AMD, in an interview with Forbes, confirmed that it is working to improve DDR4 memory support of its Ryzen series processors, to enable higher memory clocks. AMD Ryzen users find it difficult to get DDR4 memory clocks to run above 3000 MHz reliably. With memory clock being linked with the chip's Infinity Fabric clock (the interconnect between two CCX units on the "Summit Ridge" silicon), the performance incentives for higher memory clocks are just that much more.

AMD confirmed that its AGESA update for May improves DDR4 memory compatibility, although it also stressed on the need for motherboard manufacturers to improve their board designs in the future, with more PCB layers and better copper traces between the DIMM slots and the SoC socket. The company assures that more updates to AGESA are in the pipeline, and would improve performance of Ryzen processors at various levels. The AGESA updates are dispensed through motherboard vendors as BIOS updates.

The company also talked at length about game optimization, and how it has a dedicated team tasked to work with game studios on improving game performance on Ryzen processors, particularly at lower resolutions such as 1080p. At 1080p, today's games begin to get CPU-limited, and this is one area where Ryzen processors are losing ground to Intel Core processors. AMD has already worked with Oxide Games to improve Ryzen machines' performance with "Ashes of the Singularity," and is working to improve 1080p performance of other titles such as "Total War: Warhammer" and "DOTA 2." AMD also credits the recent Ryzen-balanced power plan, introduced through a chipset driver update, to improve performance in games by another 5-10 percent, which hands power-management from the OS over to CPU silicon-level Precision Boost features.

AMD also dispelled some misconceptions about the 20°C temperature offset noticed with Ryzen "X" series processors (eg: 1800X, 1600X). The Ryzen Master software places a 20°C temperature offset, which had some enthusiasts thinking that the "X" series processors have a lower throttling temperature. AMD clarified that the temperature offset never affected thermal throttling on these processors, and that it has updated Ryzen Master software to show the correct temperature.

AMD touched upon the lack of mini-ITX socket AM4 motherboards. While acknowledging the market successes of the recent mini-ITX motherboards by BIOSTAR, which are based on the X370 and B350 chipsets, AMD hinted that the broader availability of mini-ITX motherboards could be linked to its upcoming X300 chipset. Given that the mini-ITX form-factor mandates fewer expansion slots, onboard devices, and storage connectivity, the form-factor can make do with the SATA and USB ports put out directly by socket AM4 Ryzen processors, given that they are full-fledged SoCs. The X300 chipset lacks bandwidth-heavy downstream connectivity of its own, and only has the low-bandwidth machinery to keep the platform running. It also has extremely low thermal and power requirements that make it perfect for mini-ITX.

Lastly, AMD talked about the roll-out of its cost-effective Ryzen 3-series processors. The company is looking to launch quad-core and perhaps even dual-core Ryzen 3-series processors based on the "Summit Ridge" silicon, by Q3-2017 (after June). Ryzen 3 quad-core chips differ from Ryzen 5 series quad-core chips such as the Ryzen 5 1400, in that they lack SMT. Find the full interview in the link below.