The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 GPUs have hit the market, designed specifically for AI workloads with an impressive 32 GB of memory. Priced just over $1000, these GPUs are positioned as a cost-effective alternative to competitors like NVIDIA.
Unveiled at Computex, the Radeon AI R9700 boasts the powerful Navi 48 GPU found in the Radeon RX 9070 XT, with a key upgrade: double the VRAM at 32 GB. This enhancement ensures the GPU can efficiently handle popular large language models, which often require between 16-28 GB of memory.
While AMD initially provided few pricing details, updates suggest a competitive tag around $1250. Retailer listings, including those by Tech-America, indicate similar pricing across various models by ASRock and Sapphire.
Compared to NVIDIA’s entry-level RTX PRO 4000 “Blackwell” GPU, priced at $2499 with 24 GB of VRAM, the Radeon AI PRO R9700 offers significant value, particularly for AI tasks where VRAM capacity is crucial. Although NVIDIA uses GDDR7 memory, AMD’s GDDR6 with larger VRAM capacity stands out for AI needs.
Looking at NVIDIA’s higher-end offerings, the RTX PRO 4500 “Blackwell” with 32 GB of VRAM retails at $3799, significantly more than AMD’s offering. While NVIDIA still excels in compute capabilities, AMD’s advancements in AI and ROCm technology bolster its competitive stance.
As the Radeon AI PRO R9700 launches, it enters a vibrant market for workstation AI solutions, with Intel also anticipated to introduce its B60/B50 Arc PRO GPUs, promising more competition in performance and price.
This launch positions AMD as a strong contender in the AI GPU space, offering a promising option for those prioritizing memory capacity and cost efficiency.
