Thursday, August 18th 2016
AMD Demos Breakthrough Performance of the ZEN CPU Core
At an event last night in San Francisco, AMD provided additional architectural details and a first look at the performance of its next-generation, high-performance "Zen" processor core. AMD demonstrated the "Zen" core achieving a 40% generational improvement in instructions per clock, delivering a landmark increase in processor performance.
During the event, AMD demonstrated an 8-core, 16-thread "Summit Ridge" desktop processor (featuring AMD's "Zen" core) outperforming a similarly configured 8-core, 16-thread Intel "Broadwell-E" processor when running the multi-threaded Blender rendering software with both CPUs set to the same clock speed. AMD also conducted the first public demonstration of its upcoming 32-core, 64-thread "Zen"-based server processor, codenamed "Naples," in a dual processor server running the Windows Server operating system.
"The performance and efficiency of our 'Zen' core showcases AMD at its best," said Dr. Lisa Su, president and CEO of AMD. "Over the last four years we have made significant investments to develop a high-performance, multi-generation CPU roadmap that will power leadership products. Customer excitement for 'Zen' continues to grow as we make significant progress towards the launch of new products that will span from the datacenter to high-end PCs."
The "Zen" processor core features multiple architectural advances designed to increase the performance, throughput, and efficiency of AMD's future products. "Zen" is based on a clean-sheet design and features a new cache hierarchy, improved branch prediction and simultaneous multithreading (SMT). These advances will allow the "Zen" core to scale to meet the needs of a broad range of applications, including fanless 2-in-1s, embedded systems, high-performance computing, and the datacenter.
"An engineer may get one chance in their career to work on a project of this size and scope, and maybe never one with as much potential to impact the future as much as 'Zen,'" said Mark Papermaster, senior vice president and chief technology officer at AMD. "With 'Zen' we aim to do what many never thought possible - deliver a 40 percent generational improvement in instructions per clock while maintaining power requirements in line with our previous generation technology."
"AMD invested where it counts, with an x86 core that can scale from PCs to high-performance servers," said Linley Gwennap, principal analyst, Linley Group. "Consumers today expect to get the most out of their systems to create transformative experiences. The versatile design of 'Zen' delivers highly-efficient performance that should provide increased computing capabilities across the spectrum - from devices to cloud computing."
Expected to launch first, the "Zen"-based "Summit Ridge" desktops will utilize the AMD AM4 socket, a new unified socket infrastructure that is compatible with 7th Generation AMD A-Series desktop processors - previously codenamed "Bristol Ridge" - for exceptional performance and connectivity scalability required by AMD partners and customers. The first desktop systems featuring 7th Generation AMD A-Series processors and new AM4 sockets are scheduled to ship in the second half of 2016 in OEM PC designs.
With dedicated PCIe lanes for cutting-edge USB, graphics, data and other I/O, the AMD AM4 platform will not steal lanes from other devices and components. This allows users to enjoy systems with improved responsiveness and benefit from future-ready technologies that the AM4 platform provides with a powerful, scalable and reliable computing solution.
AMD AM4 platform key technology features include:
During the event, AMD demonstrated an 8-core, 16-thread "Summit Ridge" desktop processor (featuring AMD's "Zen" core) outperforming a similarly configured 8-core, 16-thread Intel "Broadwell-E" processor when running the multi-threaded Blender rendering software with both CPUs set to the same clock speed. AMD also conducted the first public demonstration of its upcoming 32-core, 64-thread "Zen"-based server processor, codenamed "Naples," in a dual processor server running the Windows Server operating system.
The "Zen" processor core features multiple architectural advances designed to increase the performance, throughput, and efficiency of AMD's future products. "Zen" is based on a clean-sheet design and features a new cache hierarchy, improved branch prediction and simultaneous multithreading (SMT). These advances will allow the "Zen" core to scale to meet the needs of a broad range of applications, including fanless 2-in-1s, embedded systems, high-performance computing, and the datacenter.
"AMD invested where it counts, with an x86 core that can scale from PCs to high-performance servers," said Linley Gwennap, principal analyst, Linley Group. "Consumers today expect to get the most out of their systems to create transformative experiences. The versatile design of 'Zen' delivers highly-efficient performance that should provide increased computing capabilities across the spectrum - from devices to cloud computing."
With dedicated PCIe lanes for cutting-edge USB, graphics, data and other I/O, the AMD AM4 platform will not steal lanes from other devices and components. This allows users to enjoy systems with improved responsiveness and benefit from future-ready technologies that the AM4 platform provides with a powerful, scalable and reliable computing solution.
AMD AM4 platform key technology features include:
- DDR4 Memory
- PCIe Gen 3
- USB 3.1 Gen2 10Gbps
- NVMe
- SATA Express
187 Comments on AMD Demos Breakthrough Performance of the ZEN CPU Core
We absolutely need AMD to step up and stop dragging down the GPU division with constant failures that leak into all areas of the company's budget.
