For over a decade, the expectation that computers would keep becoming faster under Moore's Law is being questioned as we near the physical limits of shrinking transistors. The consistent miniaturization of transistors has been pivotal in enhancing computer power, but as these transistors approach atomic sizes, their reliability as conductors of electrical current diminishes. However, this doesn't spell the end of technological advancement. While we continue the process of transistor miniaturization, the future of processor technology lies in innovation beyond transistors, with 3D fabrication presenting as a promising next step.

AMD's Ryzen 8000-series CPUs, based on the new Zen 5 microarchitecture, have reached a crucial point on their way to market, with major industry benchmarking utility AIDA64 now recognizing the architecture. The update came from FireWire's latest release notes for the AIDA64 tool, a popular system health and performance evaluation software among professionals and PC enthusiasts. FireWire would have needed detailed information from AMD to implement this preliminary support for Zen 5.

However, this does not necessarily give an exact timeline for when the Zen 5 architecture will hit the market in the form of AMD Ryzen 8000-series desktop processors. AIDA64's preliminary support for Intel's Meteor Lake processors was introduced back in 2021, and these chips are not expected to launch until later this year. According to AMD's roadmap, the release of the Ryzen 8000-series is set for 2024, indicating that the company is on track with its launch plan.

FireWire's release notes also show enhanced support for Intel's upcoming processor generations: Meteor Lake, Arrow Lake, and Lunar Lake. Lunar Lake, with its new microarchitecture, is expected to be released late in 2024 or early in 2025. The upcoming 14th-gen Raptor Lake refresh and Meteor Lake chips, both under the 14th-gen label and expected to launch later this year, will stick with Intel's current hybrid performance-efficiency core design.

Arrow Lake, expected in 2024 and set to be built on TSMC's 3nm process node, has reportedly been dealing with delays. This is not unusual for TSMC, which manufactures the processor wafers for numerous tech giants including AMD, Nvidia, and Apple. With the 3nm node predicted to be highly popular, production schedules are likely to be tight.

AMD's Zen 5 will also be utilizing TSMC's 3nm node, which could be a double-edged sword for the company. Intel secured a significant portion of 3nm production capacity in 2021, ostensibly for an Arc GPU and several server chips. If Intel substitutes Arrow Lake chips into this capacity, it is likely to have a larger stock of its chips at the launch of Arrow Lake compared to AMD's stock of 3nm Zen 5 chips. However, it appears that AMD placed orders for Zen 5 chips before Intel, which means Zen 5 chips may roll off the production line before Intel's Arrow Lake chips. Whether AMD's first-to-market advantage will result in a more successful launch, as seen with the previous Zen 4, remains to be seen.

Now for the big question. You’ve got an AMD CPU/APU and GPU. You want to overclock… Now what? What videos do you watch? What websites do you go to? What tools do you use?

Thankfully this isn’t a current product. However, I will point out…

Let’s just let Linus have the floor.

During a recent "Meet the Experts" webcast, AMD shared some key design aspects of its forthcoming Ryzen 8000 series processors for desktops, specifically targeting workstations and value servers. These AM5 socketed chips are set to blend the next-generation Zen 5 CPU architecture with an upgraded graphics architecture, labeled Navi 3.5. A roadmap for AM5, spanning from 2022, was shared during the webcast, highlighting the transition from the Ryzen 5000 series that combines Zen 3 and Vega graphics, to the current Ryzen 7000 series integrating Zen 4 CPU cores and Navi 3.0 graphics, and finally the AMD Ryzen 8000 series debuting in 2024, which will pack Zen 5 CPU cores and Navi 3.5 graphics.

The Ryzen 8000 series chips provide those willing to hold out for another generation of upgrades or new PC builds with a concrete target to anticipate. The presentation slide also confirmed that the AM5 will continue into 2026, and at this pace, we could expect two more Ryzen desktop generations before the socket is replaced by a new one, possibly named AM6.

Previous roadmaps for next-gen AMD Ryzen desktops hinted at the Ryzen 8000 series being codenamed 'Granite Ridge' (or 'Strix Point' for laptops), featuring up to 16 Zen 5 CPU cores across two CCDs. Also part of the SoC will be the Navi 3.5 GPU, speculated to be a die shrink of Navi 3 for enhanced clocks/efficiency but with largely the same features. An intriguing point from the slide suggests the current Ryzen 7000 series processors for AM5 use 'Navi 3.0' graphics, although chips released in 2023 utilize RNDA 2 (Navi 2.x) integrated GPUs. Whether a refresh is in the cards to align with the roadmap remains to be seen.

