AMD RDNA 4 & AI PRO GPUs Launch, FSR 4.1 Benchmarks, DGX Water Cooling

Today's Highlights

This week's top stories feature new AMD Radeon RDNA 4 and AI PRO GPU launches with details on VRAM and cooling, alongside early performance benchmarks for FSR 4.1. Also, a practical, hands-on cooling solution for NVIDIA DGX systems demonstrates sustained high GPU utilization for LLM inference.

PowerColor launches single-slot and passive Radeon AI PRO R9600D, 32GB and 12V-2x6 connector (r/Amd)

Source: https://reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/1t9wzi3/powercolor_launches_singleslot_and_passive_radeon/

PowerColor has introduced the Radeon AI PRO R9600D, a new professional GPU designed for AI and server workloads. What makes this card stand out is its unique combination of a single-slot form factor, passive cooling, and a substantial 32GB of VRAM.

This design targets environments where space and noise are critical considerations, such as high-density server racks or silent workstations. The passive cooling solution relies on system airflow, eliminating active fan noise and potential failure points. Equipped with a 12V-2x6 power connector, it adheres to modern power delivery standards. The generous 32GB of VRAM is crucial for handling larger AI models and datasets, offering significant capacity for inference and training tasks within its segment. This launch highlights AMD's strategic focus on the professional AI market with specialized hardware solutions.

Comment: The passive, single-slot 32GB R9600D is a game-changer for deploying quiet, high-density AI inference, perfect for environments where active cooling is a no-go but VRAM capacity is essential.

Gamer shares first Forza Horizon 6 benchmark on Radeon RX 9070 XT, confirms FSR 4.1 support (r/Amd)

Source: https://reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/1tae4n4/gamer_shares_first_forza_horizon_6_benchmark_on/

Initial benchmark results for AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 9070 XT GPU have emerged, showcasing its performance in 'Forza Horizon 6.' These early benchmarks provide a critical first look at the capabilities of the new RDNA 4 generation card in a real-world gaming scenario.

Crucially, the report also confirms support for FSR 4.1, AMD's latest iteration of its FidelityFX Super Resolution upscaling technology. FSR 4.1 is expected to bring further improvements in image quality, performance, and compatibility across a wider range of games and hardware. This early confirmation of FSR 4.1 support with the RX 9070 XT is significant, as it indicates that the new GPU will immediately leverage AMD's advanced upscaling features, offering gamers enhanced visual fidelity and smoother frame rates. Benchmarks for new GPU generations are always highly anticipated as they set expectations for performance and competitive positioning.

Comment: Early benchmarks for the RX 9070 XT paired with FSR 4.1 are exciting; they confirm AMD's new generation is hitting the ground running with advanced upscaling tech, directly impacting real-world gaming performance.

Found a way to cool the DGX (r/LocalLLaMA)

Source: https://reddit.com/r/LocalLLaMA/comments/1tansuo/found_a_way_to_cool_the_dgx/

A Reddit user shared a novel and practical method for cooling an NVIDIA DGX system, utilizing tap water to maintain optimal operating temperatures. The solution successfully kept the GPU temperatures below 68 degrees Celsius even at 95% GPU utilization while running a Qwen3.5-122b-a10B LLM with Q6_K precision.

This demonstrates a significant achievement in thermal management for high-performance computing systems that often face challenges with heat dissipation under heavy loads. The DGX, known for its powerful multi-GPU setup, generates substantial heat, and effective cooling is paramount for sustained performance and longevity. The user reported 110 GB of memory usage, an 80k context window, and an inference speed of 18.77 tokens/second, underscoring that the cooling method enables the system to operate at near-maximum capacity for demanding AI workloads without throttling. This DIY approach highlights innovative solutions for persistent high-utilization challenges in local LLM deployment.

Comment: Achieving sub-68°C on a DGX at 95% utilization with tap water is impressive; it’s a brilliant, hands-on solution to ensure high-end GPUs sustain peak performance for LLM inference without thermal limits.