Friday, July 7th 2023
AMD Starts Software Enablement of Zen 5 Processors
According to the Linux Kernel Mailing List, AMD started to enable next-generation processors by submitting patches to the Linux kernel. Codenamed Family 1Ah or Family 26 in decimal notation, the set of patches corresponds to the upcoming AMD Zen 5 core, which is the backbone of the upcoming Ryzen 8000 series processors. The patches have a few interesting notes, namely few of them being: added support for the amd64_edac (Error Detection and Correction) module and temperature monitoring; added PCI IDs for these models covering 00h-1Fh and 20h; added required support in k10temp driver.
The AMD EDAC driver also points out that the Zen 5 server CPUs will max out with 12-channel memory. Codenames 0-31 correspond to next-generation EPYC, while 40 to 79 are desktop and laptop SKUS. Interestingly, these patches are just the start, as adding PCI IDs and temperature drivers are basic enablement. With the 2024 launch date nearing, we expect to see more Linux kernel enablement efforts, especially with more complicated parts of the kernel.
Source:
Phoronix
The AMD EDAC driver also points out that the Zen 5 server CPUs will max out with 12-channel memory. Codenames 0-31 correspond to next-generation EPYC, while 40 to 79 are desktop and laptop SKUS. Interestingly, these patches are just the start, as adding PCI IDs and temperature drivers are basic enablement. With the 2024 launch date nearing, we expect to see more Linux kernel enablement efforts, especially with more complicated parts of the kernel.
14 Comments on AMD Starts Software Enablement of Zen 5 Processors
Hope the top "regular Ryzens" will have a 4 channel solution and some +8 or +16 PCIe lanes :)
Laptop dies?
The last Threadripper with "only" 4 channel memory controller was released 5 years ago...
The last two generation has 8 channels, and now I just red this article which says the next might have 12, so yes
I would not be surprised if AMD go ahead and put a 4 channel MC into the top mainstream (Ryzen R9 8##0) CPUs.
In that case, I would say its plausible and could be a big saver as well as the current HEDT platforms (ie, Threadripper) became so expensive to start with in the first place which places a big gap between mainstream and HEDT. Such a new 3 channels DDR6 + extra PCIe lanes might be the perfect fit to fill this gap.
Though, things will probably change, I personally think that CXL will find its way to the consumer world, one way or the other. In fact, CXL might be a more flexible solution than the third memory channel, it could be the solution to the current dilemma of soldered RAM and expandability, soldered RAM is becoming more common and common now to cut costs and have thinner, smaller & more energy-efficient systems, this will be more common in the future that we might see soldered RAM everywhere with CXL option to upgrade the RAM. The RAM will be staged of course (soldered having faster latency compared to CXL, and the system & OS must be aware of this), but the CXL could in theory scale faster than the soldered RAM (bandwidth-wise, not latency) if they used more available PCIe lanes.