AMD mobile processors. The most powerful mobile processors AMD processors for entry-level mobile PCs

A week ago, AMD held a small presentation on the new Ryzen Mobile APU, formerly codenamed Raven Ridge. The speaker - however, as usual - first complained about the current situation in the world of processors. They say that Moore's law is not so strictly fulfilled and everyone has already got used to "5-7% growth per year" (it is known in whose garden this stone is). And even in desktops, where there are no special restrictions, five years ago the mainstream competitor's processor had 4 cores (and 8 threads) with a frequency of about 3.5 GHz, and until recently, all the same 4C / 8T, but at about 4 GHz. Only this year, a competitor changed tactics, offering more cores for the same price as before. In the mobile segment, in this sense, it was even worse before this fall - configuration stability is no longer a sign of skill. Lack of competition is bad for the market and end consumers. However, we have already heard all this from AMD before.

Left - Zen core CCX block, right - GPU block (blue)

The company itself has been developing new cores (CPU and GPU) for the past four years, and, according to AMD, what is important is that they tried to make them as scalable as possible. Powerful server solutions, desktop systems, and now mobile systems for laptops are made on the same basis. In fact, AMD Ryzen Mobile 7 2700U and 5 2500U are one CCX for four Zen cores (8 threads), Radeon Vega graphics and a slightly modified Infinity Fabric bus. The latter combines a CPU, GPU, memory controller, display and multimedia units, and a peripheral controller. The basic version of both chips has a TDP of 15 W, but system manufacturers, with AMD's approval, can independently configure the TDP in the range from 12 (9 is indicated in the table, but 12 was repeatedly announced) to 25 W - everything will depend on the quality of the cooling system. Such settings are not available to the user.

At the microarchitecture level, the new APUs are not much different from the desktop versions of crystals and. The changes concern those areas that are critical specifically for the mobile segment. The developers, for example, cut L3 caches down to 4 MB - just in order not to inflate the die size. We also had to abandon HBM for the GPU - the video memory is cut off from the main DDR4. The exact amount depends on the laptop OEM. For tests (benchmarks are given below) AMD used configurations with 256 MB of video memory, but in general there will be options for 512-1024 MB, since a relatively large amount of RAM in modern laptops is no longer a rarity. And yes, the overall performance of the complex will again partially depend on the frequency of the RAM.

The DDR4-2400 memory controller has also hardly changed: it is dual-channel here, but for some ultraportable solutions AMD insists on using a single-channel configuration - in this case, the difference in graphics performance will be about 20-40%. ECC is supported, but we are unlikely to see this in laptops. The differences between AMD Ryzen Mobile 7 2700U and 5 2500U are not that great. The older model has a base and increased frequencies of 2.2 and 3.8 GHz, respectively, and the younger one - 2.0 and 3.6 GHz. The 2500U has eight 1.1GHz Radeon Vega CUs, while the 2700U has ten running at 1.3GHz. Yes, there will be only two APU models available for now, but AMD is promising to significantly increase the number next year. The crystal has an area of ​​209.78 mm 2 and contains approximately 4.95 billion transistors. The technical process is 14 nm.

However, some important changes in the new chipsets are worth mentioning. The technology of dynamic control of the frequency of crystals Precision Boost acquired the number 2 in the name. It still changes frequencies in 25 MHz increments, but in this case, such a step is used in both the GPU and the CPU. In addition, the new version handles multi-threaded work better - the main limiting factor in the case of laptops will be cooling efficiency rather than power limit. In addition, the Mobile XFR subsystem has appeared in the new APUs - it also additionally increases the turbo frequency above the nominal, but here its task is to keep the established overclocking as long as possible. The exact value of the frequency increase, the number of activated cores and specific APU models with the presence of mXFR have not been announced, however, it is reported that this technology is designed rather for productive laptops with good cooling.

However, some additions are also provided in the power subsystem. Crystals contain thousands of individual sensors (and regulators) that measure voltages directly at the transistor blocks, and with millivolt precision. That is, the data on the state of external VREGs is no longer so important. Voltage regulation for individual Zen-cores already existed, and now it has been added for GPUs as well. Interestingly, the statement of an AMD representative that the worst case of the load, when the peak falls simultaneously on the CPU and GPU, allegedly does not occur in practical work scenarios. This, of course, is debatable. Nevertheless, the main task in the case of APUs is the correct and fast power distribution between the graphics and processor parts, depending on which one really needs it. Actually, the main innovation in APUs is the LDO regulators built into the GPU. It is argued that no one now has such an effective implementation of this technology.

