As PC and Mac gamers look to improve their frame rates, and drive increasingly complex and detailed gaming worlds, it's good to know that hardware manufacturers are thinking way ahead with their product ranges. A lot of excitement is being generated around the upcoming launch of AMD's next-generation Navi 21 graphics processors (GPUs, ), which will be powering the next-generation PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles. Yet even several months before their expected release, the very first sightings have been made of their successor, Navi 31.
The hidden mention of the next next-generation graphics processor was found by Hardware Leaks, who discovered numerous references to the hardware within an AMD driver, which is part of the developer beta for macOS 11, known as "Big Sur." Little is yet known about Navi 31, though it is expected to be the RDNA3 powered "Advanced Node" GPU mentioned by AMD in its March reveal for Navi 21.
It is already known that AMDs upcoming Navi 2x range will feature three different GPUs, with Navi 21 being the largest, and most powerful chip. While Navi 23 will be the smallest, and likely aimed at the mid-level and budget gamer. All of the RDNA2 powered Navi 2x GPUs will feature hardware accelerated ray tracing, using a common architecture between the new PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. AMD also states that Navi 2x GPUs will have a 50% performance-per-watt improvement over its current generation of hardware, which bodes well for gamers looking to reduce their electricity bills, and for those hoping for better laptop graphics hardware in the future.
It is rumored that the sooner-than-expected Navi 31 sighting means the hardware is in development especially for Apple machines, and will then be adapted for the PC gaming market. It may even have been pushed forward due to Apple's forthcoming processor changes. Apple recently announced they will be transitioning away from Intel and AMD chips to its own ARM based silicon for some hardware models. The inclusion of both Navi 21 and 31 in "Big Sur's" drivers though, suggests that the transition away from AMD graphics hardware will be more gradual than some had thought.
Given the big leap in power and efficiency expected from Navi 10 to Navi 21, the uncovering of Navi 31 so soon after, suggests that a further leap in graphical power and efficiency may not be far behind. All of which bodes well for increasing performance and price competition in the graphics card market with Nvidia.
AMD's range of Navi 2x GPUs are expected to be released in September, Navi 31 is as yet unknown.
MacOS 11 "Big Sur" will launch in Fall 2020, as a free update for existing MacOS users.
Source: Hardware Leaks