Wednesday, June 22nd 2016

AMD "Zen" Processor Integrated Chipset Has USB 3.1 Issues, Could Escalate Costs

With its next-generation processors and APUs based on the "Zen" micro-architecture, AMD is integrating the chipset into the processor/APU die, making motherboards entirely chipset-free. This on-die chipset, however, is rumored to be facing issues with its integrated USB 3.1 controllers, according to industry sources. AMD sourced the design for the integrated USB 3.1 controllers from ASMedia. The company has a tendency of sourcing integrated controller IP from third-party manufacturers (eg: its SATA controllers and port-multipliers in the past have been sourced from Silicon Image).

Motherboard manufacturers are noticing significant drops in USB 3.1 bandwidths with increase in circuit distances (think wiring running from the AM4 socket to USB 3.1 front-panel headers on the bottom-right corner of a motherboard). Board designers are reportedly having to use additional retimer and redriver chips to get acceptable bandwidths over such ports, and in some cases even entire USB 3.1 controllers, eating into the platform's PCIe budget and escalating costs.
AMD stated that the "Zen" processor platform is on-track, and the company will not comment on "customer specific board-level solutions." ASMedia played down the reports as industry rumors, and stated that its solutions passed the necessary certifications. The DigiTimes report adds that "AMD's Zen processors are seeing stable development and have a satisfactory yield rate, and about to enter the engineering sample stage in the near future."
Source: DigiTimes
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83 Comments on AMD "Zen" Processor Integrated Chipset Has USB 3.1 Issues, Could Escalate Costs

#76
Recon-UK
Well i think we have more important matters to look for, like CPU performance and overclocking, just gotta wait for the launch.

Waiting eagerly :P
Posted on Reply
#77
RejZoR
WaroDaBeastOne thing I've noticed is, a lot of people mostly consider a single parameter (in our example, price) when purchasing something: how much RAM a videocard has, how many GB an HDD can hold, etc.

That leads me to think most people will go for the cheaper motherboards regardless of the speed difference. After all, there's no fruit logo or lowercase 'b' on said motherboard, so the price premium is hardly justified in their eyes.
And to be honest, most of such people wouldn't even ever notice there are USB 3.1 issues to begin with if they haven't announced it. I mean, if majority sticks USB 2.0 in these slots and cheapest USB 3.0 drives, it wouldn't even matter if the given ports peak actual USB 3.1 rate or not.
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#78
jaggerwild
HoodAMD has never even been an option for me, mostly because of their lack of support for the latest port speeds (power-hungry, hot-running, and slow also lacks appeal). So get it right, AMD, or continue to be the "poor man's option", with a rapidly dwindling customer base. Zen might be your last chance to avoid bankruptcy...
That funny cause AMD holds the CPU world record, I'm sure you know as you called them slow n such..............
hwbot.org/submission/2615355_the_stilt_cpu_frequency_fx_8370_8722.78_mhz

8732Mhz yeah really ass slow! LOLZ!
Posted on Reply
#80
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
go to cpuz validation, 8350 holds record.

Im just glad mine hit 5.1GHz on air stable.
Posted on Reply
#81
hat
Enthusiast
jaggerwildThat funny cause AMD holds the CPU world record, I'm sure you know as you called them slow n such..............
hwbot.org/submission/2615355_the_stilt_cpu_frequency_fx_8370_8722.78_mhz

8732Mhz yeah really ass slow! LOLZ!
That's like comparing a 4 cylinder engine at 10k rpm to an 8 cylinder engine at 6k rpm. Nevermind the other details, the 4 cylinder runs higher rpm so it must be faster...
Posted on Reply
#82
Aquinus
Resident Wat-man
hatThat's like comparing a 4 cylinder engine at 10k rpm to an 8 cylinder engine at 6k rpm. Nevermind the other details, the 4 cylinder runs higher rpm so it must be faster...
It could. That depends on displacement (if you don't factor in how well the engine breathes as over-square engines can tend to be revved higher more safely and effectively.) Just remember that horsepower is torque multiplied by RPM over a constant, so power scales proportionally to RPM. So if you have a 2.5L 4 banger and a 4L V8, the 2.5L 4 banger could actually possibly produce more power at 10k RPMs than a V8 4.0L at 6k RPMs. For power to be equal, the V8 would need to be about 4.16L or the RPM would need to be raised.

Either way, I get your point but, cars tend to be a terrible example for this particular kind of problem. Circuits are not air-breathing engines. :p
Posted on Reply
#83
WaroDaBeast
AquinusIt could. That depends on displacement (if you don't factor in how well the engine breathes as over-square engines can tend to be revved higher more safely and effectively.) Just remember that horsepower is torque multiplied by RPM over a constant, so power scales proportionally to RPM. So if you have a 2.5L 4 banger and a 4L V8, the 2.5L 4 banger could actually possibly produce more power at 10k RPMs than a V8 4.0L at 6k RPMs. For power to be equal, the V8 would need to be about 4.16L or the RPM would need to be raised.

Either way, I get your point but, cars tend to be a terrible example for this particular kind of problem. Circuits are not air-breathing engines. :p
Yeah... I'd rather say something along the lines of: "That's like saying a Pentium 4 is fast 'cause it reaches high frequencies."
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