A Huge Mysterious Radeon GPU Just Broke Cover, Is This AMD’s 7950 XTX?
This discovery was made by a user on the South Korean forum Quasarzone, who initially believed they were purchasing a standard RX 7900 XTX shroud. However, upon arrival, it became clear this was something more enigmatic. The prototype cooler boasts a triple-fan, triple-slot design, dwarfing the user's own RX 7900 XTX. The "newer" shroud measures roughly 13.4 inches (34 centimeters) long (versus 29 cm on the 7900) and almost 2.1 inches (5.5 cm) thick.
One of the most striking features of this mystery cooler is the provision for three 8-pin PCIe power connectors. The current RX 7900 XTX typically utilizes two connectors that draw up to 355 Watts. With three 8-pin connectors, this prototype would be capable of receiving over 450 W (factoring in the 75 W from the PCIe slot itself), obviously indicating a GPU with a higher power draw and, presumably, a higher performance target. This level of power puts it squarely in the league of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4090.
The design language of the prototype is unmistakably AMD, featuring the characteristic red aluminum accents and angular aesthetic. However, subtle differences, such as distinct LED cutouts and a different internal layout with unique screw hole placements, further confirm it's not merely a beefed-up cooler for the 7900 XTX. Even though there's no PCB within, the substantial copper baseplate and heavy heatpipe array point to the ability to handle high thermal loads.
There's been plenty of speculation about AMD's plans for a higher-tier RDNA 3 GPU, with rumors of an 7950 XTX or even 7990 XTX circulating since 2022. This actual prototype is the strongest evidence yet of AMD's intent even if it unfortunately never translated to an to-market product.
Photo credits: FP32 via Quasar Zone
