starting from the first image, it appears that AMD is not only adopting a multi-chip architecture in its RDNA 4 architecture, but also is embracing die stacking, a concept previously announced for its datacenter-focused Radeon Instinct MI300 GPU series. The design apparently includes the use of a large interposer divided into three sections, each with its own dedicated Infinity Cache and GDDR memory controllers.

When we look at the design, we see a basic package consisting of three main parts: AID, SED (Shader Engine pattern) and MID (Multimedia br I/O pattern). Adjacent to these core dies, called AIDs, AMD plans to place a key multimedia and I/O die that interconnects with each AID. Obviously, complexity increases as Shader Engines (SEDs) are integrated into each AID. Reports indicate that a single AID can accommodate up to three SEDs, giving AMD the potential to include up to nine SEDs in each package. In addition to this complex design, it turns out that the entire package will also be physically large.

May not happen

All these images show us what the future holds for MCM technology. The first images of the AMD Navi 3X “RDNA 3” GPU lineup were also very close to the final chips. On the other hand, if the really high-end RDNA 4 graphics cards are canceled, we are left with nothing but these conceptual designs. While this is still a rumor and nothing has been officially confirmed by AMD yet, the RDNA 4 series will apparently only feature Navi 44 and Navi 43 GPUs, and the Navi 42 and Navi 41 chips will likely be left out of the equation (for now). The series is expected to launch in 2024, and by then there’s plenty of time for change.