AMD Revamps Iconic Branding with the Radeon AI Pro R9700: A Modern GPU for AI Workloads
When stepping into the world of graphics cards, the name Radeon 9700 carries weight—nostalgia, history, and innovation all encapsulated in one title. At Computex 2025, AMD has reintroduced this legendary name through its latest offering, the Radeon AI Pro R9700. This workstation-focused GPU is not just a throwback; it’s a cutting-edge powerhouse designed to handle local AI tasks and multi-GPU setups that drive today’s technological advances.
A Vintage Name for a Revolutionary Card
The Radeon AI Pro R9700 might remind seasoned tech enthusiasts of the original Radeon 9700 Pro, which first dazzled the industry over 20 years ago. Back in 2002, this GPU heralded a new era, decisively outperforming Nvidia and altering market dynamics. Fast forward to the present, and AMD, having acquired ATI for $5.4 billion in 2006, resurrects the 9700 name, but this time, it’s targeted towards a new breed of professionals: developers and AI specialists focused on large-scale models.
Tuned for the Future of AI
What makes the Radeon AI Pro R9700 stand out in the crowded marketplace of GPUs? Here are its defining features:
- 128 Dedicated AI Accelerators
- 32GB GDDR6 Memory
- PCIe Gen 5 Interface
- 300W Power Draw
This GPU doesn’t just promise raw power; it delivers an astounding performance metric of 96 teraflops of FP16 computing and 1531 TOPS for AI inference. Unlike conventional GPUs built for gaming or rendering, this model has been meticulously tuned for local inference and training.
Unleashing the Power of Scale
AMD claims that the AI Pro R9700 is capable of running models with tens of billions of parameters without needing cloud resources. For those eyeing scalable performance, a system outfitted with four R9700 cards can manage complex tasks involving up to 123 billion parameters. As organizations increasingly lean towards multi-GPU configurations, this card is primed to meet those demands, making it an essential tool for workloads in LLM training, simulations, and AI-accelerated rendering.
Support and Availability
The Radeon AI Pro R9700 will ship with ROCm support on Linux, with Windows compatibility expected to follow soon after. Anticipation surrounds its release, slated for July 2025, as professionals eagerly await this advanced tool for their AI projects.
Broadening the AMD Portfolio
While the AI Pro R9700 is the star of AMD’s latest showcase, it’s worth noting that AMD also unveiled the Ryzen Threadripper 9000 Series and the RX 9060 XT GPU, catering to creators, gamers, and enthusiasts alike. This diverse lineup signals AMD’s commitment to offer cutting-edge solutions across various segments in the tech landscape.
Final Thoughts: A New Chapter for AMD
As AMD boldly steps into the future with the Radeon AI Pro R9700, the legacy of the Radeon brand continues to evolve. This GPU not only pays homage to its storied past but also positions itself at the forefront of a revolution in AI capabilities. For developers and AI professionals, the return of the 9700 name feels like a significant milestone—one that promises to reshape the way we think about AI workloads in the coming years.
With an eye firmly on innovation, AMD is setting the stage for a future where the Radeon AI Pro R9700 may well become an indispensable asset in your technological arsenal.
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