The new unified internal LDOs for the CPU / GPU, according to AMD itself, allow in the case of APUs to reduce the current requirements by 36%, while increasing the maximum current for powering the CPU or GPU by 20% - in fact, you can make either a more powerful solution, leaving that the same power supply system, or, conversely, reduce it, but maintain performance. In any case, the energy efficiency of the final solution is increased, because the dynamic distribution of frequency and power depending on the load occurs both between the CPU cores and between the graphics and central processing units. However, the specific details of the distribution algorithm are not disclosed. On the other hand, not only the algorithm is important, but also the speed of switching between different states of the CPU / GPU and their number, which, in particular, is necessary for more efficient use of the laptop battery.

In the new APUs, the GPU has a special mode in which the power consumption of the card is reduced by 95%. It is activated when nothing is literally happening on the screen, that is, a static picture is displayed, for example, if the user just moved away from the PC for a while. A similar state exists for CPU cores. The transition between ground states in both cases takes 100 microseconds or less (typically 50 microseconds), and for deep sleep it takes up to 1.5 ms. In addition, the internal components of the APU are conventionally divided into two zones with different power policies, which also contributes to energy efficiency. The Infinity Fabric bus carries data from various internal sensors and regulators.

Also, the developers note the small thickness of the finished product - only 1.38 mm. Earlier, it is argued, not all ultrabooks were able to fit existing chips just because of their thickness. On the GPU side, it's worth noting that FreeSync 2 is available. AMD will try to ensure that manufacturers add support to their notebook displays whenever possible. The video card itself supports multi-monitor configurations, image output with 4K and HDR resolution. Right now, together with Microsoft, PlayReady support is being prepared, which is necessary for the correct operation of some video streaming services. In general, AMD continues to adhere to the long-term 25 × 20 strategy, which was announced in 2014. According to her, by 2020, the overall performance of the APU should increase 25 times compared to the 2014 models.

Unfortunately, during the presentation, AMD did not provide the full characteristics of the new products (for example, there is no data on integrated controllers for peripherals), showing only a few benchmarks. Let's note a few important points in them. Firstly, in some cases the comparison is not with the competitor's solutions, but only with AMD products on the old platform. Secondly, where there is still such a comparison, an eighth generation chip with the same nominal TDP of 15 W was used, which was available on the market (and there are still few of them). Thirdly, various acceleration technologies or generally any other "cheating" were not involved, including, for example, testing a laptop in a pre-cooled room. Below in the gallery are the test results, as well as comments and notes to them.

AMD Ryzen Mobile Benchmarks

Best of all, new items show themselves in multi-threaded applications, as well as in software that actively uses the graphics subsystem. AMD notes that now on ultra-thin laptops, for example, you can calmly deal with video and graphics processing without worrying too much about the device's autonomy. And of course, for them, according to the company, a new niche appears - games. Naturally, heavyweight gamers will feel uncomfortable here, but popular e-sports projects work well with acceptable resolution and graphics quality. By the way, there are no options with Dual Graphics yet; instead, developers can use DirectX 12 to share resources of different GPUs.

This article presents only the best AMD processors in 2017.

If you do not want to independently understand all the characteristics of each processor model or are not sure that you can choose the best option, take a look at our CPU rating from AMD.

Content:

A good processor is the main indicator of power and. AMD is one of the leaders in the processor market.

AMD produces the following types of processors:

• Cpu - central computing units
• GPU - a separate device that renders video. Often used in gaming computers to reduce the load on the central unit and to provide better video quality;
• APU - central processors with built-in video accelerator. They are also called hybrid, because such a component is central and in one crystal.

# 5 - Athlon X4 860K

The AMD Athlon line is designed for Socket FM2 +. The X4 860K is the best and most performing model of the entire series, to which three processors go:

• Athlon X4 860K;
• Athlon X4840;
• and model Athlon X2.

The Athlon family is designed for desktop personal computers. All models in the line are distinguished by good multithreading.

The best results in the Athlon group were shown by the X4 860K.

The first detail to be noted is support for practically, which consumes no more than 95 watts along with quiet operation and no performance loss.

If the processor has been overclocked using special programs, an increase in the noise in the operation of the cooling system may be observed.

Main characteristics:

• Family: Athlon X4;
• The number of processor cores: 4;
• Clock frequency - 3.1 MHz;
• There is no unlocked multiplier;
• Core type: Kaveri;
• Estimated cost: $ 50.

There is no integrated graphics in the CPU.

The X4 860K processor can only support fast general-purpose systems.

CPU testing was done using the AIDA64 utility. Overall, the model performs well for a mid-range processor.

If you're looking for a low-cost, multitasking CPU for your home computer, the Athlon X4 860K is one of the options.

Athlon X4 860K testing

No. 4 - AMD FX-6300

AMD's FX-6300 is a Piledriver based CPU. Processors with such an architecture have already become worthy competitors to new products from Intel.

