AMD's new RDNA2 PCI IDs on Linux driver suggest a RDNA2 refresh might be coming

[jsilva]

In brief: Considering that AMD has already launched most, if not all, Radeon RX 6000 series cards, it's weird to see the company adding 17 new PCI IDs of RDNA2 GPUs to its open-source Linux graphics drivers. However, that's what happened, suggesting that we might be in for a Navi 2x GPUs refresh.

Before getting your hopes up, the new 17 PCI IDs found in the AMDGPU Linux driver may not be directly linked to 17 new AMD GPUs, as PCI IDs are also used for engineering samples and custom-designed models from the AIB partners.

To better understand the PCI ID list, it's worth remembering Sienna Cichlid is the codename for the Navi 21, Navy Flounder for the Navi 22, and Dimgrey Cavefish for the Navi 23. The new PCI IDs in the patch notes can be identified by the "+" sign before the entry.

Out of the 17 new entries, 5 are Sienna Cichlid: (0x73A5, 0x73A8, 0x73A9, 0x73AC, 0x73AD). In the Navy Flounder segment of the list, there are another 5: 0x73DA, 0x73DB, 0x73DC, 0x73DD, and 0x73DE. The remaining 7, which are 0x73E8, 0x73E9, 0x73EA, 0x73EB, 0x73EC, 0x73ED, and 0x73EF, are Dimgrey Cavefish.

Rumors about a possible refresh of the Navi 2x GPUs have come and gone for a while. Previous reports claimed that the refresh SKUs would be based on the 6nm process node, offering better performance and efficiency than the current-gen cards.

These refreshed GPUs could either be an entirely new lineup of graphics cards or part of the Radeon RX 7000 series lineup, which is expected to feature refreshed Navi 2x GPUs and the new Navi 3x GPUs.

Besides AMD, Nvidia is also possibly refreshing the RTX 30 series by launching the Super variants. Rumors about the RTX 3090 Super SKU have emerged recently, stating the card would feature a fully-enabled GA102 GPU with 10,752 CUDA cores, 21GBps GDDR6X memory, and a TGP of 450W or more. This card is expected to launch later this year.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/90988-amd-new-rdna2-pci-ids-linux-driver-suggest.html

 

[Sausagemeat]

Oh so they might make another 100 cards?

 

[winjer]

Nice of AMD to make new cards we can't buy.

 

[Dimitriid]

Oh so they might make another 100 cards?

To be fair they did have a lot more 6600xts out and Eth miners around are very pleased with one of their new champion cards because of course AMD walked right into that one.

 

[Avro Arrow]

A refresh of something that nobody can buy because of either no availability or astronomical prices. The question that must be asked is... "Who cares?"

 

[punctualturn]

A refresh of something that nobody can buy because of either no availability or astronomical prices. The question that must be asked is... "Who cares?"

I do, I just got a 6900XT at MSRP and debating if I should sell, then wait , then fight again to try to get the refreshed one!

I kid, I kid.

The only hope that I see is that the change to Eth 2.0 might discourage GPU mining, hence allow the rest to purchase.

 

[Kosmoz]

To be fair they did have a lot more 6600xts out and Eth miners around are very pleased with one of their new champion cards because of course AMD walked right into that one.

Unlike nvidia who "cares about gamers" and gives drivers to miners to unlock them themselves, right?

At least AMD never pretended to be fake or lie about that part...

Also a lot of gamers also got the 6600 XT, not just miners, maybe even more gamers than miners this time around.

 

[Kosmoz]

I do, I just got a 6900XT at MSRP and debating if I should sell, then wait , then fight again to try to get the refreshed one!

I kid, I kid.

The only hope that I see is that the change to Eth 2.0 might discourage GPU mining, hence allow the rest to purchase.

1. I think the performance of the refresh over the current gen will only be +5-10% more, so I'll just wait for RDNA3. I'm more than happy with gaming on the 6700 XT until then. Upgrading for 10% is silly, unless I can do it at no extra cost.

2. Don't get your hopes up too much about ETH proof of stake, it's set for mid 2022, so still a long way to go and there is always the possibility of delay, again...
Also if it happens, GPU mining will not die, but probabaly for a limited time (months?) it will kind of die down, until some other alt coin gets traction and becomes primary in GPU mining. Although it won't reach ETH levels so fast, if ever... So there will be a period of time when gamers should have a good opportunity to buy GPUs then, again if that happens.

 

[Dimitriid]

Unlike nvidia who "cares about gamers" and gives drivers to miners to unlock them themselves, right?

At least AMD never pretended to be fake or lie about that part...

Also a lot of gamers also got the 6600 XT, not just miners, maybe even more gamers than miners this time around.

While I'm not a fan of framing criticism of AMD with subsequent criticism of Nvidia I don't disagree with your points: I'll defer to the wisdom of Linus Torvalds in his famous message to Nvidia overall.

In the end though I feel my point still stands and is actually kind of reinforced: PC gaming and gaming in general even are at the mercy of 2 truly terrible companies that constantly remind us that they're just like any other capitalist entities: the point is to get away with lying, deceiving and undermining end users as much as possible if it saves costs and doesn't interferes with long term profits.

That's exactly what both companies are doing to handle mining crazes: lying, deceiving and undermining consumers as much as possible as long as it still makes them profits and doesn't interferes with long term profits and given how all of gaming is an oligarchy between 3 companies we know it can, and probably will, get even worst.

 

[Kosmoz]

While I'm not a fan of framing criticism of AMD with subsequent criticism of Nvidia I don't disagree with your points: I'll defer to the wisdom of Linus Torvalds in his famous message to Nvidia overall.

In the end though I feel my point still stands and is actually kind of reinforced: PC gaming and gaming in general even are at the mercy of 2 truly terrible companies that constantly remind us that they're just like any other capitalist entities: the point is to get away with lying, deceiving and undermining end users as much as possible if it saves costs and doesn't interferes with long term profits.

That's exactly what both companies are doing to handle mining crazes: lying, deceiving and undermining consumers as much as possible as long as it still makes them profits and doesn't interferes with long term profits and given how all of gaming is an oligarchy between 3 companies we know it can, and probably will, get even worst.

I agree with what you said here too, only I always point out and chose not to forget that both intel and nvidia are bigger liars and scums than AMD is, even if AMD is not innocent either.

You could say this about all the big corporations actually, they are all guilty, but some more than others and my principles and my self dignity don't allow me to bow down and simp for the bigger evils while they spit in my face, but demand my money. I can barely tolerate the smaller evils (like AMD, for now) because I'm still in this gaming scene.

With the way things are going, the world more crazy and the kind of "new" crazy we see happening each day, worse than the one before, it won't be long until I'll just quit and let the crazy play with each other.

In the end they (big corpo) are gonna eat one another, just like the end of humanity will also be...

 

[Avro Arrow]

I do, I just got a 6900XT at MSRP and debating if I should sell, then wait , then fight again to try to get the refreshed one!

I kid, I kid.

The only hope that I see is that the change to Eth 2.0 might discourage GPU mining, hence allow the rest to purchase.

Well, whether it does or it doesn't, I have a feeling that we're screwed when it comes to GPU pricing going forward. That is of course unless Intel comes up with something good and cheap. Knowing Intel, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that one.

 

[punctualturn]

Well, whether it does or it doesn't, I have a feeling that we're screwed when it comes to GPU pricing going forward. That is of course unless Intel comes up with something good and cheap. Knowing Intel, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that one.

Yeah, I have the same feeling.

These crazy prices might be here to stay.