Rumors surrounding the AMD RX 5950 XT graphics card, which some people are billing as an ‘Nvidia killer’ have recently reached fever pitch, and one particular ‘leak’ suggested that it would be an immensely powerful GPU. The only problem is, it's just been confirmed as categorically false.
According to the now-discredited rumor, the AMD RX 5950 XT would come with 5,120 cores, 80 CUs, and 24GB of HBM2e memory. Jargon aside, that would make it one heck of a powerful graphics card, easily demolishing even the most expensive of Nvidia’s gaming GPUs.
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Such a GPU, if it existed, would have turned the graphics card world on its head, as Nvidia typically has the lead when it comes to powerful high-end components. Many people at the time speculated at this rumor was too good to be true – and that’s exactly what it turned out to be.
The ‘leak’ supposedly came from memory manufacturer SK Hynix, and the company was keen to dispel the rumors by releasing a statement that in no uncertain terms dismisses the rumors as “fake news”.
Making a statement
According to SK Hynix, “there have been media reports about SK Hynix’s memory HBM2E and AMD’s next-generation GPU, based on the allegations by a Twitter user CyberPunkCat, which are factually incorrect.”
The leak apparently showed a photo of a screen of a SK Hynix employee’s PC, with details of the upcoming AMD GPU on display, yet the company states that: “After a thorough investigation, we conclude that the screen capture of the allegedly internal document is fabricated.”
‘Leaks’ like this are all too easy to fabricate – and it seems they are just as easily dispelled as well. For a start, SK Hynix says that the “specifications of our HBM2E shown in the document are incorrect.”
The ‘leak’ also has Korean text, which translates as “With Local Communities… 2020 Happiness”. As the company points out, this has nothing to do with graphics cards, and was instead ripped from a random press release hosted on its Korean newsroom.
The company is clearly irritated by the false rumors, especially as it uses content from its newsroom, with the company threatening to sue to “protect the interests of the company and its customers”.
It’s a timely reminder to always treat rumors like this with a huge dose of caution and cynicism.
Does this mean AMD isn’t working on an RX 5950 XT GPU, or planning an ‘Nvidia killer’? Not at all, but it means the company’s plans are still unclear – and we won’t know much more until AMD itself wants us to. Hopefully we won’t have long to wait.
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