Prepare to BEWARE: The Five Outstanding PC Hardware Debuts Anticipated in 2025
The past year has seen some significant launches for PC enthusiasts, from AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D to Nvidia's RTX 40 Super series graphics cards. However, it's been tainted by disappointments as well. Both AMD's and Intel's new processor ranges - Ryzen 9000 and Core Ultra 200 - have underperformed, making everyone eagerly wait for 2025 for new hardware.
The good news is that January is likely to be the hottest month for both processor and graphics card launches. Nvidia's RTX 5000 series, such as the RTX 5090, is expected to be announced along with AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D. We won't have to wait long as these new products will be unveiled within a few weeks, mostly at the CES event in Las Vegas.
Top PC hardware launches to watch out for in 2025
Nvidia RTX 5000 series
It's been a year since Nvidia launched its RTX 40 Super series graphics cards, like the RTX 4080 Super. The company is rumored to announce its RTX 5000-series models, like the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, in January.
The bad news is that the new cards are rumored to cost significantly more than their predecessors. The RTX 5090 could cost $2,500, the RTX 5080 around $1,500, and the RTX 5070 could cost between $600-$700, according to leaked info. Even if the pricing is a little lower, considering the RTX 4090 cost $1,600 at launch, a price increase of $1,800-$2,000 would be substantial. The RTX 5080 could cost 50% more than the RTX 4080's launch price of $999.
The new cards are also rumored to be much larger, with wider dimensions potentially limiting their compatibility with existing PC cases, especially in small form factors. Moreover, the RTX 5060 might come with an 8GB memory option, which could be problematic for games requiring more than that.
The new cards are likely to support PCIe 5.0 and will continue to have the 16-pin 12VHPWR connector. Nvidia may not have much competition at the high end as AMD has made it clear it won't be competing with Nvidia's flagship models. Instead, it seems to be competing with the RTX 5070 Ti and below, which could explain Nvidia's higher pricing to make the most of the monopoly it expects.
AMD Radeon 9000 GPUs
AMD isn't plotting to compete with Nvidia's RTX 5080 or 5090 but instead focuses on the mid-range to boost market share and save costs. Two cards are expected to be announced in January as part of the Radeon RX 9000 launch - the RX 9070 XT and RX 9700 - both with 16GB of memory.
AMD's Radeon RX 7900 GRE was a hit when it launched earlier in 2024, but the company is still lagging behind in terms of market share according to the Steam Hardware Survey. The company might be announcing FSR 4 alongside these RDNA 4 GPUs - its equivalent of Nvidia's DLSS, offering super-resolution-based performance enhancements and frame generation.
A CES 2025 announcement is expected with availability in late January or February, followed by models further down the price range where we might find out about other features of the cards, such as their continued use of standard 8-pin power connectors rather than the 12VPWR connectors on Nvidia's models.
AMD Ryzen 9 9000x3D
January looks like a great time to build a new PC if you want the latest hardware, as we're not only getting new graphics cards but also highly anticipated processors. AMD's initial Ryzen 9000 processors didn't receive great reviews, but that changed with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which sold out in weeks due to stellar gaming performance and improved results outside of games thanks to AMD's 3D V-Cache underneath its hot-running cores, allowing them to run at higher frequencies than their predecessors.
It's expected to do the same with its higher core count parts, so if 8 cores in the Ryzen 7 9800X3D aren't enough, the 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X3D should offer excellent performance outside of games, as well as similar performance to it in driving frame rates. These could be the most sought-after processors of 2025 for gaming and demanding content creation, given Intel's Core Ultra 200 series failed to impress.
Cheaper motherboards for AMD and Intel: B850 and B860 chipsets are coming
While the Ryzen 7 9800X3D has been selling like hotcakes, AMD's 800-series chipset motherboards are expensive, forcing Ryzen 7000 or 9000 processor owners to either fork out the cash or opt for older B650 or X670 motherboards.
The previous scenario isn't what motherboard manufacturers enjoy, hence, as usual, there are more budget-friendly options on the horizon. And it's not just for AMD fans. Intel too will see more budget-friendly options for its Core Ultra 200 processors like the Core Ultra 285K. Commencing with Intel, B860 motherboards will offer features similar to current Z890 motherboards, but at a significantly lower cost, thus lowering the threshold for purchasing a contemporary Intel system.
Moving on to AMD, it will introduce B850 chipset motherboards, costing a fraction of the current X870 and X870E motherboards. Even though they're cheaper, they will still offer advanced features such as Wi-Fi 7, USB 4, and PCIe 5 support, providing an affordable upgrade path as AMD launches its Ryzen 9000 3D V-Cache processors. The latest chatter suggests a mid-January launch.
Intel ARC B570 Graphics Card Set for January 16th Launch
Intel has rectified the inconsistencies of its previous GPU launches, and the ARC B580 proved to be a decent option if you're working with less than $300. In fact, it offers some of the best value for any sub $400 graphics card, outperforming the Nvidia RTX 4060 and AMD RX 7600 in terms of performance per dollar.
With Nvidia seemingly abandoning the low-end market with its RTX 5060 rumored to be its cheapest offering of 2025, Intel could potentially seize a significant share of the market. And that's where its next graphics card comes in.
With the ARC B580 already in the market for a few weeks, the ARC B570 is waiting in the wings. A predicted launch date of January 16th puts its price at a very economical $220, and with the B580 receiving glowing reviews, the same is expected with the B570, all for less than $250.
Be sure to keep an eye out for hardware launches in January, follow me here on Our Website using the blue button below, Facebook or YouTube to stay updated on the latest news and reviews.
- The upcoming Nvidia RTX 5000 series, including the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, is expected to be announced in January, alongside AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D.
- Despite the anticipated release of Nvidia's RTX 5090, priced at $2,500, Intel's B860 motherboards might offer more budget-friendly options for Intel's Core Ultra 200 processors.
- AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D, with its 16-core processor, is expected to deliver stellar gaming and content creation performance, surpassing Intel's Core Ultra 200 series.
- Intel's ARC B570 graphics card, set to launch on January 16th, is expected to offer competitive performance and value for less than $250, potentially challenging Nvidia's RTX 5060 in the lower-end graphics market.
- AMD fans will also have budget-friendly options with the anticipated launch of AMD's B850 chipset motherboards, offering advanced features at a lower cost until the Ryzen 9000 3D V-Cache processors hit the market.
