AMD won't release a reference Radeon RX 9070 series GPU: it's all up to AIB partners for RDNA 4

AMD is just weeks away from unleashing its next-gen Radeon RX 9070 series "RDNA 4" graphics cards, with news breaking that we'll see NO reference model, leaving the future of RDNA 4 in the hands of AIB partners and custom Radeon RX 9070 series graphics cards.

In new rumors, we're learning that we won't see a "Made-By-AMD" (MBA) variant of the new RDNA 4-powered Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs, which means it'll be the first time in Radeon history that AMD won't have a reference model. There have been renders of the reference model so far, and now we know why official shots of the Radeon RX 9070 series reference cards haven't been released.

We are learning this news from a new share on X from AMD, where there is a render of the Radeon RX 9070 series GPU but the company states in the bottom left: "Artistic Render. Not Available for Purchase". Damn... would've been nice to see a new (possibly even more curvier) Radeon RX 9070 series GPU... but it appears we won't.

• Read more: AMD Radeon RX 9000 series 'RDNA 4' reveal for February 28, launch in March
• Read more: AMD's next-gen Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card launches on March 6
• Read more: AMD's big RDNA 4 and Radeon RX 9070 reveal event is coming in late February
• Read more: RX 9070 XT performance leaks: less than 10% slower than RTX 5080 in 4K gaming
• Read more: RX 9070 XT perf leaks: similar to 7900 XTX in raster, smokes RDNA 3 in RT
• Read more: RX 9070 XT rumored at $599 could be RTX 5070 Ti killer, for $150 less
• Read more: RDNA 4 pricing rumor: Radeon RX 9070 XT for $599, RX 9070 for $499