- UDNA/RDNA 5 prioritizes ray tracing, AI and a jump to 3 nm with profound changes in CUs and dedicated hardware.
- Code names Alpha Trion/Ultra Magnus/Orion Pax and production planned from Q2 2026.
- Ranges from 96 CUs with GDDR7 to LPDDR models with high cache to reduce costs.
- DGF, FSR Redstone, and Radiance Cores aim for more FPS, less VRAM, and better RT quality.
A major shift is brewing in the PC and console ecosystem, and everyone's eyes are on the same thing: AMD's next graphics architecture . At this point, the mystery is part of the charm: some call it RDNA 5, others refer to it as UDNA, and AMD itself has preferred to avoid definitively naming it in its public appearances. What is clear, however, from the hints and official pieces they've already released, is that the focus will be on ray tracing , AI applied to rendering, and a thorough overhaul of the internal design.
RDNA 4 (the Radeon RX 9000 series) is already available and has been a transitional generation with useful improvements, such as better performance per watt and the jump to FSR 4 , but without any major internal revolutions. That's precisely why the anticipation for its successor is even greater: AMD not only aims to reclaim the high end of the consumer market, but also wants to take the lead in ray tracing and establish common hardware standards that could encompass PCs, consoles, and portable devices.
RDNA 5 or UDNA: why is there so much fuss about the name
The confusion surrounding the naming convention is no accident; it refers to a unified architecture (UDNA) that would cover various areas (PCs, consoles, and accelerators). A very active source on specialized forums leaked that both the MI400 family and the RX 9000 series would share UDNA with GCN-inspired ALUs , also hinting that the "UDNA Gaming" variant would go into mass production in the second quarter of 2026 and that the PlayStation 6 would be based on this architecture, with Zen 4 or Zen 5 CPUs . It's even suggested that Sony's next handheld would continue to rely on AMD.
A couple of months later, the same informant added more details: TSMC N3E (3 nm) for the node upgrade, a flagship processor with larger dies , and a 3D design for Sony's project, with the aim of increasing cache (including 3D V-Cache) . All of this fits with the trend of unifying designs between consoles and PCs, something we're already seeing in the market with increasingly "laptop-like" hardware in living rooms.
Code names, families, and arrival schedule
Internally, the most stable clue suggests that RDNA 5 corresponds to GFX13 or GFX1250 , the natural successor to GFX12 (RDNA 4). This is further complicated by Transformers-inspired codenames: Alpha Trion , Ultra Magnus , and Orion Pax . According to the most consistent leaks, Alpha Trion would encompass discrete GPUs , Ultra Magnus would identify the SoCs for Xbox , and Orion Pax, the SoC for PlayStation 6.
There are reasons for all the name changes: to avoid leaks with multiple aliases, to cover projects that change direction during development, and to differentiate product families and target markets (desktop, laptop, consoles). Generally speaking, the final names for each chip are expected to be clarified by 2026, with some product lines launching into 2027 , although other sources place the first cards at the end of 2026 (between October and December).
Stated (and not so secret) goals: raster, ray tracing, AI, and path tracing
AMD's goals for this generation are crystal clear: improve rasterization performance compared to RDNA 4 and the competition, challenge (and, if possible, surpass ) NVIDIA in ray tracing for the first time, extend AI to most rendering processes, and make a strong commitment to path tracing . These are ambitious goals that align with the company's official roadmap, which prioritizes AI, next-generation ray tracing , and cutting-edge manufacturing nodes.
In line with this, AMD's recent joint presentations with Sony regarding their upcoming console have hinted at technologies that will use deep learning models to accelerate critical lighting and reconstruction tasks, reinforcing the idea that this AI layer will be transversal across both PCs and consoles.
Architectural changes: nodes, compute units, and new silicon chips
Several sources agree on the move to TSMC's 3nm node (N3E) , which should translate into greater efficiency and extra headroom for higher clock speeds. At the heart of the design, there's a rumor gaining significant traction: doubling the number of shaders per compute unit . Going from 64 to 128 shaders per CU would be a major change, similar to what NVIDIA did with Ampere when scaling its SMs. Texture units and dedicated blocks for AI and ray tracing are also expected to evolve, although their number per CU might remain the same.
Alongside this, AMD would introduce fourth-generation ray tracing engines with a redesigned look and hardware-accelerated cross-functionality (dubbed Radiance Cores in recent documentation), as well as third-generation AI units . An approach called Neural Arrays has also been mentioned , designed to orchestrate multiple CUs as a logical unit when handling AI and deep learning workloads.
Ray tracing, lateral acceleration, and the NVIDIA challenge
In the realm of ray tracing, AMD has highlighted a key point: hardware-accelerated traversal is fundamental for large-scale rays and intersections. Intel already uses it in its RT cores, and several reputable sources indicate that RDNA 5 will take it to the next level. According to some analysts, this boost could even allow it to surpass Blackwell (NVIDIA's current generation) in RT and path tracing, although the real competition AMD has in mind would be against Rubin (GeForce RTX 60 series) , expected in 2026/2027, meaning each brand would be measuring its debut against different generations.
