AMD RDNA 4 Navi 48 GPU Leaks Reveal AV1 B-Frame Support in GPUOpen Libraries

AMD’s latest graphics cards, the Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070, powered by the RDNA 4 architecture and based on the Navi 48 GPU, will feature AV1 encoding support. This advancement positions these GPUs as perfect solutions for both content creators and streamers.

Introducing AV1 Encoding Support in RDNA 4 GPUs: Focus on Navi 48

Fortunately for users, AMD has retained the hardware encoding capabilities in their more advanced Navi 48 GPU die, which is part of the upcoming Radeon RX 9070 series. In contrast, the Navi 44, meant for entry-level RX 9000 GPUs, lacks these important hardware encoders, which are instrumental for streaming and content creation.

Notably, AMD’s RDNA 4 GPUs were recently highlighted by HXL (@9550pro), who discovered AV1 encoding support listed in GitHub’s GPUOpen Libraries and SDKs. One of the key features is “AV1 B-Frame”support, which significantly boosts video compression efficiency and quality. This innovative AV1 codec enables the Navi 48 GPUs to outperform traditional codecs like H.264 and HEVC, making them exceptionally efficient for modern multimedia applications.

AV1 Encoding support RDNA 4 — Image Credits: Github

Contrastingly, the Navi 44 die, designed for budget-friendly RX 9000 GPUs, lacks hardware encoders entirely, rendering it less suitable for content creators. This scenario mirrors AMD’s prior strategies with the RDNA 2 series, such as the RX 6500 XT and RX 6400, whereby the omission of hardware encoders limited usability for professional applications. Despite being positioned at a price point potentially reaching $349, the absence of encoders in the Navi 44 could be perceived as a less-than-friendly approach for consumers.

Anticipation builds for AMD’s impending official announcement, which is expected to occur within the next week. This event will unveil the RX 9000 lineup, showcasing the RX 9070 GPUs. Speculation suggests that the Radeon RX 9070 XT may rival high-end NVIDIA RTX 40 series graphics cards, such as the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4080, while also enhancing productivity due to its all-encompassing support for hardware encoding across a variety of applications.

Furthermore, AMD is set to launch additional products, including FSR 4 and the Ryzen 9 9000X3D processors, like the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Ryzen 9 9900X3D, during the same event.

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