Recent discoveries within the AMD GPUOpen Drivers indicate that AMD is bypassing the RDNA 4 architecture for its upcoming next-generation APUs, opting instead to utilize the already available RDNA 3.5.
AMD’s Medusa Point APUs Will Use RDNA 3.5
Confirming earlier speculations, it has been revealed that the Medusa Point series, which is based on the Zen 6 architecture, will not incorporate iGPUs featuring the RDNA 4 architecture. This confirmation was derived from findings in the AMD GPUOpen Drivers code, specifically showing that the Device ID “GfxIp12” associated with RDNA 4 is exclusively allocated for discrete GPUs.
The RX 9000 series will be the only line to feature the RDNA 4 architecture. Previous RDNA architectures—including RDNA 2, RDNA 3, and RDNA 3.5—are the only ones anticipated for use in AMD’s CPU and APU offerings going forward.
Medusa Point will succeed the Strix Point/Krackan Point line, boasting the advanced Zen 6 architecture, yet it will not leverage the RDNA 4 architecture for integrated graphics. AMD appears to have met its targets for integrated graphics performance with RDNA 3.5 through the Zen 5 mobile lineup, such as the Strix Halo, which currently leads in mobile iGPU performance.
Looking ahead, AMD may leap directly to UDNA (Unified DNA) for a more significant generational shift beyond RDNA 3.5 for future APUs. Announced last year, UDNA represents a substantial upgrade designed to rival NVIDIA’s CUDA technology, but it is projected that a generation will need to pass before this architecture becomes mainstream, likely debuting in a successor to Strix Halo.
However, skipping RDNA 4 for the Zen 6 Medusa Point APUs may limit users from benefiting from FSR 4 (FidelityFX Super Resolution 4), which is exclusive to RDNA 4. While details surrounding the AMD Zen 6 architecture remain sparse, the Medusa Point series is expected to target high-performance mobile computing, similar to its predecessor, Strix Halo. The launch is anticipated for next year.