If anything has changed in recent years, it's that ray tracing is no longer "future": it's the present . It allows for much more natural lighting with lower development costs and less disk space, but it demands significant optimization to balance VRAM usage and performance at 1440p and 4K. That's why AMD is rethinking parts of the pipeline, from dedicated hardware to geometry management.
DGF: compressed geometry, lower BVH cost, and an eye on animation
GPUOpen (AMD's developer platform) now includes support for Dense Geometry Format (DGF) , a compressed geometry container optimized for GPUs. Unlike past solutions such as NVIDIA's DMM, DGF prioritizes representing real-world geometry in blocks rather than relying on displacement maps, and structures models into compact meshlets that allow for only the necessary updates per frame using compute shaders.
DGF's approach, by integrating with the ray tracing pipeline, promises less overhead in BVH reconstruction , reducing duplicate work, latency, and resource consumption. While DMM achieved higher compression ratios at the cost of CPU overload and losing compatibility with much of the geometry in current games (which is why NVIDIA abandoned it in its RTX 50 series in favor of Mega Geometry), DGF seeks a balance: moderate compression , broad compatibility, and lower VRAM and CPU demands.
AMD has also indicated that some of the processing currently running on compute units could migrate to dedicated hardware blocks in its next architecture, further accelerating animation and compression with DGF. This aligns with its strategy of addressing the RT bottleneck from multiple angles: bandwidth savings, larger caches, and specialized tasks.
Memory: GDDR7 on top, LPDDR on the bottom, and plenty of cache in the middle
At the high end of the product range, strong rumors point to GDDR7 memory , significantly increasing bandwidth compared to GDDR6—a crucial feature for many graphics cards . This would be complemented by an increase in the maximum VRAM officially supported by top-of-the-line models, potentially reaching 24 to 32 GB of graphics memory depending on the configuration.
The surprise lies in the entry-level and some affordable mid-range segments : several discrete RDNA 5 chips with LPDDR memory (LPDDR5X and LPDDR6) have been described. The reason? To reduce costs and support higher capacities with narrower buses . To make this viable without being bottlenecked by bandwidth, AMD is reportedly relying on large L2 caches and its well-known Infinity Cache , thus reducing dependence on external memory.
The aliases vary depending on the source, but there are recurring patterns. At the top of the range, we would see a discrete GPU, associated with Alpha Trion , with 96 Compute Units and bus options from 384 to 512 bits . This top-of-the-line model would return AMD to the flagship segment and prices above €1.000 , something the brand abandoned with RDNA 4 to focus on mid-range and upper mid-range devices.
Another leak refers to this vessel as AT0 (within Alpha Trion) and describes an internal organization of 8 shader arrays ; each array would have 16 shader engines and each engine would integrate 6 CUs . Exact fit aside, the underlying idea is clear: an aggressive and highly parallel silicon topology to scale well under rasterization and RT workloads.
Below that, other variants are emerging: the AT2 with 40 CUs (a mid-range chip with ambitions), the AT3 with 24 CUs as a potential successor to RX 9060 XT-type products, and an additional proposal called the AT4 with 24 CUs , 10 MB of L2 cache , and 128-bit LPDDR5X memory that could scale up to 12 or 24 GB . At the top end of the LPDDR spectrum, a chip with 48 CUs , 20 MB of L2 cache , and 384-bit LPDDR6 has been mentioned, theoretically capable of handling enormous amounts of memory (up to 512 GB), although in practice a much more reasonable range of 16 to 32 GB would be expected.
Other sources summarize Navi 5X in three tiers: 96 CUs/384-bit at the top, 64 CUs/256-bit at the high end, and 32 CUs/128-bit for the entry level. This represents a 50% increase in CUs compared to the top-of-the-line RDNA 4 (64 CUs), with the 384-bit bus becoming the new premium standard and the 128-bit bus maintaining its position at the base level thanks to faster memory and higher-density modules, easily exceeding 8 GB.
Indicative specifications compared to current generations
To put these figures into perspective, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX (RDNA 3) offers 6.144 shaders , and the RX 9070 XT (RDNA 4) has around 4.096 shaders . With a CU of 128 shaders , 40 CUs would add up to 5.120 shaders , immediately surpassing both. And with 96 CUs , the figure would jump to 12.288 shaders , theoretically putting AMD on par with segments that, due to the timeline, would clash with NVIDIA's top-tier Rubin offerings.
The rumor of a 512-bit bus model has once again brought extreme bandwidth to the forefront (reminder: the RTX 4090 and 5090 both used 512-bit buses, with 24 and 32 GB of RAM respectively). AMD already did this with the veteran R9 cards and dual RV770 chips, and could revive it to fully utilize GDDR7 and compete where it hurts most.
