AMD’s new GPU could bring PS5 Pro-like performance to laptops
AMD just launched a new mobile GPU that is predictably as powerful as the PlayStation 5 Pro.
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Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
AMD has quietly launched the Radeon RX 7800M GPU built on the current RDNA 3 architecture for gaming laptops. This GPU is designed to bring desktop- and console-level gaming experiences to portable laptops. What’s particularly intriguing about the RX 7800M is its close resemblance to the newly revealed PlayStation 5 Pro, which is thanks to a similar spec sheet that allows it to deliver comparable performance in a portable form factor.
The latest laptop graphics card is based on the Navi 32 GPU architecture and comes with 12GB of 18Gbps GDDR6 VRAM, likely utilizing a 192-bit memory bus and offering a total memory bandwidth of 432GB/s. It includes 48MB of Infinity Cache and is equipped with 60 Compute Units (CUs), 90 Render Output Units (ROPs), and a thermal design power (TDP) of up to 180 watts. The card runs at a frequency of 2.145GHz and supports popular video rendering formats like H264, H265, and AV1.
AMDNotably, the RX 7800M comes with Infinity Cache technology. Originally introduced in desktop GPUs, this feature optimizes memory access, reducing the need for constant memory fetches, which can bottleneck performance. This results in improved efficiency, allowing the GPU to offer both high-end gaming performance and better power consumption. That’s a big deal, especially for laptops where battery life is a concern.
SonyThe RX 7800M’s architecture resembles the PS5 Pro in terms of memory capacity and computational power, making it a viable option for gamers who want the same experience as Sony’s latest console, but in a more versatile, portable package. The RX 7800M boasts 12GB of VRAM and supports high-fidelity gaming at 1440p or higher, which is considered the sweet spot for gamers looking for detailed visuals without sacrificing frame rates. While the PS5 Pro is designed for a stationary gaming experience, the RX 7800M could potentially bring similar capabilities to gaming laptops, creating an opportunity for on-the-go gamers to experience console-quality performance.
While AMD hasn’t shared any performance metrics, a recent report suggests that the RX 7800M can outclass Nvidia’s RTX 4070 mobile. Chinese handheld console and mini-PC manufacturer OneXplayer shared details about its next-gen eGPU solution that takes advantage of this chip, the OneXGPU 2, last month.
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The company also shared a video where it tested this particular eGPU paired with the OneXPlayer X1 handheld powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U. The RX 7800M scored 15,806 points on 3DMark Time Spy, which is more powerful than the RTX 4070 mobile. For comparison, the highest 3DMark Time Spy score that we recorded for a mobile RTX 4070 is 11,806 points on the Asus ROG NUC 970. The new RX 7800M is essentially comparable to the company’s desktop-class RX 7700 XT, which offers an average performance of 15,000 to 16,000 points in the same test. While that sounds exciting, it will be interesting to see whether laptop manufacturers go ahead and utilize AMD over Nvidia.
Kunal is a Computing writer contributing content around PC hardware, laptops, monitors, and more for Digital Trends. Having…
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'Tierflation' at its finest
