Sunday, February 4th 2024
AMD Readies X870E Chipset to Launch Alongside First Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" CPUs
AMD is readying the new 800-series motherboard chipset to launch alongside its next-generation Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processors that implement the "Zen 5" microarchitecture. The chipset family will be led by the AMD X870E, a successor to the current X670E. Since AMD isn't changing the CPU socket, and this is very much the same Socket AM5, the 800-series chipset will support not just "Granite Ridge" at launch, but also the Ryzen 7000 series "Raphael," and Ryzen 8000 series "Hawk Point." Moore's Law is Dead goes into the details of what sets the X870E apart from the current X670E, and it all has to do with USB4.
Apparently, motherboard manufacturers will be mandated to include 40 Gbps USB4 connectivity with AMD X870E, which essentially makes the chipset a 3-chip solution—two Promontory 21 bridge chips, and a discrete ASMedia ASM4242 USB4 host controller; although it's possible that AMD's QVL will allow other brands of USB4 controllers as they become available. The Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" are chiplet based processors just like the Ryzen 7000 "Raphael," and while the 4 nm "Zen 5" CCDs are new, the 6 nm client I/O die (cIOD) is largely carried over from "Raphael," with a few updates to its memory controller. DDR5-6400 will be the new AMD-recommended "sweetspot" speed; although AMD might get its motherboard vendors to support DDR5-8000 EXPO profiles with an FCLK of 2400 MHz, and a divider.
The Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" will launch alongside a new wave of AMD X870E motherboards, although these processors very much will be supported on AMD 600-series chipset motherboards with BIOS updates. The vast majority of Socket AM5 motherboards feature USB BIOS Flashback, and so you could even pick up a 600-series chipset motherboard with a Ryzen 9000 series processor in combos. The company might expand the 800-series with other chipset models, such as the X870, B850, and the new B840 in the entry level.
Sources:
Moore's Law is Dead (YouTube), Tweaktown
Apparently, motherboard manufacturers will be mandated to include 40 Gbps USB4 connectivity with AMD X870E, which essentially makes the chipset a 3-chip solution—two Promontory 21 bridge chips, and a discrete ASMedia ASM4242 USB4 host controller; although it's possible that AMD's QVL will allow other brands of USB4 controllers as they become available. The Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" are chiplet based processors just like the Ryzen 7000 "Raphael," and while the 4 nm "Zen 5" CCDs are new, the 6 nm client I/O die (cIOD) is largely carried over from "Raphael," with a few updates to its memory controller. DDR5-6400 will be the new AMD-recommended "sweetspot" speed; although AMD might get its motherboard vendors to support DDR5-8000 EXPO profiles with an FCLK of 2400 MHz, and a divider.
216 Comments on AMD Readies X870E Chipset to Launch Alongside First Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" CPUs
As for this "new" chipset, I would have preferred it if they had changed the link between the chipset and the CPU to use PCIe 5 instead of PCIe 4. Then the chipset could have provided 16 lanes of PCIe 3 for up to 4 PCIe 3 m.2 slots or whatever else the motherboard maker wanted to use.
On ASM4242, PCIe data transfer is not that much faster than on TB4, ~3.8 GB/s vs. ~3 GB/s, as measured with several SSDs. In theory, over 40 Gbps port, USB4 PCIe data speed could be ~4.5 GB/s, but it will take the implementation od USB4 v2.0 ports at 80 Gbps to fully unlock the speed of PCIe link at 64 Gbps.
It was both notable, and disappointing how much 'expansion' has been removed entirely or relegated to (few, Gen4/Gen5) M.2 slots.I can think of at least 3 major providers, and have ran-across 3 'no names'. However, (IIRC) only 2 (ASM and PLX) are in active R&D on Gen4->.
Still, agreed.
TBH, I wish enthusiasts were allowed to 'piecemeal' our platforms. Ex. those PROM21 x4 Add-In cards ASRock showed off, really tickled my fancy.
Chipset silicon is much cheaper this way, and all additional lanes on the second chipset make a difference between B650 and X670. It's really simple - either less connectivity or more connectivity.
If anyone wants even more, which is rarely the case, there are boards maximizing the connectivity and x4 AICs with USB4, SATA, NVMe, etc. Research also shows that the usage of secondary x8 GPU slot is low. And Gigabyte got rid off it. You can love then ir hate them for that, but it's a clear signal for their buyers - if you use only one x16 slot for GPU, here are boards for you. Asrock and Asus more often than not have two x16 slots, running at x8 idmf both are occupied, for those who need more connectivity.
It's about choice And there's plenty of it.Yes. Ryzen 9000 will have a substantial update on iGPU, with at least RDNA 3 engine, probably 2CUs, plus we expect XDNA cores on the silicon too, in readiness for Windows 12 Copilot and other tasks.
iGPU update is another improvement on I/O die, so I don't understand when people say "it's the same I/O". Well, clearly it's not.
The only thing AMD could have provided better was integrated USB4 on die rather than discrete solution via ASM4242. They have had integrated USB4 since Rembrandt APU, it has finally arrived on desktop APUs too with Phoenix, so it's time that 'regular' desktop CPUs also integrate USB4. Arrow Lake S will have TB4 integrated, the first time Intel does this on desktop CPUs.
Even if they etch I/O die again on 6nm, its going to have a different design due to feature upgrades. A million dollar question is which features, apart from new iGPU and a bit faster memory controller, would be included. Media engine could also get a new codec capability alongside RDNA upgrade, so AV1 encoding should come to desktop x86 CPU for the first time.
We haven't seen any reliable leaks dissecting I/O. Leakers clearly have no idea either and AMD has been guarding information quite well.
I guess we'll see when it comes out. :)
3.8 Gbps is about what ASMedia has managed to squeeze out of their implementation, so that's correct.
USB4 doesn't support native networking, it was a stipulation by a certain company.
Some test results from ASMedia at Computex last year.
Since 1Gbps LAN became standard beside the good old USB v2.0 in the early 2000-s
Then there's cost as well and with Realtek now having a low-cost 5 Gbps part which will be sub $5 vs Marvell/Aquantia at $20-25 for a 10 Gbps chip... You do the math.
I was also puzzled by actual USB4 data mode. The wording of the spec of ASM4242 on their website suggests that the controller provides USB4 Gen 3 x 2 bandwidth for data traffic, mostly tunnelled, including up to USB 3.2 20 Gbps.
There is no mention that USB4 native data traffic is supported at 40 Gbps, unless I missed something obvious.
New X870E is X670E with USB4 controller. B850 is B650E and B840 is B650. And we will have a small 20% price hike so if you would like post code debug display on-board which costs 3 cents, you will have to buy at least B850 board for lets say €400 as a midrange.
I think I will stay with AM4 and B550-E for a long long time.
The problem is space on the board rather than lanes. With a modern GPU, that blocks 3-5 slots, there isn't much room left for PCIe-slots usable for AIC/soundcards/Storage-controllers/10GbE/videocapture/USB4/TB4.
I could get Sata drives like 870 Evo 4TB but that costs the same as a 990 Pro 4TB where I live.
I have two 2 TB nvme drives: one for games, the other for the OS. For storage, I have a 4 and an 8 TB spinner, which is plenty (I think), and I still have 2 SATA ports left empty. Oh, I also have an 8 TB external hard drive, but that doesn't count.