FSR Redstone: AI for radiance, rays, rescaling, and frames
Alongside the hardware, AMD has showcased components of its AI-driven software ecosystem under the FSR Redstone umbrella . The four most prominent elements are: a neural radiance cache that learns to predict indirect lighting; AI-assisted ray generation that reduces noise with low sampling; Super Resolution with deep learning for more accurate upscaling; and more precise and stable frame generation than that seen in FSR 3. It is widely assumed that these components will be available in RDNA 4 and RDNA 5, with the new architecture offering more significant benefits due to its dedicated acceleration.
All of this complements the underlying objective: to achieve high FPS without requiring 20 or 24 GB of VRAM in gaming, and to reduce the raw power needed in terms of the number of shaders thanks to AI and RT working with less noise, less latency, and better-packaged data.
Video outputs: HDMI 2.2 on the radar and DisplayPort up to date
Among the usual leakers, one of the most frequently cited names claims that the next Radeon cards will incorporate HDMI 2.2 with 64 and 80 Gbps modes (the 96 Gbps mode would be omitted). There is no firm information on DisplayPort 2.1b , but AMD's track record with the RX 9000 series (which already featured DP 2.1) suggests they will be at the forefront of connectivity . As always, this will need to be confirmed when AMD officially details the outputs.
Consoles and APUs: Gorgon, Medusa, and the role of PS6 and Xbox Next
On the CPU and APU front, AMD has charted a clear course. Before the major leap forward, Gorgon will arrive in 2026 as a refresh with Zen 5 and an XDNA 2 NPU capable of exceeding 55 TOPS in AI. Then, in 2027, Medusa Point and Medusa Halo are expected , combining Zen 6/Zen 6c with a next-generation GPU (AMD itself refers to "RDNA 5" in this context) and the latest XDNA NPU. Rumors suggest that Medusa Halo could integrate up to 24 CPU cores and 48 CUs in the graphics, an APU designed for high-performance laptops and compact workstations.
On the console side, the collaboration with Sony suggests that the PS6 will utilize many of these technologies (revamped RT, AI for lighting and reconstruction), with the added benefit of that 3D design aimed at enhancing its prestige . For Xbox Next, the pattern is repeated: a proprietary SoC with components of the new graphics architecture and a new NPU. The UDNA unification is a perfect fit here.
Dates, production windows, and product strategy
Putting all the pieces together, the most frequently cited timeline places mass production for the gaming lineup in Q2 2026, with a public unveiling in mid-2026 and a first wave of commercial launches between October and December . Other plans and segments could spill over into 2027 , particularly for consoles and APUs.
Regarding positioning, AMD has reportedly reserved the enthusiast range for this generation after the pause in RDNA 4. The idea is to cover all bases: from a flagship chip (96 CUs, 384/512-bit, and 24-32 GB GDDR7) to an affordable base model supported by LPDDR and large caches . Meanwhile, those who don't want to wait have the RX 9070 XT (RDNA 4, 16 GB) as a very capable option for demanding games.
Official state of communication and the role of the community
At its Financial Analyst Day, AMD discussed the architecture that will succeed RDNA 4, without confirming a final name, but emphasizing two priorities: AI and next-generation ray tracing. They also alluded to technologies already showcased with Sony and the development of an FSR Redstone -like ecosystem to support these capabilities. Leakers like KeplerL2 maintain that the final name is not yet confirmed, hence the generic term "next generation."
Meanwhile, the conversation continues in open communities like r/AMD , a subreddit run by fans and enthusiasts (not AMD), where rumors, tests, and news about Ryzen, Radeon, Zen 5/6, RDNA 4, and what's to come are shared. In specialized media, experienced editorial teams—like those who write daily hardware reviews, guides, and comparisons—help provide technical context to leaks and roadmaps, separating fact from fiction while information is still being disseminated.
With all of the above on the table—the aliases Alpha Trion/Ultra Magnus/Orion Pax , the GFX13/GFX1250 anchor , the commitment to DGF and the new RT/AI components—the picture that emerges is that of an architecture that wants to be solid from top to bottom and, above all, better in what is most difficult today : high-level ray tracing, playable path tracing, real efficiency in VRAM and bandwidth, and AI software that adds quality without artifacts.
The starting price remains to be seen, as it has not yet been confirmed. If AMD maintains its usual approach, it will aim to offer good value for money , with the exception of a flagship card that, based solely on its specifications, will compete with the most expensive graphics cards on the market. In any case, 2026 is starting off strong: NVIDIA and Intel are also making moves, and everything points to fierce competition across all price ranges.
Looking at the whole picture, RDNA 5/UDNA looks like AMD's most ambitious move in years: a new node , CUs scaled to 128 shaders, Radiance Cores and cross-acceleration for RT, FSR Redstone with increased AI capabilities, DGFs to optimize geometry and animation, GDDR7 memory at the high end, and LPDDR with a large cache to lower the cost of the entry-level range. Between 2026 and 2027, we'll know the full potential of each component, but the direction is clear, and if the leaks are accurate, the leap could be one that changes the conversation and rankings in gaming and consoles.
