VERA RUBIN NVL72 CRUSHES BLACKWELL ON AI INFERENCE

AI DESK■ 1 MIN READ

TUE, SEP 15, 2026

■ AI-SUMMARIZED FROM 1 SOURCE ▸ TIMELINE

AMD's Vera Rubin NVL72 accelerator delivers up to 7x better token throughput per megawatt than Nvidia's Blackwell on large language model inference, according to SemiAnalysis testing. The result exceeds Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's stated 3x efficiency gains for models in the 1T-3T parameter range.

Testing on a 1.6 trillion-parameter DeepSeek model showed the Vera Rubin NVL72 achieving significantly higher inference efficiency than Blackwell when measured by tokens generated per megawatt of power consumed. SemiAnalysis analyst Bryan Shan attributed the performance gap partly to what he characterizes as conservative claims from Nvidia leadership. The testing suggests AMD's newer architecture offers substantial advantages for inference workloads at scale. The findings carry implications for data center operators evaluating chip purchases for large language model deployment. Per-megawatt efficiency translates directly to operational costs and profitability as AI inference workloads grow. The results underscore ongoing competition between Nvidia and AMD in the AI accelerator market, with efficiency becoming an increasingly important metric alongside raw compute performance.

■ SOURCES

► Techmeme

■ SUMMARY WRITTEN BY AI FROM THE LINKS ABOVE

■ MORE FROM THE HARDWARE DESK

P370VW'S NEW EV NEARLY DOUBLES LUCID AIR EFFICIENCY

Volkswagen has unveiled an efficiency-focused electric vehicle that achieves nearly twice the efficiency of the Lucid Air, the current production benchmark. The automaker borrowed design concepts from Slate to achieve the breakthrough performance.

JUST NOW— Industry Desk

P363VALVE STILL DETERMINING STEAM DECK 2 TIMELINE

Valve has not committed to a release window for Steam Deck 2, with the company still evaluating how and when to deliver the next-generation handheld. The company has consistently stated that a sequel will arrive, but only when the right hardware components are available.

2H AGO— Industry Desk

P344APPLE LINES UP NEW PRODUCTS FOR LATE 2026

Apple has released its latest iPhone and wearable lineup this year and plans to introduce additional products through early 2027. The company's roadmap includes new devices across multiple categories.

6H AGO— Industry Desk

P342VALVE'S STEAM FRAME VR HEADSET LAUNCHES AT $1,059

Valve has released its Steam Frame virtual reality headset at a $1,059 price point, higher than the company originally targeted. The company attributes the cost increase to global semiconductor and storage market pressures.

6H AGO— Industry Desk

◄ BACK TO NEWS

VERA RUBIN NVL72 CRUSHES BLACKWELL ON AI INFERENCE

■ MORE FROM THE HARDWARE DESK

■ SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF