AMD is looking like it might copy Nvidia’s playbook and shove the boring models to the back of the queue.
A ProHardVer report claims AMD is in a tight spot on RDNA 4 supply because high DRAM sourcing costs are making pricing messy, especially for the Radeon RX 9070.
The Radeon RX 9070 XT took months to land anywhere near its official MSRP, then DRAM shortages hit, and the price tags went wobbly again.
That memory crunch has hit all the RDNA 4 parts, with three current models carrying 16GB of GDDR6, which gamers like but accountants fear.
The logic is grimly simple. When the same 16GB memory bill is split across multiple cards, the one with the higher sticker price can hide the pain better.
ProHardVer said: “This does not make the Radeon RX 9070 a particularly good alternative for manufacturers, and according to our information, while its production will not be halted, the focus is shifting heavily toward the Radeon RX 9070 XT. As a result, more of that model may be produced in the future at the expense of its smaller sibling. On paper, this could help minimise the need for price corrections, since the fastest Radeon model is already more expensive and is therefore less affected by rising memory prices.”
According to ProHardVer, the idea is that the RX 9070 XT already sells for much more thanks to higher performance while still packing the same 16GB.
The RX 9070 reportedly hit MSRP earlier than the XT, which makes later price hikes look uglier and harder to swallow.
Meanwhile, the RX 9070 XT has been sitting around $650 to $800 for much of its life, which makes “adjustments” feel less like daylight robbery.
The Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is in a different mess, since it lacks a neat replacement in the current stack and would be awkward to quietly sideline.
AMD has promised to keep costs down, but the industry’s favourite sport is turning shortages into margins.
