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

[SiDeards73]

http://wccftech.com/amd-zen-competes-intel-performance-features-price-launching-2016/

Interesting read even if it is mostly clickbait

 

[humbug]

^^^^^^^^

AMD Zen 8 Core Summit Ridge CPUs, Coming In October To High-end Destkops

We published an exclusive report last year detailing AMD’s plans to introduce its Zen based FX CPUs later this year and Zen based APUs in 2017. We also broke down details about Zen CPUs, APUs, AM4 motherboards and the features of AMD’s next generation platform which haven’t been made public yet. So we would highly recommend that you go check out that report if you’re interested in finding out more about Zen.
Desktop Zen CPUs are part of the “Summit Ridge” family. Which is going to include a full lineup of high-end Zen based CPUs that will feature “high core counts” and compete in the “enthusiast” segment according to AMD. That is, they’re going to be lined-up to compete against Intel’s Haswell-E and Broadwell-E products.


The desktop FX CPUs allegedly feature a 95W TDP and eight high performance Zen cores with multi-threading for a total of 16 threads. Zen is said to have extremely competitive single threaded performance according to engineers with knowledge of the chip. Citing more instructions per clock than Intel’s Broadwell and just a smidgen behind Skylake. The 95W TDP if accurate indicates that indeed we’re looking at a very power efficient design. In contrast, Intel’s eight core i7 5960X is rated at 140 watts but then again we’re comparing a 14nm FinFET product with a 22nm chip so a delta is to be expected.

well, lets hope so

 

[Nutella33]

That would be perfect.

 

[jigger]

It would be fantastic! But this news has come from WTFTech.

 

[h4rm0ny]

http://wccftech.com/amd-zen-competes-intel-performance-features-price-launching-2016/

Interesting read even if it is mostly clickbait

I will believe it when I see it.
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But I want to believe it!

 

[Perfect_Chaos]

If it's that good it might even make me switch from Intel, so i am looking forward to real results from multiple websites first. And if they stick to the same socket and keep improving the IPC, as shown on their roadmap then that is good news.

 

[Orcvader]

Considering the IPC difference between Broadwell and Skylake is tiny, if Zen really does that well on single performance then they have a very competitive CPU. 95w seems interesting as well, is that hinting to a more efficient design than Intel? I was expecting 125w for the higher clocked CPUs.

 

[AllBodies]

Considering the IPC difference between Broadwell and Skylake is tiny, if Zen really does that well on single performance then they have a very competitive CPU. 95w seems interesting as well, is that hinting to a more efficient design than Intel? I was expecting 125w for the higher clocked CPUs.

It's quite possibly there'll be 95W and 125W versions. Maybe the 95W is for the 6-core variant?

Even though it's on 14nm I find it hard to believe it would both be high performance per core and 95W with 8 real cores.

 

[h4rm0ny]

I think this has to be hype. It can't be on this level. I'm going to hold off placing my hopes in this until I've seen it from multiple sources. And I don't just mean different sites parroting the same rumour.

 

[AiiR]

They've been out of the game for so long, this needs to be true.

 

[SiDeards73]

Basically its a quote from John Taylor

"Speaking to Australian journalists recently, AMD’s corporate VP of worldwide marketing, John Taylor said: “Zen will compete with Intel on performance, power and specifications – not just price”."

 

[=XDC=FluphyBunny]

95W TDP and eight high performance Zen cores with multi-threading for a total of 16 threads.

Its snippets like this that make me doubt all the rumours. This would represent a massive step forward for AMD, and, as much as I want to believe, I don't

 

[fs123]

Its snippets like this that make me doubt all the rumours. This would represent a massive step forward for AMD, and, as much as I want to believe, I don't

It's perfectly feasible on the 14nm process. The existing 28nm chips are 8core with around 125W TDP so not impossible to get a lower TDP on an 8core on a node twice as small.

 

[=XDC=FluphyBunny]

It's perfectly feasible on the 14nm process. The existing 28nm chips are 8core with around 125W TDP so not impossible to get a lower TDP on an 8core on a node twice as small.

With an equal IPC to Broadwell/Skylakeall from AMD? I will be massively impressed if its true.

 

[DragonQ]

Considering the IPC difference between Broadwell and Skylake is tiny, if Zen really does that well on single performance then they have a very competitive CPU. 95w seems interesting as well, is that hinting to a more efficient design than Intel? I was expecting 125w for the higher clocked CPUs.

I don't believe it for a second. How can they say it's faster than Broadwell but slightly slower than Skylake, when the difference between those two is next to nil to begin with? They're just extrapolating from the tiny amount of info we have and presenting what people want to hear. They can't have that detailed knowledge at this point. It may well be true but they're still just guessing.

AMD are not going to release an 8C/16T CPU with similar IPC to Skylake at the ~£300 price point. It'll be far higher than that if it does come to be. Maybe they will price a 6C/12T chip at £350 or something but even that might not happen.

AFAIK, we don't even know yet if all Summit Ridge CPUs will be unlocked or whether they'll all feature SMT.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Bristol Ridge launch date confirmed:

http://www.amd.com/en-us/products/processors/laptop-processors#

 

[cheesyboy]

Bristol Ridge launch date confirmed:

http://www.amd.com/en-us/products/processors/laptop-processors#

BR will be interesting from a how-good-is-excavator [and therefore knowing where our base line is for the '+40%' we can expect from Zen] point of view, but it's otherwise not very exciting.

I'm much more interested in the accompanying motherboard lineup, though.

 

[fs123]

I don't believe it for a second. How can they say it's faster than Broadwell but slightly slower than Skylake, when the difference between those two is next to nil to begin with? They're just extrapolating from the tiny amount of info we have and presenting what people want to hear. They can't have that detailed knowledge at this point. It may well be true but they're still just guessing.

AMD are not going to release an 8C/16T CPU with similar IPC to Skylake at the ~£300 price point. It'll be far higher than that if it does come to be. Maybe they will price a 6C/12T chip at £350 or something but even that might not happen.

AFAIK, we don't even know yet if all Summit Ridge CPUs will be unlocked or whether they'll all feature SMT.

I think originally the 40% increase from Steamroller meant that Zen would have just about matched Haswell and since Haswell is about 12% slower than Skylake, AMD may well have managed to get it within striking distance of Skylake.
Lisu Su said that Zen is performing better than expected so it potentially could be a winner if they have achieved 50% IPC.

 

[DragonQ]

I think originally the 40% increase from Steamroller meant that Zen would have just about matched Haswell and since Haswell is about 12% slower than Skylake, AMD may well have managed to get it within striking distance of Skylake.
Lisu Su said that Zen is performing better than expected so it potentially could be a winner if they have achieved 50% IPC.

Not 40% faster than Steamroller, 40% faster than Excavator.

 

[Lokken86]

The worry is that Intel have left the blueprints for a new revolutionary cpu sitting on a dusty shelf for the past 5 years, unneeded.