Graphics cards don’t last forever, and time may be running out for both Radeon RX 6000 and 5000 Series. While AMD hasn’t pulled the plug yet, recent software updates aren’t doing in favours to the perceived lifespan of either family.
Radeon RX 5000 Series and newer cards remain compatible with the most recent suite of Radeon drivers, Adrenalin Edition 25.10.2, but this update marks a notable change. Under the ‘Important information’ header, AMD details that “New Game Support and Expanded Vulkan Extensions Support is available to Radeon RX 7000 and 9000 series graphics products.”
AMD didn’t announce this shift in direction prior, nor disclose the reason(s) behind it, making the unexpected and sudden nature of the change all the more palpable. As a reminder, Radeon RX 5000 and 6000 Series cards are only six and four years old, respectively, sharing the space with GeForce RTX 20 and 30 Series upon release (which continue to enjoy full support from Nvidia).
Radeon RX 7000 and 9000 Series cards now run on a separate, newer, 25.20 driver, while the older families fallback to 25.10. AMD is packaging both together in a single package, ballooning the overall file size to 1.56GB. While convenient in terms of delivery for the brand, this is obviously less so for consumers who now face a larger download.
A lack of game support isn’t apocalyptic for Radeon RX 5000 and 6000 Series but it isn’t ideal either. In short, games will still run on these older cards, silicon willing, but it’s clear AMD sees them as less of a priority than newer alternatives. This was always going to happen but the timing is sooner than expected.
How soon will AMD push Radeon RX 5000 and 6000 Series out to pasture, á la Vega and Polaris, is anyone’s guess. I believe we’ll see the former retire first, as it’s in AMD’s interests to keep RDNA 2 alive for longer on account of ray tracing compatibility and the popularity of devices sporting the architecture including Steam Deck.
If you’re still rocking a member of the older families, power to you. Long may that card serve you. If these developments have you seeking out a potential upgrade, though, check out my Radeon RX 9070 XT review for the best AMD has to offer. Don’t forget to follow Club386 on Google News too.
