Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
AMD ’s current - gen graphics cards have been a revelation . Last generation , AMD was able-bodied to hit execution mirror symmetry with Nvidia while sacrificingray tracingperformance . This genesis , AMD is maintaining conservation of parity while getting closer in beam trace , as showcased by GPUs like theRX 7900 GRE . But the next frontier of gaming is rapidly approaching , and AMD ’s current options are n’t up to the task right now .
I ’m talk aboutpath tracing . Nvidia calls it “ full ray tracing , ” and it ’s a lighting proficiency that can take play visuals to the next level . Path tracing is only available in a small inclination of titles right now , but with material body generation and upscaling tools better than they ’ve ever been , it wo n’t be long before we see these destination gaming experiences everywhere .
Player two in path tracing
Nvidia has course tracing cornered right now . Better beam of light tracing and saucy deployment ofDLSS 3.5has earned Nvidia a dominant position in the few title that support path tracing . Portal with RTXis a prime lesson of that . Even at low configurations and using the relatively frightful Performance mode of TAAU — essentially AMD ’s FSR 1 — AMD ’s fastest GPU can only wield just unsure of 40 frames per second ( fps ) on a 4 K monitor .
gamy configurations are even tough . you could step down to 1440p to get frame charge per unit above 60 fps , but it ’s important to think back that this performance is with TAAU turn on . It does n’t look great , and you ’re just hardly getting over the line of playable carrying into action , even on a GPU as powerful as theRX 7900 XTX .
For a plot likePortal with RTX , this is the ceiling for performance that AMD currently offer . Even the driver - based AMD Fluid Motion Frames ( AFMF ) wo n’t work withPortal with RTX — the game uses Vulkan , which is n’t currently supported . Meanwhile , Nvidia ’s RTX 4080 , which is slightly ho-hum than the RX 7900 XTX on medium , can off 86 fps with DLSS 3 . That ’s with the radical preset , too .
Portal with RTXisn’t the only game with course tracing . The two other big title areCyberpunk 2077andAlan Wake 2.With AFMF useable now , I was hoping that AMD would be able to get over the line in these games . There are still some problem , though .
bet atCyberpunk 2077,you ca n’t get to a politic frame rate at 4 KiB , even with FSR set to Performance mode and AFMF rolling . And while 1440p is potential , and with the better - looking Balanced preset of FSR , it ’s still not a great experience .
AsI write about previously , AFMF has some issues when it comes to motion , earn performance feel discrepant even if the middling frame rate is high . cyber-terrorist 2077might be possible on AMD ’s current - gen lineup when it receives frame coevals withFSR 3 , but still belike only at 1440p . That ’s not where you desire to be with a GPU that can easily be $ 1,000 .
Alan Wake 2was much better , but I still would n’t call the experience at 4 K playable . With the low base frame rate at 4 K , even with FSR 2 localise to Balanced , AFMF does n’t have enough information to provide a smooth experience . luckily , 1440p was much better , not only due to the high stand material body charge per unit for AFMF , but also because I was capable to bump FSR up to its Quality way .
Across all three games , though , the experience was n’t upright . I was able-bodied to achieve playable performance in all three titles , but not without some significant hits to image quality . Meanwhile , even a GPU like theRTX 4070 Supercan playPortal with RTXandCyberpunk 2077at maxed - out setting thanks to DLSS 3 and better overall ray trace operation . AMD could compete more if these game supported FSR 3 , and some of them will eventually . That ’s not the case right now , however .
A key focus for the next generation
In the next genesis of AMD artwork card , path tracing ask to be a critical focus . That will hail with good overall ray decipher performance , but also through robust FSR 3 support — something thatI’ve been hammering onthe past few months . It ’s not that every game will support path trace , but for the smattering that do , it can make all the difference .
Over the past year , rubric likeAlan Wake 2andCyberpunk 2077 : Phantom Libertyhave been goal games . You buy an expensive GPU just to experience all the glitz and glamor in these title , even if the card is overkill for most other games you want to play . As it stand now , Nvidia is the only one delivering that prestige play experience — even with AMD ’s absurdly powerful RX 7900 XTX , there are a passel of compromises in these demand games .
AMD has some compelling selection lower down the muckle . TheRX 7600effectively nullifies the RTX 4060 , and there ’s some serious competition between theRX 7800 XT and RTX 4070 . Even in the stove of higher - end options , AMD has put serious press on cards likeNvidia ’s RTX 4070 Ti Superwith its current - gen pick .
The main problem here are the flagship visiting card . When you start spending up , you want to have all of the bells and whistles , and AMD is struggling on that front . The raw public presentation is private-enterprise , but light beam tracing and features are not , which is a tough via media when you ’re spend so much money on a graphics card .
AMD is well aware of the beam of light tracing gap with Nvidia .
This should be an expanse where AMD focus on in the future , however . We presently expect to seeAMD ’s RDNA 4graphics visiting card in the second half of this year . The release particular date is fluid , with some leaker pointing to late summer and other intimate the bill of fare will arrive in winter , but it seems like RDNA 4 willlaunch at some full stop in 2024 .
AMD is well cognizant of the irradiation tracing gap with Nvidia , too . Former Radeon managerScott Herkelman said , “ we just have to do best on future generations ” in book of facts to ray tracing , orient out the fact that AMD undercut Nvidia ’s pricing due to the ray tracing gap .
In add-on , leaker like Moore ’s Law is Deadclaim that AMD is “ survive to go intemperately for ray tracing ” in next GPU generations . That ’s sure enough the trajectory AMD has been on , with the current generation being a piece of an inflection point .
house are prescribed , but some leaker suggestAMD is desert high - end GPUswith its next - gen pick , and instead focusing on midrange GPUs where the huge majority of PC gamers exist . This is surmisal for now , but if it ’s true , high-pitched - final stage experiences like path tracing in games do n’t seem likely if AMD focus on the mainstream in the next generation .
Regardless , it ’s an expanse AMD needs to treat sooner rather than later . We already have a few example of how track tracing can metamorphose the feeling of a biz withAlan backwash 2 , hacker 2077 , Minecraft RTX , andPortal with RTX , and I suspect we ’ll see more games bear the demand lighting tech in the time to come . It wo n’t be every game , but honest performance in these prestige titles will continue to be important for flagship offerings .
