New leaks indicate that AMD’s next-generation RDNA 5 graphics architecture—potentially rebranded under a unified UDNA banner—may not arrive until late 2027. If accurate, this would place the launch well after NVIDIA’s expected RTX 60 series, extending the wait for Radeon enthusiasts to nearly 2.5 years since the debut of RDNA 4.
The information comes from well-known hardware insider Kepler_L2, whose past disclosures have often aligned closely with eventual product timelines.
🧭 A Strategic Delay, Not a Technical One #
The reported delay appears to be less about manufacturing readiness and more about market strategy.
- NVIDIA’s Pricing Power: NVIDIA continues to command strong margins across its GPU stack. If AMD were to launch RDNA 5 first, NVIDIA could respond aggressively by cutting RTX 60-series prices, eroding AMD’s traditional value advantage.
- Reactive Positioning: By waiting until after NVIDIA finalizes performance tiers and pricing, AMD can tailor RDNA 5 SKUs to directly exploit gaps in the RTX lineup—maximizing price-to-performance where it matters most.
This “wait-and-see” approach suggests AMD is prioritizing competitive placement over being first to market.
⏳ A 30-Month Gap for Radeon #
If the current roadmap holds, the generational gap for Radeon GPUs will be the longest in recent history:
| Architecture | Representative Model | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| RDNA 4 | Radeon RX 9070 XT | March 6, 2025 |
| RTX 50 Series | RTX 5090 / 5080 | January 30, 2025 |
| RTX 60 Series | RTX 6090 / 6080 | Expected H2 2027 |
| RDNA 5 / UDNA | Next-Gen Radeon | Expected Late 2027 |
From March 2025 to late 2027, Radeon fans could face nearly 30 months without a true generational successor. While RDNA 4 is widely praised for efficiency and strong midrange value, it notably lacks a no-compromise flagship to challenge NVIDIA’s top-tier GPUs—a role RDNA 5 is expected to reclaim.
🔮 What RDNA 5 (UDNA) Is Expected to Bring #
Despite the long wait, early leaks paint RDNA 5 as a clean-sheet redesign rather than an incremental update:
- Advanced Process: Built on TSMC N3P, promising higher clocks and significantly improved power efficiency.
- Massive Scale: Flagship configurations rumored to reach 96 Compute Units (around 12,288 cores) paired with a 384-bit memory bus.
- AI & Ray Tracing Reset: A redesigned AI and RT pipeline aimed at finally closing the gap with NVIDIA’s Tensor and RT cores.
- Console Alignment: RDNA 5 is also rumored to underpin next-generation consoles, including the PlayStation 6 and the next Xbox, both expected around the 2027–2028 timeframe.
🧠 A High-Stakes Bet for AMD #
Delaying RDNA 5 until late 2027 is a calculated risk. It gives AMD time to observe NVIDIA’s next move and deliver a more precisely positioned product—but it also leaves Radeon without a new flagship for an unusually long stretch.
If AMD executes well, RDNA 5 could mark a true reset for Radeon at the high end. If not, the extended gap may further entrench NVIDIA’s dominance before AMD even re-enters the fight.