Tuesday, May 30th 2017
AMD Ryzen Threadripper Detailed - Why Intel HEDT is in Trouble
AMD today talked a little more about the Ryzen Threadripper, its upcoming line of HEDT (high-end desktop) processors, which will compete with Intel's recently launched Core i7 and Core i9 X-series processors. The chips will still be launched "later this Summer," and AMD hasn't mentioned models, yet. We know of at least two features which will spell trouble for Intel, and it's not the CPU core performance.
The first of two killer Threadripper features is that it has 64 PCI-Express gen 3.0 lanes across all its models - 12-core and 16-core. This is unlike Intel, where you get 44 (not 64) PCIe lanes to begin with, and those start with the $999 Core i9-7900X ten-core processor. Models below this are relegated to 28 lanes, removing the biggest advantage of the HEDT platform - to be able to run more than one graphics card at full x16 PCIe bandwidth. The second killer Threadripper feature is its memory controller. AMD announced that Quad-channel DDR4 memory will be available across the lineup. This again is unlike Intel, where the Core i5-7640X and Core i7-7740X quad-core LGA2066 chips feature just dual-channel memory. All Threadripper chips further feature 32 MB of shared L3 cache. ASUS, ASRock, GIGABYTE, and MSI are said to be developing Ryzen Threadripper motherboards based on the X399 chipset as we speak.
The first of two killer Threadripper features is that it has 64 PCI-Express gen 3.0 lanes across all its models - 12-core and 16-core. This is unlike Intel, where you get 44 (not 64) PCIe lanes to begin with, and those start with the $999 Core i9-7900X ten-core processor. Models below this are relegated to 28 lanes, removing the biggest advantage of the HEDT platform - to be able to run more than one graphics card at full x16 PCIe bandwidth. The second killer Threadripper feature is its memory controller. AMD announced that Quad-channel DDR4 memory will be available across the lineup. This again is unlike Intel, where the Core i5-7640X and Core i7-7740X quad-core LGA2066 chips feature just dual-channel memory. All Threadripper chips further feature 32 MB of shared L3 cache. ASUS, ASRock, GIGABYTE, and MSI are said to be developing Ryzen Threadripper motherboards based on the X399 chipset as we speak.
90 Comments on AMD Ryzen Threadripper Detailed - Why Intel HEDT is in Trouble
Waiting for full range of TR4/X399 offerings and waterblocks. Have to check compatibility of HBAs/RAID controllers too, but first I need some TR hardware on my plate. :cool:
Let Intel choke on X299 platform. Monopoly is over.:peace:
So I can understand why AMD are marketing their names in a similar way. The whole A series was a bit like Audi naming versus the BMW sounding ix, probably for the same reason.
Get bigger drives and partition... there are plenty of ways to make that happen. ;)
The 16 core threadripper will be the highest binned dies with no disabled parts. This increases the manufacturing cost depending on how high they need these chips binned.
This screen grab from the Threadripper powerpoint shows that there is 40 MB of total cache (32 L3 + 8 L2). The author of this article is incorrect when he says that there is just 16 MB of L3 cache.
Rest this. :p
Take a look at your own reporting, vs. how you present the competition.
We all know even Broadwell-E has better cores than Ryzen, and considering Skylake-X features up to 18 cores, higher clocks and higher IPC, there is no reasonable argument why Intel HEDT is in trouble. Let's wait for the real benchmarks, OK?
If AMD were expecting the 16-core Threadripper to compete with 10 (or at most 12) cores from Intel, then who is the one shaking in fear? Surely it's a nice feature, but it only matters to people running multiple GPUs for extreme compute workloads, which will require one of the higher CPUs anyway.
You know very well that the extra lanes doesn't matter for gaming. That's nitpicking. The pointless quadcores doesn't define the validity of the platform as a whole.
Skylake-X will on the other hand provide a redesigned cache hierarchy, lower cache latency, etc. Ryzen have a poor prefetcher. Ryzen is actually running higher clocks than current Intel HEDT.
Sure, they're wasting half the cores from Naples, but these are nice salvages. You can still do the math, though. I can buy a ryzen 7 1700 for nearly 300 bucks or a salvaged 1600 for 200.
Can Intel sell an 8 and 6 core for those prices? Not even if they wanted to price war, I wager.
AMDs method is for tasks that scale well and don't suffer from penalties with being on different clusters. Intels CPU is by far better but very expensive.
Which is why AMDs method is nice to have an alternative. Intels may be better but AMDs is bar far more cost effective and helps the average joe.
Any news on if these support ECC/RDDIMMs? I would love to ditch my 1650v3 for a 16 core AMD CPU if i can afford it. they aren't wasting anything. It was reported that AMD has some crazy 80% yield. ASmedia is a terrible controller for HDDs and should always be avoided. Single thread is most important for my main rig. Main rig needs, GPU (16), 10GbE (4/8), M.2 (4), and TB (?) would be nice but thats already way way way past 16 lanes. Thats what 24-32 lanes?
I'll need more when Optane because sanely priced in a couple years.
Also 10GbE isn't expensive. I did it for 500 bucks or something.
200 for swtich, 100 for 2 NIC, cables and other stuff IIRC. He means the 5% of people who actually use computers? This made my day!
Someone asking why you need more than 6 SATA ports....and need lots of PCIe Lanes....does this answer it?
Still work in progress
yea...this is why you need PCIe Lanes :D