AMD is once more combining its GPU development efforts into a single design, mixing consumer and data centre needs. The new architecture should combine CDNA and RDNA, opening the way back for high-end consumer cards.
Debuting a different design philosophy, AMD is merging the gaming-optimised RDNA with the compute-optimised CDNA into one general purpose (GPGPU) architecture. Found inside Radeon cards, RDNA is a consumer architecture that must keep prices in mind, as higher prices result in fewer sales. CDNA, on the other hand, is a professional design that powers chips like MI300, which costs as much as AMD wants as long as performance is on the rendezvous.
Fusing both architectures into a universal solution is similar to what AMD did previously with its GCN-based chips. This design powered GPUs from the Radeon HD 7000 Series to the infamous Vega lineup. Having only a single design meant that Radeon 300 cards, for example, featured HBM memory back in 2015, a technology that we only see in server products even today. A universal architecture can also open the way for AMD to offer a real alternative to Nvidia’s CUDA since ROCm is far from having unanimity.
Aside from the potential computing capabilities such GPUs would bring to the consumer segment, they also clear the way for much more powerful consumer chips. Since servers and data centres get super-fast and large GPUs, there won’t be any technical reason desktops can’t also get something similar, as both will follow a comparable design. Yes, these will probably cost a fortune, but that’s already true with Nvidia’s flagships.
While we don’t have any concrete details, rumours put UDNA as a successor to CDNA 4 and RDNA 4, which could appear in Instinct MI400 and Radeon RX 9000 GPUs. If correct, this would mean that RDNA 4 is just a stopgap, addressing RDNA 3 performance and improving the ray tracing pipeline until UDNA is ready for prime time. This also explains why AMD is willing to give the high-end to Nvidia on a silver platter for the next generation. Seeing how Radeon is losing market share, Team Red must wake up ASAP, and UDNA may be the adrenaline shot.
Though performance may not be perfectly optimised for each task due to its universal design, UDNA could compensate for that by using larger chips – possibly chiplet-based to reduce manufacturing costs.
The first UDNA-based Radeon gaming GPUs are expected to enter mass production in Q2 2026, possibly releasing the following year. It is also said that Sony’s PlayStation 6 console will use one of these GPUs, indicating that we are still far from next-gen consoles. But as usual, take these with a grain of salt.
All in all, UDNA nurtures many hopes that may or may not become reality. We are optimistic about Radeon’s future since this means more competition, forcing larger generational uplifts or price declines. We will surely keep an eye on UDNA.
