AMD is preparing to launch its new generation of RDNA4 graphics cards. It is likely that detailed announcements will be made during the conference to be held by the Reds during CES 2025. AMD could surprise us, and not necessarily where we expect them to. Against all expectations, the brand does not seem to have decided to bury the good old 6/8-pin PCIe connector, unlike its rival Nvidia.
AMD & Intel: the choice of reason for RDNA4 and Battlemage…
With this choice, AMD would be positioning itself in the same way as Intel with its Battlemage GPUs: in continuity for users and at odds with Nvidia’s choices. Some will see it as a sign of caution, others as a nod to the trend towards more powerful connectors such as 12VHPWR or 12V-2×6. Whatever the case, according to the latest information available, RDNA4 will retain the famous PCIe connector that has dominated graphics cards for years.
Why keep a 6/8-pin connector when others are opting for more compact and potentially more powerful solutions? The answer is not officially given by AMD, but we can put forward a few hypotheses. Firstly, the 6/8-pin PCIe connector has a proven track record of reliability, whereas its potential replacement made headlines in 2024. We know its limits, we know how to handle it, and its integration is perfectly mastered by power supply manufacturers. This is also the assurance of not adding extra costs on components that don’t bring any real gains. But the explanation may also lie in the positioning that AMD wants to adopt with its new RDNA4 GPUs. AMD, like Intel, can simply argue that, from a purely technical point of view, a 6/8 pin connector is sufficient to power their future graphics cards. If the GPUs do not exceed a certain TDP, there is no need to multiply the number of exotic connectors. Rumours point to a more controlled power/energy efficiency positioning, suggesting that the Radeon RX 9000 series, and in particular the potential RX 9070 XT, would not need to consume as much power as the competition’s top-of-the-range GPUs.
Only time will tell whether this choice is sustainable. As graphics cards become more powerful, the question of power supply will become more pressing. Nor is there any guarantee that, for the sake of standardisation, AMD’s partners will not switch to 12VHPWR or 12V-2×6 connectors when their custom references get released, like Asrock’s RX 7900 XTX WorkStation (WS) that was equipped with a 12VHPWR.
