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| Radeon RX 400 series | |
|---|---|
| Name | Radeon RX 400 series |
| Manufacturer | Advanced Micro Devices |
| Family | Radeon RX |
| Launched | 2016 |
| Architecture | Graphics Core Next |
| Process | 14 nm |
| Predecessors | Radeon R9 300 series |
| Successors | Radeon RX 500 series |
Radeon RX 400 series The Radeon RX 400 series is a family of graphics processing units designed by Advanced Micro Devices and released in 2016. It targeted gaming and virtual reality markets and competed with products from NVIDIA and designs influenced by partners such as ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte Technology, and Sapphire Technology. Announced during a period of industry focus on 14 nm manufacturing and DirectX 12 support, the series formed part of AMD's roadmap alongside efforts tied to Zen (microarchitecture) CPU developments and collaborations with Microsoft and Valve.
The series marked AMD's mainstream entry following the Radeon R9 300 series and coincided with releases from NVIDIA like the GeForce GTX 900 series and GeForce GTX 10 series. Aimed at delivering improved power efficiency and price-to-performance for titles promoted by Electronic Arts, Activision, Ubisoft, and Bethesda Softworks, the lineup emphasized support for APIs including Vulkan and Mantle-derived features in coordination with Khronos Group and Microsoft. OEMs including Dell, HP Inc., and Lenovo integrated variants into desktops and small form factors showcased at trade events like Computex and E3.
Built on AMD's Graphics Core Next architecture revision and fabricated on a 14 nm process by foundries such as GlobalFoundries and planned ties to TSMC, the series featured improvements to compute units, memory controllers, and power gating. Architectural elements traced lineage to earlier AMD designs showcased alongside Heterogeneous System Architecture and initiatives connected to OpenCL and Radeon Software Crimson Edition. Features relevant to developers and studios like Crytek, id Software, and Infinity Ward included asynchronous compute enhancements and support for multi-GPU configurations compatible with standards promoted by PCI-SIG.
Key SKUs in the family included mainstream and performance-oriented cards marketed by partners including ASRock, PowerColor, and XFX. Models ranged from entry-level designs suited to eSports titles popularized by Riot Games and Valve-operated platforms, to higher-end boards targeting AAA experiences from Rockstar Games and CD Projekt. The series lineup overlapped retail channels served by Newegg, Amazon, and brick-and-mortar retailers like Best Buy and Micro Center; variations included factory-overclocked editions, custom cooling solutions leveraging designs from Noctua-style partners, and special editions for system integrators such as Alienware and Origin PC.
Independent benchmarking outlets including Tom's Hardware, AnandTech, PC Gamer, and TechPowerUp evaluated cards across titles developed by id Software, Epic Games, DICE, and Bethesda Softworks. In many tests the family delivered competitive 1080p performance versus contemporaneous GeForce GTX 900 series parts and some GeForce GTX 10 series models in price-sensitive segments, with particular strengths in scenarios leveraging asynchronous compute where studios like CryEngine adopters benefited. Power and thermals were profiled using equipment and standards from organizations like UL and labs referencing practices used by SPEC. Overclocking communities on forums such as Overclock.net and Reddit documented tuning, while esports-focused metrics referenced tournaments run by ESL and DreamHack.
Software support centered on AMD Radeon Software (formerly Crimson), with driver updates coordinated alongside titles published by Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, and 2K Games to address performance and bug fixes. Integration with middleware and APIs from Khronos Group (Vulkan), Microsoft (DirectX 12), and compute frameworks like OpenCL affected adoption in content creation suites from Adobe Systems and 3D packages such as Autodesk Maya and Blender. Enterprise and workstation workflows referenced collaborations with Siemens and Dassault Systèmes where certified drivers and ISV support mattered for professional adoption.
Reviews from outlets including The Verge, Wired, and Ars Technica highlighted the series' value proposition and its role in intensifying competition with NVIDIA, influencing pricing and marketing strategies across the industry. The lineup played a role in discussions at conferences like SIGGRAPH and GDC about GPU programmability, while community reaction on platforms like YouTube and Twitch shaped consumer perception. AMD's positioning impacted partnerships with console manufacturers such as Sony Interactive Entertainment and Microsoft for broader GPU and CPU strategy alignment.
The Radeon RX 500 series succeeded this family, while architectural lessons informed later designs including the RDNA generation used in products integrated with systems from Apple Inc. partners and cloud services from Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform. Legacy aspects include contributions to open driver projects like Mesa and continued relevance in discussions on multi-API optimization, esports hardware baselines, and the evolution of GPU compute relevant to firms such as NVIDIA competitors and research institutions like MIT and Stanford University.
Category:AMD graphics cards