RDNA 4, following the RDNA 3 GPU architecture that launched in 2023, represents the first preview of Radeon RX 8000-series gaming GPUs, codenamed 'Navi 4x'. While there aren't any specific details on the RX 8000 graphics cards, it's expected that the flagship RX 8900 XT will likely utilize a dual-node architecture using 3nm and 5nm processes. Rumors suggest that the Navi 4x family will exclusively employ the RDNA 4 architecture, and that the upcoming Navi 3x (RX 7000 series) may use a combination of RDNA 3 for high-end GPUs and a refreshed RDNA 2 for more budget-friendly options.

AMD's new roadmap confirms the release of next-gen Ryzen 8000 CPUs featuring Zen 5 technology and an updated "Navi 3.5" graphics architecture next year. Speculations indicate that Navi 3.5 might enable integrated graphics with performance comparable to an Nvidia RTX 3070. Although AMD has previously mentioned Zen 5, this is the first official mention of Ryzen 8000 and the new Navi 3.5 graphics architecture.

The official roadmap, however, doesn't delve into any details regarding Navi 3.5. But according to a recent Twitter post from serial leaker Kepler_L2, Navi 3.5 is essentially the RDNA 3 architecture with a few elements from RDNA 4. In particular, it's speculated to have revised shader ALUs with support for new FP32 instructions and enhancements to the geometry engine, but it won't incorporate new RDNA 4 scheduler and improved RT cores. The actual impact on performance from these updates remains uncertain.

What is your experience with using APU’s and GPU’s together? How much does a 5900x3d added to a 6750XT change performance? Leave your experiences below.

After much anticipation, AMD has unveiled its new Radeon RX 6950 XT, flanked by the Radeon RX 6750 XT and RX 6650 XT. These graphics cards, marked by faster memory, elevated GPU clocks, and a minor surge in power consumption, have the capability to rival Nvidia's top tier GPUs, scoring several victories in performance. Although Nvidia holds the edge in 4K and ray tracing, the cost differential makes the RTX 3090 Ti a challenging sell. The 6950 XT, boasting maximum AMD performance, has emerged as Team Red's finest GPU.

AMD's RX 6950 XT has landed with a splash in the GPU market, turning heads with its high-fidelity 4K gaming capabilities. This dynamo outpaces its competitors, delivering seamless gameplay above 60 fps and matching its counterparts from Nvidia's line-up. The power tucked under its hood makes it a highly sought-after graphics card.

However, it's no secret that AMD's graphics cards often come with a catch—relatively weaker ray tracing performance. That said, the compromises in ray tracing with the RX 6950 XT seem justifiable considering its overall impressive performance. When pitted against Nvidia's RTX 4070 at native 4K, it holds its own and even surges ahead when ray tracing is disabled.

The RX 6950 XT proves its mettle, particularly in demanding 4K games, even though it might require a few tweaks here and there. Some games with intensive graphics such as Portal RTX and Cyberpunk 2077's path tracing mode might challenge the card, especially without the support of features like DLSS 3. However, when one considers the wider gaming landscape, it's apparent that the RX 6950 XT leads the pack in its segment.

Shifting our focus to the budget gaming scene reveals an arena fraught with fierce competition and, unfortunately, occasional disappointment. Both AMD and Nvidia have struggled to deliver a compelling choice for budget gamers. However, AMD's RX 6700 XT has emerged as a silver lining, stepping up to fill this void in the market.

The RX 6700 XT brings to the table a premier 1080p gaming experience, with enough power to venture into 1440p territory, albeit with some concessions. Its impressive performance, offering above 60 fps at 1440p in most games, even at maxed-out settings, make it a force to be reckoned with. Its prowess in less-demanding ray tracing titles like Resident Evil 4 further underlines its capabilities. The card may lag behind Nvidia's offerings in extreme ray tracing workloads, but its overall performance, coupled with its substantial 12GB of VRAM, make it a formidable contender. This GPU not only outperforms its peers but even bests higher-priced alternatives in games like The Last of Us Part 1.

What are you considering for your next AMD build and why?

AMD's core technology is set to advance significantly with the upcoming Zen 4 and Zen 5 cores. The Zen 4 cores, expected to arrive in 4nm and 5nm variants, could bring a sweeping refresh to all AMD chips or be selectively used for specific chip categories. Meanwhile, Zen 5 cores will launch with a 4nm process and eventually include 3nm variants. The timeline for these cores' debut is slated for 2024, according to AMD's CPU roadmap slide.

Zen 4c and Zen 5c cores will play a pivotal role in the construction of ultra-dense server chips optimized for heavily-threaded cloud workloads, similar to efficiency cores found in other chip architectures. An exciting reveal is the forthcoming EPYC Bergamo chips, which will feature Zen 4c cores and support a staggering 128 cores and 256 threads. The 'c' cores, smaller than the standard Zen 4 core, are geared towards improved compute density and increased core counts, although specific cache configuration details remain undisclosed.

