Linux Driver Update Hints At Upcoming AMD Graphics Cards

With Linux releasing its latest operating system drivers, some users can’t help but delve into them to see if there’s anything interesting lurking within. It might sound a bit weird, but these driver updates have proven (very consistently) to be solid indicators of upcoming tech releases.

So, with the latest version out, what has been discovered this time? Well, in a report via TechSpot, the new Linux drivers confirm at least 4 new upcoming AMD graphics cards as well as hints towards their reported high-end release/s.

AMD Graphics Card Releases

In the list, at least 4 upcoming graphics cards have been confirmed from the entry to lower-mid Radeon 5XXX range. Namely, the 5300, 5500 and what will presumably be their laptop counterparts. That is, at least, what an ‘M’ usually denotes in the GPU world.

Admittedly, with this information essentially being ‘extracted’ from the code, some of it is open to interpretation. Particularly the clock speeds as numbers could refer to anything.

What doesn’t help either is that in terms of ‘model names’ and the Navi platform as a whole, AMD doesn’t have a particularly consistent naming scheme. Based on all the information we have seen to date, however, a 5300 and 5500 release seems all but confirmed. We’ll admit though, a mobile version of both is a little (albeit pleasantly) surprising.

What about their High-End Releases?

AMD has been hinting since August that a ‘high-end’ model forming the top-tier of the 5XXX range was on the way. While there is some reference to a Navi 22 and 23 within the code (which people are speculating may refer to the RDNA 2.0 being reported used in them), there isn’t much else to go on here.

AMD will, undoubtedly, release a top of the line model for the 5XXX series. For the moment, however, it seems that the lower-tier designs are likely to hit the market first.

What do you think? How well do you think this Radeon 5300/5500 will perform? – Let us know in the comments!