Based on the Comdex Fall 2002 GeForce FX showcase, ATI is also satisfied with its own RADEON 9700 PRO. Depending on the market conditions, ATI Technologies plans to unveil the R350 (you may call it RADEON 10 000 for the time being if you would like) VPU in order to beat the GeForce FX heavily in terms of performance. The R350 based graphics processor will have some architecture optimisations that will stipulate higher core-clock speed. Some sources also allude that the R350 will have two texture units per pipeline, hence, there will be sixteen TMUs in this chip. Graphics cards powered by the mentioned VPU will be equipped with DDR-II memory (256-bit bus). In fact, ATI still decides whether to launch or not to launch the part: in case the competitor is not able to outperform the RADEON 9700 PRO really significantly, there will be not a lot of sense to launch anything new and lower the prices on the current products.

The next-generation R400 VPU is said to be unveiled in Summer 2003.