XFX has announced that AMD’s newest RDNA 4-based professional graphics card will be exclusively available through pre-built systems. The Radeon AI PRO R9700, a powerful workstation GPU presented at Computex, started hitting the market at the end of July but with an unusual catch: it’s not available for individual purchase.
Instead, AMD has decided to limit the sales of this cutting-edge GPU to select system builders. As a result, XFX’s version of the Radeon AI PRO R9700, adhering to AMD’s reference design, will only be accessible through system integrators. This approach means that the sought-after GPU won’t be found in the do-it-yourself market, a departure from traditional availability.
The Radeon AI PRO R9700 stands as AMD’s alternative to the RX 9070 series, designed for workstation use. It offers enhanced capabilities with 32 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, significantly boosting performance for AI workloads compared to the 16 GB found in the RX 9070 XT. With the exclusive system integrator route, the official pricing remains a mystery.
This decision marks a shift from previous strategies where AMD offered reference designs directly to consumers. This time, the focus seems to be on strengthening partnerships with system builders, though the exact reasons for this change remain undisclosed. Furthermore, it appears unlikely that AMD will introduce a more powerful GPU in the RDNA 4 lineup beyond the R9700.
In terms of specifications, the R9700 is positioned as a direct competitor to the PRO W7700, but with a standout feature: double the VRAM capacity on a 256-bit memory bus interface. This move highlights AMD’s commitment to enhancing AI performance capabilities in professional environments.
