*** AMD "Zen" thread (inc AM4/APU discussion) ***

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Yeah, I'm aware, sadly.

But because the 5820 existed, a product coming out years later at a similar price point isn't special. And if it has Haswell type performance, it'd be a pretty similar performing chip too, for a similar type of price.

Either way, a 300 pound 6C/12T chip with Haswell type IPC which is available is still very very good, and cheaper than current i7 4c/8T prices.

Well a 4C/8T chip with reasonable performance for around £200ish(subject to the pound crashing even more),probably would do me fine.

After looking at how BF1 loves threads,as long as the lowest end Zen has reasonable IPC I suspect it will be a decent seller.

I am also a bit more confident about Zen now - the fact that are targeting a higher end price means,means it probably is competitive compared to even the Intel 6C/12T chips. I suspect Intel will still have the single threaded performance lead,but as long as AMD can close the gap,it should be enough especially if the power consumption is now more under control.

The chip is also probably much smaller than previous AMD ones too,so hopefully they should be able to turn a profit now.

 

[Martini1991]

Well, I'm after downsizing my PC from my Xigamtek Elysium case as I've just bought a house with my partner.

So I'm hoping Zen can accommodate while upgrading from an i7 4770K.
Don't really feel the desire to jump on another Intel platform yet given the costs involved.
Also need a new GPU as new house builds are warm enough without my 290X warming up the place.

And obviously money's tight, pleb life.

 

[mmj_uk]

This is a bad joke right?

3, 5 and 7 cores from an 8 core SKU?

Nope, different SKU's just disable a core for redundancy like these companies do in many other products. I'm just thinking outside of the box why they are labelled SR 3/5/7.

There's no set rule that processors have to have an even number of cores and lets face it, 3 cores is great for low end, 5 cores is still massively overkill for gaming and 7+ cores is just for workstation and willy waving at this point.

 

[humbug]

Nope, different SKU's just disable a core for redundancy like these companies do in many other products. I'm just thinking outside of the box why they are labelled SR 3/5/7.

There's no set rule that processors have to have an even number of cores and lets face it, 3 cores is great for low end, 5 cores is still massively overkill for gaming and 7+ cores is just for workstation and willy waving at this point.

Its a huge waste of the silicone and there fore cost and potential performance to deliberately have an odd numbered core count hierarchy, its why no one thinks that far "out of the box"

 

[Martini1991]

+1 Core free.
AMD = Peoples champion ?

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Well, I'm after downsizing my PC from my Xigamtek Elysium case as I've just bought a house with my partner.

So I'm hoping Zen can accommodate while upgrading from an i7 4770K.
Don't really feel the desire to jump on another Intel platform yet given the costs involved.
Also need a new GPU as new house builds are warm enough without my 290X warming up the place.

And obviously money's tight, pleb life.

LOL,I still have a Xeon E3 1230 V2/Core i7 3770 and a GTX960.

Considering a mate got a Xeon E3 1230 V3(Haswell) and a Z97 mini-ITX motherboard for less than the cost of a Core i7 6700K,I can seeing a 4C/8T Zen or Zen+ being my next upgrade(unless OFC its a massive fail).

Intel now locked out that Xeon CPU loophole by artificially limiting the chipsets.

If it is an upgrade in single thread performance over my current CPU,then I don't really care if Intel is "better" TBH,especially if I need to budget more for a cooler and a motherboard.

 

[Martini1991]

To be honest, I should just be happy with my stuff as is.
But my case is too big, my watercooling's pointless these days too.

Just needs stripping and rebuilding.
Need a new desk and chair too.

Urgh

 

[humbug]

+1 Core free.
AMD = Peoples champion ?

lol

 

[mmj_uk]

Its a huge waste of the silicone and there fore cost and potential performance to deliberately have an odd numbered core count hierarchy, its why no one thinks that far "out of the box"

Well if the 8 core SKU has imperfections it's a bigger waste to have to sell it as a 6 core than a 7 core, likewise with the other models you have one faulty core and they have to switch off another perfectly good core to be able to sell it.

It makes more sense than what AthlonXP said to me at least:

Think SR7 will have 8 cores to compete with Core i7, SR5 will have 6 cores to compete with Core i5 and SR3 will have 4 cores to compete with Core i3.

According to all reports Zen will be clock for clock equal to Intel so why would they compete with i5 with 6 cores when they could easily beat it with 5? and i3 with 4 cores when they could easily beat it with 3? why would they sell a full blown 8 core for £400 when they could price it at £800 for the few people that actually need/want it?

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

To be honest, I should just be happy with my stuff as is.
But my case is too big, my watercooling's pointless these days too.

Just needs stripping and rebuilding.
Need a new desk and chair too.

Urgh

I had a scare recently thinking my motherboard was going,and since Intel changes sockets so much,it would be impossible for me to get a mini-ITX motherboard meaning I would have to get a Skylake Core i7 for at £300 at least.

Luckily it was just my card being a bit temperamental.

At least I know,even with Zen,Zen+ the CPUs should work even if there is an AM4+ in a few years. I mean an FM2 CPU will work in both FM2 and FM2+ motherboards and a AM3 CPU in both AM3 and AM3+ motherboards.

According to all reports Zen will be clock for clock equal to Intel so why would they compete with i5 with 6 cores when they could easily beat it with 5? and i3 with 4 cores when they could easily beat it with 3? why would they sell a full blown 8 core for £400 when they could price it at £800 for the few people that actually need it?

I think the most positive report was around Broadwell level IPC?

We don't know clockspeeds either,and KL is pushing about 4GHZ for many SKUs.

 

[humbug]

Well if the 8 core SKU has imperfections it's a bigger waste to have to sell it as a 6 core than a 7 core, likewise with the other models you have one faulty core and they have to switch off another perfectly good core to be able to sell it.

