Editorial AMD Ryzen 7045HX3D "Dragon Range" with 3DV Cache Should Technically be Possible

[Darmok N Jalad]

What??? That's only true when compared to the desktop parts, which are running with stupid high power targets, both nowhere reasonable for a laptop.



They may be better chips, but the extra cache requires more power by itself (shown with the 5800x3d) and the benefits of said cache are questionable on a laptop - dragon range already has double the usual cache for laptops, they're desktop chips essentially.

Yes, but this technology is also fairly new. There’s nothing saying they won’t improve on the concept and bring in more power management in future generations. As was mentioned above, the iGPU would likely see a huge benefit from this fast local cache pool, perhaps like we already see from Infinity Cache on desktop GPUs. The larger this 3DV, the better it could get, to the point that AMD’s mobile CPUs could start growing the IGP in future generations and we actually see solid performance. Seems like it would get them some more laptop design wins if OEMs might be able to sell entry level gaming laptops without a dGPU entirely.

 

[Denver]

What??? That's only true when compared to the desktop parts, which are running with stupid high power targets, both nowhere reasonable for a laptop.



They may be better chips, but the extra cache requires more power by itself (shown with the 5800x3d) and the benefits of said cache are questionable on a laptop - dragon range already has double the usual cache for laptops, they're desktop chips essentially.

It's not, if you factor the extra performance that 3D cache brings into gaming efficiency.

 

[TumbleGeorge]

It's not hard to imagine why there's a lot of gamer perspective here. But laptops were not originally invented to play computer games with them, and still the main directions are different. Gaming laptops still do not represent a large part of the number of manufactured ones.

 

[rv8000]

It's not hard to imagine why there's a lot of gamer perspective here. But laptops were not originally invented to play computer games with them, and still the main directions are different. Gaming laptops still do not represent a large part of the number of manufactured ones.

Doesn’t change the point that people should understand what they’re buying and base it on their needs.

Sort of irrelevant as both a normal Zen 4 mobile part and 3D vcache line can coexist. A 3D cache variant would be just as beneficial to those who do multiple tasks on the mobile platform, potentially more than desktop SKUs as the top boost range is already narrower on mobile chips

 

[AnotherReader]

It's not hard to imagine why there's a lot of gamer perspective here. But laptops were not originally invented to play computer games with them, and still the main directions are different. Gaming laptops still do not represent a large part of the number of manufactured ones.

It depends upon the use case, but you should consider the extra power given to the regular 7950X. At laptop like power limits, the 3D cache is not a hindrance. There are also workloads besides gaming where it lifts performance considerably. Also consider that laptops typically have JEDEC spec memory, i.e. typically DDR5 4800 CL40 or the like. I wager that testing with RAM like that will show a greater benefit for the 3D cache.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Sounds like a nice idea for a review, take the 7950X3D, drop it to the one 3DV-CCD, then cap the power to 35/45W and start testing. I’m betting it would boost just as well as a conventional CCD, since thermals are the main challenge with 3DV. I tend to agree that it’s a product that might really be at its best in mobile parts. Perhaps one reason we haven’t seen it is due to the different design of mobile ryzens, being monolithic and all. However, a monolithic chip sure has a lot more sq mm for 3DV.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

Perhaps one reason we haven’t seen it is due to the different design of mobile ryzens, being monolithic and all. However, a monolithic chip sure has a lot more sq mm for 3DV.

Phoenix Point is monolithic, but Dragon Range is the chiplet-based parts repackaged onto a BGA substrate.