That said and having prefaced myself, I also think it bears repeating:
It is not "a hell of alot (sic) better than the Bulldozer/Thuban era." It is not. They did this exact same style of promises using limited benchmarks and canned game demos along with a protracted series of delays and screeching to the public about how THIS will be the one. THIS IS THE ONE, they told us, with Phenom AND Bulldozer. THIS WILL BE THE ONE THAT BRINGS US BACK!
It's exactly the same as last time. It's absolutely no different. Not better, not worse. It's the same. That's why it's worrisome. Those of us old enough to remember have seen AMD do this song and dance twice over already.
And they have failed to save us from the tyranny of Intel every time they've done it. At this point, I'm not even wholly blaming them if it fails to impact because GloFo is a lead weight that could drag any company's best efforts into bankruptcy and they seem to have no option except to keep using them no matter how badly they botch fabrication time and again...
The day they sold their corporate soul to GloFo was the day they seem to have sealed their fate.
And ours.
All I know Zen was designed by Jim Keller who designed the K8 x86-64 the Athlon 64 .. so maybe there is some hope.
You create a chip that balances in performance, power usage and efficiency, not max OC. The OC is just a gimmick which we might find important but not the AMD's primary goal.
So they have a ES which settles for 3GHz and perhaps 65 to 95W of TDP, and is able to compete against intels latest and best offering with 8 cores / 16 threads, and it beats it with a percentage.
If i'm not mistaken, that CPU is made from the same stuff the RX 480 is made of. And by all the looks of it it is a worthless OC'er since many cards dont reach 1400Mhz for longer then 5 minutes stable (watercooling that is). So knowing this AMD proberly pushes these CPU to already the TDP limit and we need a beefy motherboard with beefy VRM and all that, in order to push for even more.AMD needs sales in the low / mid section, but the higher section as well. Dont forget that enterprise market is WAYYY more important then consumers such as us, and that where enterprise is where the money is.
The SOC is actually a decent design, you only need a motherboard with simply AM4 socket, a decent TDP rating and your good to go. No more difference in socket, chipsets or mostly bios updates. However this cuts the ability to get cherry picked chipsets on for example the high-end AM3+ motherboards for example. Buying a crosshair IV or Z guaranteees you are able to hit 350Mhz HTT and more then 200W of TDP.
I'm confident that AMD has a decent chip, the work put into is paying off, now it needs contracts, decent pricing and they'll have a boost in sales, which is exactly what they need. Never forget the underdog, they already have all major contracts with Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, their graphics part will be more and more important in the future when pushing for asynchronous compute.
And that is exactly where those Radeon cards will shine in. The RX480 is better then the 1060 when using Doom.
If the -E CPU is too strong for it, then they should have compared it with the mainstream models instead for a fair comparison.
It looks to me like there will be some useful performance improvements with Zen, but AMD are gonna continue playing catch-up with Intel, like always. Shame AMD squandered their lead with the A64 series a decade ago. They really blew it. :ohwell:
Often times people compare the most high end AMD has to offer vs the most high end Intel has to offer in terms of performance when there is a massive price difference they then casually cast aside.
That is just as much part of the "stock" compare experience as anything else.
Sure there were no boost/turbo clocks enabled but would there be in the real world if all 16 threads were being utilized @ 100%?
Now they just need to keep it at a reasonable "consumer friendly" price and make up the difference in raw sales.
Let's not forget the other dirty trick that AMD used in the past - selling a small number of graphic cards/CPUs just after the launch where you could unlock a few more cores. And it didn't always worked, but some of us bought them hoping their CPU could be unlocked.
My father uses my old 960T now .... with 8GB of ram, a HD6770 and a Samsung 650 SSD, Spider Solitaire never ran faster :D
Was it Amd who announced some ref 4Gb Rx480's could have memory unlocked, no.
Was it Amd who sold Cpus on a vague promise of bonus cores, again no.
My 8350 clocked a bit beats a 4690k in the right app or game already and many say its 4 year old ass was always shit ,I say, as I said not so and I look forward to Zen , finally Intel's micro opp and wide core rescources for 1thread tactic is getting countered, hold onto your pants cos imho Kaby lakes getting served its own ass.
And how come so many new names turn up in these Amd threads always eager to trash or downplay Amd,I think dual tpu accounts should be banned.
We've seen the Zen ES go from 1.8Ghz to 2.3 and now 3Ghz in this presentation. I don't expect these to be clocked beyond 3.5Ghz. The TDP will likely be above Intel's too (165w is my guess) but the stars of the show will be the 4c/8t and 6c/12t parts.
However you put it, this hope for a free performance bonus enabled AMD to set the price for some CPU's a bit higher.
BTW - I am new to this forum, I don't have multiple accounts, and I am not just thrashing AMD. I'm just dissapointed by the hype created around them every time before a launch. And they almost never deliver at least what's expected.
As for Amd hyping there releases they only do what ALL companies do its communities that over hyped then over slated them ,I mean my 8350 cost 159 UK notes and has done 3 years folding 24/7 and I'm still gaming at ultra settings on almost every game ,how can that be a bad buy ,Zen looks a much stronger proposition, but ill wager that when Amd get close to Intel's Ipc in shops, intel advotees will pull another spec or facet ie efficiency to deride Intel's enemy's stuff
we are hardware enthusiasts after all ;)