Thursday, April 25th 2024
AMD "Strix Point" Mobile Processor Confirmed 12-core/24-thread, But Misses Out on PCIe Gen 5
AMD's next-generation Ryzen 9000 "Strix Point" mobile processor, which succeeds the current Ryzen 8040 "Hawk Point" and Ryzen 7040 "Phoenix," is confirmed to feature a CPU core-configuration of 12-core/24-thread, according to a specs-leak by HKEPC citing sources among notebook OEMs. It appears like Computex 2024 will be big for AMD, with the company preparing next-gen processor announcements across the desktop and notebook lines. Both the "Strix Point" mobile processor and "Granite Ridge" desktop processor debut the company's next "Zen 5" microarchitecture.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from "Zen 5" is that AMD has increased the number of CPU cores per CCX from 8 in "Zen 3" and "Zen 4," to 12 in "Zen 5." While this doesn't affect the core-counts of its CCD chiplets (which are still expected to be 8-core), the "Strix Point" processor appears to use one giant CCX with 12 cores. Each of the "Zen 5" cores has a 1 MB dedicated L2 cache, while the 12 cores share a 24 MB L3 cache. The 12-core/24-thread CPU, besides the generational IPC gains introduced by "Zen 5," marks a 50% increase in CPU muscle over "Hawk Point." It's not just the CPU complex, even the iGPU sees a hardware update.
Apparently, AMD is increasing the workgroup processor (WGP) count of the iGPU from 6 on the current "Hawk Point" processor, to 8 on "Strix Point." This works out to 16 compute units, or 1,024 stream processors, making a 33% increase in the shader engine's performance. The new iGPU is based on the updated RDNA 3+ graphics architecture. "Strix Point" also debuts AMD's 2nd Generation Ryzen AI NPU based on the XDNA 2 architecture. This NPU offers 50 AI TOPS in performance, an over 3-fold increase from the 16 TOPS offered by the NPU on "Hawk Point."
In terms of I/O, one can expect an updated display engine with DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR10, DSC, and support for 8K @ 60 Hz with a single cable. The memory interfaces are expected to remain unchanged spare for increased reference speeds, with support for DDR5 and LPDDR5(x) memory types. One area for disappointment is the PCIe interface. We had expected "Strix Point" to feature PCIe Gen 5, but it seems like AMD had other plans. The PCIe interface of "Strix Point" will be similar to that of "Phoenix" and "Hawk Point," it will stick to PCIe Gen 4. While this might not mean much for discrete GPUs, it would mean that you can't use the latest Gen 5 NVMe SSDs at their advertised speeds.
The same specs sheet also confirms a lot of specs of the larger "Strix Halo" chiplet-based mobile flagship processor, you can read all about it in our older article.
Source:
HKEPC
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from "Zen 5" is that AMD has increased the number of CPU cores per CCX from 8 in "Zen 3" and "Zen 4," to 12 in "Zen 5." While this doesn't affect the core-counts of its CCD chiplets (which are still expected to be 8-core), the "Strix Point" processor appears to use one giant CCX with 12 cores. Each of the "Zen 5" cores has a 1 MB dedicated L2 cache, while the 12 cores share a 24 MB L3 cache. The 12-core/24-thread CPU, besides the generational IPC gains introduced by "Zen 5," marks a 50% increase in CPU muscle over "Hawk Point." It's not just the CPU complex, even the iGPU sees a hardware update.
In terms of I/O, one can expect an updated display engine with DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR10, DSC, and support for 8K @ 60 Hz with a single cable. The memory interfaces are expected to remain unchanged spare for increased reference speeds, with support for DDR5 and LPDDR5(x) memory types. One area for disappointment is the PCIe interface. We had expected "Strix Point" to feature PCIe Gen 5, but it seems like AMD had other plans. The PCIe interface of "Strix Point" will be similar to that of "Phoenix" and "Hawk Point," it will stick to PCIe Gen 4. While this might not mean much for discrete GPUs, it would mean that you can't use the latest Gen 5 NVMe SSDs at their advertised speeds.
The same specs sheet also confirms a lot of specs of the larger "Strix Halo" chiplet-based mobile flagship processor, you can read all about it in our older article.
42 Comments on AMD "Strix Point" Mobile Processor Confirmed 12-core/24-thread, But Misses Out on PCIe Gen 5
Ultra Important features that no one can live without, for sure
The only thing that uses PCIe5 in the consumer space right now is expensive SSDS that you have to figure out how to keep from overheating.
I simply omit the part stating the number of CCD'S and CCX's and focus on the number of cores and how L3 cache was implemented.
Edit:
So many errors typing on a smartphone
CCX is the core complex, i.e. the cluster of cores.
There isn't much of a difference nowasday because AMD has gone to 1 CCD = 1 CCX since Zen 3. But it was a consideration that was important in the Zen 2 days as each CCD had up to 2 CCX, each with 4 cores. There were difference in performance in Zen 2 parts that were both four core but one had it in a single CCX while other had it enabled two cores per CCX.
The same is true for monolithic Zen 2 APUs which had up to two CCXs.
It makes me wonder if they might embrace a design that pairs two mid-end chips to make a high-end solution(replicating the strategy adopted by Ryzen).
Plus, it's interesting to note that 40CU matches the specifications of (numerous) CDNA3 dies utilized in the Instinct design. :cool:
But when "the top" goes for $1k+, I really don't care what happens there.
1. Cult followers - few but they actually exist.
2. Belief in anything negative even if untrue to always justify buying Nvidia.
3. And the worst Nvidia user - those who want AMD to compete in order to bring down prices of Nvidia cards so they can afford one. That’s a special kind of irrationality.
So AMD might go the Apple route and almost always bundle the GPU and CPU together. Maybe make a discrete card for the most popular price bracket (mid range) and save the rest of capacity space for Instincts.
Though I dont think IF links are fast enough to link 2 GPUs
Strix point and Strix halo can't compete with high end anyway.
You're better off with a Gen 3 SSD. It's more than fast enough for any laptop and never uses a lot of power.
Besides, what is the 7900xtx's market? How many people are there who want to buy a $1000 GPU that pulls more power and is significantly slower at RT then the competition? There IS a market there, the 7900xt/xtx were hard to find for months after launch, but that market does have a limit.
Many who were pent up on demand for a fast rater GPU jumped on a 6800/6900 series and were not willing to dump a grand for a 30% uptick. Nvidia has a rotation of people that seem to wait 2-3 gens then upgrade (many from pascal and turing gen owners are buying ampere, if steam results indicate anything), for AMD, 2-3 gens earlier there was no high end, and few if any consumers who had something considered good enough to wait for a 7000. IMO this is the reason their mid range does a lot better, there's actually a rotation of customers there.
How many actually thinks "I just wish AMD got gone, even if it meant I had to pay twice the price for my next RTX!".
Also, RDNA3 is almost a freak in recent AMD GPU history in that it doesn't throw efficiency under the bus.