In a significant leap forward, AMD's Zen 5 architecture will undergo a major redesign and hit the market in 2024. This redesign is set to deliver improved performance and efficiency, achieved through a re-pipelined front end and increased issue width. Moreover, AMD intends to integrate AI and machine learning optimizations into the architecture, although details regarding this addition remain sparse.

AMD's chiplet-based architecture, enabled by the Infinity Architecture, plays a vital role in the company's chipmaking capabilities. It allows for the connection of chiplets, memory, I/O dies, and even data center application accelerators like GPUs. Plans are underway to extend this technology to include Xilinx IP and third-party vendor IP support, broadening its chiplet-based production scope.

Finally, AMD is set to support the Compute Express Link (CXL) and the Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) consortium. CXL is an industry-standard cache-coherent interconnect providing an interface between CPUs and other devices, while UCIe aims to standardize die-to-die interconnects between chiplets, reducing costs and promoting a broader ecosystem of validated chiplets. These new additions further cement AMD's leading position in chiplet-based products.

#AMD #processors #CPU #roadmap

What’s your current AMD build? Any plans to upgrade?

In case you have been living under a rock…

Asus, the well-known PC hardware manufacturer, has recently been under scrutiny due to reported overvolting issues leading to damage in Ryzen processors. The issues have spurred an influx of returns, casting doubts over the safety and reliability of Asus products. Specifically, Asus motherboards appear to have caused malfunctions in the Ryzen 7000 processors, with users reporting dead processors and visible damage on motherboards. Gamers Nexus, a YouTube channel, criticized Asus for allegedly releasing faulty BIOS updates that permitted unsafe voltages in Ryzen 7000 processors, leading to these issues.

In response to the controversy, Asus issued an official statement, assuring customers that the warranty of ASUS AM5 motherboards would cover both beta and fully validated BIOS updates. It further clarified that the ASUS AM5 motherboard warranty also encompasses all AMD EXPO, Intel XMP, and DOCP memory configurations. Moreover, Asus stated that all recent BIOS updates comply with the latest AMD voltage guidelines for the Ryzen 7000 series processors.

However, a Reddit post showing a large number of returned Asus motherboards at Micro Center raised questions about Asus's reputation and trustworthiness. A closer look reveals that the majority of these returned boards are Intel Z690 models, not related to the AMD Ryzen 7000 controversy. Some speculate the returns might be linked to a recent upgrade promotion by Micro Center, which encouraged users to return their old boards. Nevertheless, the controversy surrounding Asus's handling of the overvolting issues with Ryzen processors could have long-lasting implications for the brand's reputation.

#AMD #motherboard #CPU #red_team

Great article on benefits of using AMD processors.

#AMD #CPU #APU #red_team

AMD has unveiled two workstation GPUs, the Radeon Pro W7900 and Radeon Pro W7800, based on the advanced RDNA 3 architecture. These high-performance GPUs, designed for workflows such as visualization, real-time 3D, ray trace rendering, and more, are equipped with unified RDNA 3 compute units, dual-issue stream processors, AI accelerators, and second-generation ray tracing accelerators. According to AMD, RDNA 3 delivers up to a 50% increase in raytracing performance per compute unit compared to the previous generation.

The Radeon Pro W7900 is a triple (2.5) slot GPU, packing 48 GB of GDDR6 memory and 61 TFLOPs of peak single precision performance with a total board power of 295W, priced at $3,999. On the other hand, the Radeon Pro W7800 is a dual slot GPU, featuring 32 GB of GDDR6 memory and 45 TFLOPs of peak single precision performance with a total board power of 260W, available for $2,499.

Both GPUs are engineered to rival Nvidia's RTX 6000 Ada Generation (48 GB). While AMD's Radeon Pro W7900 outperforms Nvidia's flagship pro GPU in certain benchmarks, AMD emphasizes the competitive price-performance ratio of both GPUs. For instance, in the SPECviewperf 2020 GeoMean benchmark, AMD claims the Radeon Pro W7900 comes within 7% of the Nvidia RTX A6000 Ada Generation's performance, but at less than half the cost ($3,999 vs $8,615), delivering more than double the price-performance.

The newly launched GPUs also feature support for DisplayPort 2.1, a significant upgrade from the previous generation that allows for increased refresh rate, pixel resolution, and color bit-depth. This ensures these GPUs are future-proofed for next-gen displays. Both the Radeon Pro W7800 and W7900 offer three DisplayPort 2.1 and one Mini DisplayPort 2.1 connectors, contrasting with the previous Radeon Pro W6800's six Mini DisplayPort 1.4 connectors.

The Radeon Pro W7900, with its 48 GB memory, offers a 50% increase from its predecessor, the Radeon Pro W6800, matching the Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada's memory capacity. As workflows become increasingly complex, larger memory capacity is crucial for handling high-polygon datasets and multitasking. Both GPUs are expected to be available in Q2 2023, with OEM and SI system availability expected in 2H 2023.

#AMD #GPU #red_team