AMD RDNA 5 Radeon GPUs May Deliver Over 12K Cores to Challenge NVIDIA

AMD is quietly preparing what could be its boldest leap in years with the upcoming RDNA 5 “Radeon” graphics architecture. Fresh leaks suggest a radical overhaul of compute unit design, pushing each unit to 128 cores – doubling the density of the current RDNA 4 lineup and putting AMD back into direct contention with NVIDIA’s most powerful offerings.

If these numbers hold, the flagship RDNA 5 GPU could carry more than 12,000 cores, a staggering increase that signals AMD’s ambition to reclaim ground in the high-end GPU space.

The details surfaced via the well-followed Chiphell forums, where user ZhanZhongHao outlined AMD’s internal configuration changes. Compared to RDNA 4, which offers 64 cores per compute unit, RDNA 5 doubles that figure, potentially allowing AMD to scale performance without a dramatic rise in power consumption per CU. The architectural shift points to four distinct dies across the RDNA 5 family: a flagship with 96 compute units (12,288 cores), a mid-tier 40 CU design (5,120 cores), a 24 CU low-end option (3,072 cores), and an entry-level 12 CU part (1,536 cores). This segmentation closely mirrors the structure of AMD’s RDNA 2 era, which also spanned four dies from entry to enthusiast tiers.

For context, AMD’s current RDNA 4 family is limited to two main dies: Navi 48 and Navi 44. Navi 48 scales up to 64 compute units, while Navi 44 serves entry-level buyers with 32 CUs at its peak. AMD shifted RDNA 4 to a monolithic design, simplifying production and improving supply chain stability. This move helped avoid the chiplet-related challenges that plagued RDNA 3’s early months, when packaging complexity delayed shipments. Yet, while efficient, RDNA 4 was widely viewed as a stopgap generation – a placeholder designed to stabilize the product line before a more significant leap.

That leap now appears to be RDNA 5. If the flagship truly delivers over 12K cores, it would double the Navi 31 GPU (6,144 cores) and triple the Navi 48 from RDNA 4. Such a jump doesn’t just look impressive on paper – it repositions AMD in the ultra-enthusiast market that it hasn’t fully contested since RDNA 2’s RX 6900 XT, which challenged NVIDIA’s RTX 3090. By contrast, RDNA 3 and RDNA 4 deliberately avoided that arena, aligning their performance with NVIDIA’s 80-series cards rather than chasing the extreme top end. The result was decent price-to-performance ratios, but AMD surrendered the performance crown.

NVIDIA, of course, took advantage. The RTX 4090 established itself as the undisputed champion of the current generation, and AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX could not keep pace in raw horsepower, even if it delivered strong results in its intended price bracket. But with RDNA 5, AMD seems poised to close that gap. If rumors about advanced memory support also prove accurate – potentially GDDR7 speeds of 36Gb/s across a 384-bit bus – then AMD’s flagship would boast not only three times the shader count of the 7900 XT but also nearly triple the bandwidth. On paper, that’s enough to shake NVIDIA’s confidence heading into the RTX 50 series era.

Industry watchers note that AMD’s strategy could echo the RDNA 2 generation in more ways than just die segmentation. That era marked the last time AMD’s GPUs were considered true alternatives at the ultra-enthusiast tier, delivering a meaningful challenge to NVIDIA without extreme compromises. A return to that territory would be significant – not only for gamers seeking competition but also for the broader GPU market, which has tilted heavily in NVIDIA’s favor for premium cards. As one excited commenter put it, “Top RDNA 5 on N3P with GDDR7 could just obliterate the RTX 5090.” Bold, perhaps, but indicative of the anticipation swirling around this launch.

Of course, specs on paper are only half the story. AMD still needs to address features and software. Ray tracing (RT) and AI-accelerated workloads remain areas where NVIDIA holds a decisive lead. If RDNA 5 can combine its raw core density with competitive RT performance and meaningful AI integration, AMD could finally balance the scales. That balance matters more than ever, as games and creative applications increasingly demand advanced rendering and machine learning capabilities. Supply and pricing will also play a role; as several fans noted, enthusiasm can quickly fade if AMD follows the industry trend of inflated launch prices.

Nonetheless, the early picture of RDNA 5 is one of optimism. After a generation of consolidation with RDNA 4, AMD appears ready to swing for the fences again. With four dies planned, a potential comeback at the top end, and serious architectural improvements, the stage is set for a GPU battle that feels less one-sided. Whether RDNA 5 can truly deliver on these promises will only be clear at launch, but for the first time in years, AMD’s Radeon GPUs have people genuinely hyped about what’s next.