Architecture Overview
RDNA 2.0 (codenamed Navi 2x) launched in late 2020, powering the Radeon RX 6000 series desktop lineup. It introduced AMD's first hardware ray tracing through dedicated Ray Accelerators and debuted the Infinity Cache, a large on-die L3-equivalent cache that reduces GDDR6 bandwidth dependency and allows a 256-bit bus to deliver bandwidth competitive with wider designs. The RX 6800 XT and RX 6900 XT were competitive with NVIDIA Ampere at equivalent price points. The architecture also underpins the GPU cores of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles.
Quick Facts
- Architecture name
- RDNA 2.0
- Launch era / years active
- 2020 to 2022
- Predecessor
- RDNA 1.0
- Successor
- RDNA 3.0
- Process nodes
- 7nm (TSMC N7)
- Important chips
- Navi 21 (RX 6900 XT / 6800 XT / 6800), Navi 22 (RX 6700 XT), Navi 23 (RX 6600 XT / 6600), Navi 24 (RX 6500 XT / 6400)
- Memory technologies
- GDDR6; Infinity Cache (first generation, up to 128 MB on Navi 21)
- CUDA / RT / Tensor generation
- RDNA 2 Compute Units; first-generation Ray Accelerators (one per Shader Array); DirectX 12 Ultimate feature level
- Consumer series
- Radeon RX 6900 series, RX 6800 series, RX 6700 series, RX 6600 series, RX 6500 / 6400 series
- Workstation / professional series
- Radeon PRO W6000 series
- Data center series
- (Compute moved to separate CDNA lineage with CDNA 1/2)
- Source review status
- Source review complete for consumer product line.
What this architecture changed
First-generation Ray Accelerators: hardware-accelerated ray tracing in DX12 Ultimate and Vulkan RT titles.
Infinity Cache: on-die cache up to 128 MB on high-end Navi 21, acting as a bandwidth multiplier and compensating for a 256-bit GDDR6 bus.
Resizable BAR (Smart Access Memory): improved CPU-to-GPU throughput when paired with compatible platforms.
HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a with Display Stream Compression.
DirectX 12 Ultimate: ray tracing, mesh shaders, sampler feedback, and variable rate shading.
AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 1.0 launch platform.
Why it mattered
RDNA 2.0 restored AMD to genuine high-end GPU competitiveness for the first time since the R9 290X era. The Infinity Cache was a notable micro-architectural move that influenced subsequent AMD and industry cache designs. The architecture's adoption in the PS5 and Xbox Series X means its shader model and feature set defined the baseline for an entire generation of AAA game development, extending its relevance well beyond its desktop product lifespan.
Related GPUs
Popular GPU entries
| GPU | Architecture | Launch Date | Shader Processors | Memory | Bus Width | TDP/TBP | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radeon Pro W6800X | RDNA 2.0 | 2021-08-03 | 3,840 | 32 GB GDDR6 | 256-bit | 200 W | Workstation |
| Radeon Pro W6800X Duo | RDNA 2.0 | 2021-08-03 | 3,840 | 32 GB GDDR6 | 256-bit | 400 W | Workstation |
| Radeon Pro W6900X | RDNA 2.0 | 2021-08-03 | 5,120 | 32 GB GDDR6 | 256-bit | 300 W | Workstation |
| Radeon PRO W6600 | RDNA 2.0 | 2021-06-08 | 1,792 | 8 GB GDDR6 | 128-bit | 100 W | Workstation |
| Radeon PRO W6800 | RDNA 2.0 | 2021-06-08 | 3,840 | 32 GB GDDR6 | 256-bit | 250 W | Workstation |
| Radeon Pro W6600M | RDNA 2.0 | 2021-06-08 | 1,792 | 8 GB GDDR6 | 128-bit | 90 W | Mobile |
| Radeon RX 6600M | RDNA 2.0 | 2021-05-31 | 1,792 | 8 GB GDDR6 | 128-bit | 100 W | Mobile |
| Radeon RX 6700M | RDNA 2.0 | 2021-05-31 | 2,304 | 10 GB GDDR6 | 160-bit | 135 W | Mobile |
| Radeon RX 6800M | RDNA 2.0 | 2021-05-31 | 2,560 | 12 GB GDDR6 | 192-bit | 145 W | Mobile |