It makes more sense than what AthlonXP said to me at least:



According to all reports Zen will be clock for clock equal to Intel so why would they compete with i5 with 6 cores when they could easily beat it with 5? and i3 with 4 cores when they could easily beat it with 3? why would they sell a full blown 8 core for £400 when they could price it at £800 for the few people that actually need it?

Yes AMD have done 'that' before, the Athlon X3.

They have never had a range of odd numbered core CPU's as a mainstream range, no one has, the Athlon X3 was a failed Athlon X4.

 

[SiDeards73]

This is looking promising, like a few others im on a 4770k and an R9 290, so waiting on Zen and Vega, looks like i could swap out my Haswell for Zen, keep same level of perf but gain double the amount of cores and threads etc which will help if stuff ever utilises more threads / cores etc.

Just need to see prices now and hope Zen is good and also Vega, can see me having an all AMD rig in the near future.

 

[AiiR]

Either way, a 300 pound 6C/12T chip with Haswell type IPC which is available is still very very good, and cheaper than current i7 4c/8T prices.

I'd be disappointed with this, but sadly that would be the reality. I built a 5820k based PC for a friend last June and the CPU was exactly £300 back then. Such are the times we now live in.

 

[humbug]

I had a scare recently thinking my motherboard was going,and since Intel changes sockets so much,it would be impossible for me to get a mini-ITX motherboard meaning I would have to get a Skylake Core i7 for at £300 at least.

Luckily it was just my card being a bit temperamental.

At least I know,even with Zen,Zen+ the CPUs should work even if there is an AM4+ in a few years. I mean an FM2 CPU will work in both FM2 and FM2+ motherboards and a AM3 CPU in both AM3 and AM3+ motherboards.



I think the most positive report was around Broadwell level IPC?

We don't know clockspeeds either,and KL is pushing about 4GHZ for many SKUs.

About 2% better IPC than Broadwell, or in other-words, the same.

My thinking is the same or slightly better IPC than my Devils Canyon at the same clock speeds for the lower core count chips, so 3.5Ghz to 3.7Ghz and 3.9Ghz boost for the SR3 4 core 8 thread.... again in other-words the SR3 is a 4790K or slightly more.

£200 for that is reasonable, its what I paid for this 4 core without SMT.

The 6 core 12 thread at around £300 is what interests me, that at 90% or ~95% the IPC of Sky Lake for £40 lees than a Sky Lake 4 core 8 thread?

Guess where my moneys going!

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I'd be disappointed with this, but sadly that would be the reality. I built a 5820k based PC for a friend last June and the CPU was exactly £300 back then. Such are the times we now live in.

Sadly the Core i7 6800k is now £430 and the pound has crashed by 20% or thereabouts.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

About 2% better IPC than Broadwell, or in other-words, the same.

My thinking is the same or slightly better IPC than my Devils Canyon at the same clock speeds for the lower core count chips, so 3.5Ghz to 3.7Ghz and 3.9Ghz boost for the SR3 4 core 8 thread.... again in other-words the SR3 is a 4790K or slightly more.

£200 for that is reasonable, its what I paid for this 4 core without SMT.

The 6 core 12 thread at around £300 is what interests me, that at 90% or ~95% the IPC of Sky Lake for £40 lees than a Sky Lake 4 core 8 thread?

Guess where my moneys going!

If they get to Haswell levels even its enough for me - I will be using this IB based Xeon E3/Core i7 based setup until the motherboard goes kaput.

I don't really care if Intel has KL or CL with better IPC/higher clockspeed if by then it is £350 for a 4C/8T and AMD is undercutting them by £100 to £125 and including a half decent bundled cooler too,in the form of the Wraith cooler.

That money saved goes into my graphics card budget.

 

[SiDeards73]

If they get to Haswell levels even its enough for me - I will be using this IB based Xeon E3/Core i7 based setup until the motherboard goes kaput.

I don't really care if Intel has KL or CL with better IPC/higher clockspeed if by then it is £350 for a 4C/8T and AMD is undercutting them by £100 to £125 and including a half decent bundled cooler too,in the form of the Wraith cooler.

That money saved goes into my graphics card budget.

+1 to this, although i'd be more inclined to buy the 8/16 chip, and if they make a binned version with better OC ability for more £££ i would probably go down that route too.

 

[Geck0]

If they get to Haswell levels even its enough for me - I will be using this IB based Xeon E3/Core i7 based setup until the motherboard goes kaput.

I don't really care if Intel has KL or CL with better IPC/higher clockspeed if by then it is £350 for a 4C/8T and AMD is undercutting them by £100 to £125 and including a half decent bundled cooler too,in the form of the Wraith cooler.

That money saved goes into my graphics card budget.

This all day long - once you get to Haswell 5820 level performance the CPU becomes largely irrelevant in gaming anyway. It appears as though games ongoing are starting to focus on more threads than single thread perf in any case.

 

[h4rm0ny]

I'd take 8c/16t for £400 even if it's Haswell level IPC.

Same here. 8C is what I have currently with my FX-8350 and that serves my needs pretty well. Double the threads and an increase to IPC looks like a worthwhile upgrade. Particularly since I'm long overdue a platform upgrade with DDR4 and PCI-Ev3. Will see what the reviews are like but provisionally that pricing is pretty competitive.

 

[gpuerrilla]

Same here. 8C is what I have currently with my FX-8350 and that serves my needs pretty well. Double the threads and an increase to IPC looks like a worthwhile upgrade. Particularly since I'm long overdue a platform upgrade with DDR4 and PCI-Ev3. Will see what the reviews are like but provisionally that pricing is pretty competitive.

Same for me. No itchy finger yet but the planned upgrade path has potential.