Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)

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HurleyBird

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Apr 22, 2003
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Yea because Apple is pretty good at core design and their freq targets are low.
Zen5c is also sorta comparable area.

The big difference here that makes the comparison between Apple P cores and AMD c cores somewhat one sided is that everything in an Apple P core is optimized around low-mid frequency operation. That means, among other things, that low level caches can be larger and faster. Big Zen cores are likewise optimized to hit high frequencies, which requires certain sacrifices, because TANSTAAFL. The small Zen c cores are pretty much the same as the large ones except that the design goal is to hugely reduce area. Reducing frequency isn't a goal, but a side effect of reducing area. To my knowledge, there has been exactly zero effort in Zen4c optimize the implementation for the reduced frequency range. If even the initial low hanging fruit of tightening cache timings had been pursued, you would expect Zen4c to attain higher IPC than regular Zen4 in a number of benchmarks, which so far does not seem to be the case.

I expect the Zen c cores will diverge more against regular big cores with each successive generation, but will continue to maintain full architectural compatibility. I'm not necessarily expecting it, but it wouldn't surprise me either if, eventually, c cores get to the point where a combination of improved IPC, power, and area efficiency obsoletes the development of regular big cores.
 
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adroc_thurston

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The big difference here that makes the comparison between Apple P cores and AMD c cores somewhat one sided is that everything in an Apple P core is optimized around low-mid frequency operation
Kinda but many ways to skin a cat.
To my knowledge, there has been exactly zero effort in Zen4c optimize the implementation for the reduced frequency range.
Of course, it's lowest effort for biggest ROI.
I expect the Zen c cores will diverge more against regular big cores with each successive generation
No they'll forever be a low-effort poverty option, which is the point.
You take class leading core and you make a low freq floorplan for it.
eventually, c cores get to the point where a combination of improved IPC, power, and area efficiency obsoletes the development of regular big cores
Never.
They're to serve cheap segments.
Unless it got delayed again.
The thing got delayed twice since then.
 

HurleyBird

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Apr 22, 2003
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No they'll forever be a low-effort poverty option, which is the point.
You take class leading core and you make a low freq floorplan for it.

I find it quite difficult to believe that AMD wouldn't try to pluck some low hanging fruit in 5c or at least 6c. Biggest blocker with optimizing zen4c for its frequency range had got to be a combination of A) not doing too many new things at once for a new type of product and B) having sizeable error bars on where that frequency range would fall in the first place.

It's entirely possible, if not probable, that c cores significantly supersede regular big cores in enterprise. Bergamo is super impressive despite having one hand tied behind its back (could have been 192-cores with a 16-core CCX or more IF links on the server IOD). You really think AMD will ignore all that low hanging fruit on what is very likely going to become their most important product?
 

soresu

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Dec 19, 2014
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No they'll forever be a low-effort poverty option, which is the point.
They also increase the core count potential per socket and I doubt that is cheap at the higher end for Sienna.

Though ye clearly they offer great potential for making the bargain bin embedded stuff cheaper too where 30% area savings make an impact on super high volume, low cost SKUs.
 

adroc_thurston

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I find it quite difficult to believe that AMD wouldn't try to pluck some low hanging fruit in 5c or at least 6c
Why waste effort?
It's entirely possible, if not probable, that c cores significantly supersede regular big cores in enterprise
No.
They're for poverty segments like cloud or mobile.
You really think AMD will ignore all that low hanging fruit on what is very likely going to become their most important product?
Well they did.
The most effort you're getting is dense CCD being on a better node to make sure cloud customers don't try to look elsewhere.
 
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Tigerick

Senior member
Apr 1, 2022
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$999 take it or leave it.
I don't think AMD will price 8950X @ $999. In fact, I think AMD will price Ryzen 8000 series similar to current pricing of Zen4, maybe slight price premium but not $999. There is X3D version of Zen 5 coming and I believe AMD will position it like current one.

Remember Threadripper 7000 (non-pro) with up to 64 Zen4 cores which supposedly should launch anytime soon: that would carry real price premium starting from $999 and up. It is late to party cause with Zen 5 coming early next year and of course followed by Threadripper 8000 with up to 64 cores...
 
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v.strix

Junior Member
Aug 25, 2022
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Apple P cores are crazy small compared to Intels and a bit smaller than AMD Zen4.
Yea because Apple is pretty good at core design and their freq targets are low.
Zen5c is also sorta comparable area.
That's what you'd think, isn't it?

In reality, without L2 they're exactly the same at ~2.6 mm².
That's comparing Avalanche in A15/M2 with regular Zen4. Of course, Everest is even larger.

And Zen4c is less than 1.5 mm².
 
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branch_suggestion

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Aug 4, 2023
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I think one thing to consider is the major product cycle for the next few years:
2024: Z5, RDNA4 intermediate gen
2025: Strix Halo, MI400
2026: Z6, RDNA5 full gen

The funniest part about Zen5 is that it is the last Zen2 derivative gen in regards to packaging, when Zen6 launches with more advanced packaging it will become the standard option whilst Zen6 is the exotic option. So expect Zen5 to remain in production for years to come.
So with the 9950X using a similar layout to Strix Halo minus the big iGPU, it will be $999+ assuming Panther Lake is barely a Zen5 competitor. Meanwhile you still have discounted Zen5 parts that would be too hard for anyone to price war against.

But hey, client isn't a complete L for Intel, they have niche stuff like LNL which should perform fine.
Server meanwhile, it is simply over for any part not tied to a hyperscaler, Intel and the ARMlets will need to accept poverty margins.
AMD has won CPU, it will do the same thing to all forms of high performance computing in due course. Also look out for even more industry consortiums containing every big company except the green one. Having everyone else working against you will be super funny when the bubble bursts. Isn't that right, wannabe Steve Jobs?
 
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BorisTheBlade82

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May 1, 2020
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Bergamo is super impressive despite having one hand tied behind its back (could have been 192-cores with a 16-core CCX or more IF links on the server IOD). You really think AMD will ignore all that low hanging fruit on what is very likely going to become their most important product?
Bergamo is not IFoP limited. It only uses 8 ports although the sIOD has 12 available.
 
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