AMD has just announced its RDNA 2-based flagship Big Navi graphics cards, the Radeon RX 6900XT, RX 6800XT and RX 6800, respectively. The Red team introduced three graphics cards based on RDNA2 GPU architecture with prices ranging from 579 to 999 USD. AMD will be competing with NVIDIA, and directly targeting each of the RTX 30 series Ampere-based SKUs.
AMD also introduced three new features, the RAGE Mode, Infinity Cache, and Smart Access Memory, respectively. RAGE mode appears to be an automatic one-click overclocking/OC button built-in the Radeon Software package.
RAGE Mode automatically takes advantage of the overclocking headroom built into the GPU, to give every bit of performance it has to offer.
The new Smart Access Memory feature on the other hand will boost the overall gaming performance by optimizing the data transfer between the CPU and the GPU.
What this basically means is that the Radeon RX 6000 GPUs can now work and operate in tandem with AMD’s Ryzen 5000-series processors, provided you use a 500-series compatible motherboard, through this new Smart Access Memory feature. To quote AMD:
AMD Smart Access Memory –“An exclusive feature of systems with AMD Ryzen™ 5000 Series processors, AMD B550 and X570 motherboards and Radeon™ RX 6000 Series graphics cards.
It gives AMD Ryzen™ processors greater access to the high-speed GDDR6 graphics memory, accelerating CPU processing and providing up to a 13-percent performance increase on a AMD Radeon™ RX 6800 XT graphics card in Forza Horizon™ 4 at 4K when combined with the new Rage Mode one-click overclocking setting”.
Smart Access Memory aims at optimizing both the GPU and CPU to offer the best possible performance when they operate in tandem.
According to the concept, once you enable the Smart Memory Access feature in the RX6000 card’s VBIOS and the motherboard BIOS, both the CPU and GPU will gain full access to each other’s memory. Doing this will maximize data transfer and performance between the CPU and the GPU’s VRAM.
Smart Access Memory helps boost performance by enabling faster data transfer speeds between the CPU and GPU. And by pairing this efficient data transfer smart access feature with the new 128MB Infinity Cache might help boost the throughput between the CPU and the GPU as well.
The new Infinity Cache takes advantage of the GPU’s data paths to maximize performance while minimizing the data movement and power within the GPU itself.
According to AMD, Infinity Cache delivers a 10% increase in power efficiency and it also doubles the bandwidth (almost 117% increase), all at a lower power than traditional memory. Infinity Cache is based on the Zen CPU’s L3 cache design.
Infinity Cache boosts performance-per-clock scaling as frequency increases largely because the GPU is now less constrained by external memory bandwidth limits. The Infinity Cache also boosts ray tracing performance, as more of the data set is kept closer to the compute units to feed.
AMD Infinity Cache – “A high-performance, last-level data cache suitable for 4K and 1440p gaming with the highest level of detail enabled. 128 MB of on-die cache dramatically reduces latency6 and power consumption7, delivering higher overall gaming performance than traditional architectural designs.”
AMD says combining both the RAGE Mode and Smart Access Memory feature will give a boost in performance of up to 13% in games. Though, it remains to be seen how these new features are going to work in tandem.
Most importantly, AMD says that individual game developers will have to optimize games for this new Smart Memory Access feature. Which means it could take six to twelve months before we can see this new tech in games.
Lastly, AMD’s Radeon RX 6000 GPUs will also support the DirectStorage API, which might help reduce the game load times.
Stay tuned for more!
Hello, my name is NICK Richardson. I’m an avid PC and tech fan since the good old days of RIVA TNT2, and 3DFX interactive “Voodoo” gaming cards. I love playing mostly First-person shooters, and I’m a die-hard fan of this FPS genre, since the good ‘old Doom and Wolfenstein days.
MUSIC has always been my passion/roots, but I started gaming “casually” when I was young on Nvidia’s GeForce3 series of cards. I’m by no means an avid or a hardcore gamer though, but I just love stuff related to the PC, Games, and technology in general. I’ve been involved with many indie Metal bands worldwide, and have helped them promote their albums in record labels. I’m a very broad-minded down to earth guy. MUSIC is my inner expression, and soul.
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Good features.i hope amd can beat nvidia in high end and we,the consumers,get more options for less price.
Even if the manage to provide similar performance to Ampere, then also its a win-win situation of AMD. I don’t want them to beat Nvidia though, since they are already very competitive in the market.
man amd beating nvidia will be fun and good for consumers.
Short term yes, long term no… then amd turns into nvidia/intel mk2 – We need both companies really duking it out to drive innovation forward while keeping prices in check.
less price? AMD prices are the same everywhere outside the US. you get an inferior product for the same price. pathetic
you seem to have comprehension problems.
Sounds like you are mad cuz you got a 3090 and now ppl can buy that power for 500 less xD
His 3090 just crashed his PC and now the RMA process has started.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/622cea091040e54046e1c246238dd5b73bf6cf544e40134e2fb52dd19b80c8dc.jpg
Yikes, RMA. An acronym we all hate to deal with. especially right after you install that sweet water block. I’ve been there man, memories.
I’m not mad. I just hate the meme that AMD is cheaper. It’s a lie. Maybe in the US, everywhere else they’re charged at NVidia prices
Well what ever they put out its cheaper ans better cuz you can buy it unlike the 30xx
I’m really curious how the AMD launch is going to look. I’m expecting the same shortage. Why? Because videocards aren’t donuts, you can’t just manufacture 5 million of them in a day.
Who said you have a to make 5mill in a single day. Amd never had thia kinda problem….
And this whole sortage is juat a Nvidia new s**t cuz they are st**id
Thought I’d Give Credit Where Credit Is Due For A great Comment I Found.
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nailed it
AMD cultists are pathetic. And they have such confidence in their made-up beliefs. It’s sad
What?
Triggered NVIDIA fangirl spotted…lol
We can’t have fun anymore. Everything is Red or green, right or left, republican or democrat. The humor has left this world i tell ya.
6900XT
looks like the force is strongggggggg with this one 🙂
Cringe
I choose not to choose, way better life with that mindset when it comes to those things – Pick whatever is best for the moment… and not because what they say say… but with what they do!
Good informative article….thanks. would love to see how these features pan out in games.
what’s OOTB perf.??
Out Of THe Box?
oh…silly me…
Both of the next gen consoles have 1080 ti power or lower.
Um the 2080 is about equal to a 1080ti so yeah
Excellent features for AMD users. ?
Excellent indeed ! For once i agree
Robo-Fernando, i just gave you a thumbs up for the first time in years, please don’t let it go to your circuits. 🙂
It will make him bsod lol
Funny stuff there. +1
We may have to call the IT department in to fix Fernando now : )
now just put a bunch of bull dykes with guns on the box those amd cards come in.
All sounds like marketing BS to me, we’ve had Nvidia’s now it’s AMD’s turn.
Thank you AMD, but not yet this time!!!
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there is no way they could test it right now as there are no games with DXR support yet
i think there are somekind of generic benchmark suite by MS to test RT performance.
most of the ppl turns off Gaytracing . and most of the games ppl play dont have it .
Raytracing is awesome, never going back
pathetic little AMD cultist
AMD made a deal with $ony / m$ to delay “budget” RDNA2 options in order to sell AMD toyboxes, IMO NVIDIA drooped the ball HARD not launching the 3070 – 3060 first
RAGE Mode is what 30xx owners feel right now
DLSS competitor is still in development, not great but better then nothing.
I would have liked some ray tracing benches. Some games they tested were ray tracing games but was it on?