All processors from AMD FX group have excellent overclocking potential.

FX-6300 specifications:

• Series: FX-Series;
• Supported Socket: Socket AM3 +;
• Number of cores: 6;
• No integrated graphics
• The clock frequency is 3.5 MHz;
• Number of contacts: 938;
• The average cost of the model is $ 85.

A characteristic feature of the processor is its flexibility.

The clock frequency declared by the developer is 3.5 MHz, which is a rather mediocre figure among.

However, this CPU is capable of overclocking up to 4.1 MHz.

box of FX series devices from AMD

Acceleration of work occurs during intense loads. More often during video rendering or playing games.

It should be noted that this CPU model is equipped with a dual channel memory controller.

Processor performance tests were conducted in Just Cause 2.

The final results showed that the Athlon X4 860K supports the maximum graphics resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels.

The computer also used an integrated GTX 580 graphics card.

In the figure below, you can see a comparative analysis of the performance of other processors that were tested with identical conditions of the software and hardware environment.

test result Athlon X4 860K

No. 3 - A10-7890K

The A10-7890K is a hybrid CPU from AMD. Despite the announcement of the development of a fundamentally new technology and a generation of processors, AMD decided to release another model of the A10 line.

The company is positioning this series of devices as a great choice for desktop PCs.

The A10-7890K is a best-in-class playback solution.

Of course, the graphics settings will have to be reduced, but as a result, you will get good performance without severe overheating of the PC hardware.

packing model A10-7890K

This processor has an integrated Radeon graphics unit that allows you to:

The processor comes with a Wraith cooler, which features very quiet operation. Also, the cooler supports backlighting mode. Specifications A10-7890K:

• CPU family - A-Series;
• Clock frequency: 4.1 MHz;
• Connector type: Socket FM2 +;
• Number of cores: 4 cores;
• There is an unlocked multiplier;
• Number of contacts: 906;
• Estimated cost - $ 130.

The main plus of the A10-7890K is its improved interoperability with Windows 10.

The detailed characteristics of the processor are shown in the figure below:

detailed characteristics of APU A10-7890K

The results of testing a component with a standard test:

Cinebench R15 test result

As you can see, the tested component has surpassed some AMD models in the A-10 and Athlon line in its parameters.

At the same time, the results obtained were not enough to outperform Intel counterparts in performance.

# 2 - Ryzen 5 1600X

The first two places in our TOP are occupied by models of the Ryzen line. It is in the past few years that the architecture of these processors has become a key one for Advanced Micro Devices Corporation.

The presented Zen microarchitecture is gradually returning the manufacturer to its leading position in the market.

Ryzen 5 is a direct competitor for the group's processors. The CPU is at its best in gaming systems. This is also stated by the CEO of AMD.

Specifications:

• AMD Ryzen 5 family;
• 6 cores;
• No integrated graphics;
• There is an unlocked multiplier;
• Clock frequency 3.6 MHz;
• Socket AM4;
• The cost is about $ 260.

Most of the 1600X modifications are devoid of a native one. Users will have to purchase this component separately.

The base frequencies do not cross the established 3.6 MHz mark. When working in turbo mode (as a result of overclocking the processor), the clock frequency reaches 4.0 MHz.

All 5th Gen Ryzen models support SMT - Surface Mount Technology.

Thus, the CPU can be easily mounted on the surface of the PCB without the need to cut parts of the component.

Ryzen 5 package

In the process of testing the CPU even with the most resource-intensive programs, the maximum CPU temperature did not exceed 58 degrees. , Test results:

test of work of model 1600X

Together with a line of powerful digging CPUs, AMD also released a special firmware for their initial configuration - AGESA.

The utility allows you to reconfigure memory to avoid delays and interruptions in work.

# 1 - Ryzen 7 1800X

The Ryzen 7 1800X is a great choice for building a powerful PC or for multi-tiered data server support.

AMD is currently developing another powerful member of the Ryzen family.

In March 2017, the Ryzen 2000 X APU was announced and should go on sale by the end of the year.

Specifications:

• Family: AMD Ryzen 7;
• 8 cores;
• Clock frequency of 3.6 MHz with the possibility of overclocking to 4 MHz;
• Unlocked multiplier support;
• No support for integrated graphics;
• Average price - $ 480.

1800X can simultaneously execute up to 16 streams of program code. The processor works with SMT multithreading technology.

All Zen kernels ensure the efficient use of others. Increased throughput with support for three-level cache memory.

Comparison of the results of testing Ryzen 7 1800X versus competing models from Intel.

AMD launched new mobile processors and announced desktop chips with integrated graphics at a special event ahead of CES 2018. And Radeon Technologies Group, a division of AMD, announced the Vega mobile discrete graphics chips. The company also revealed plans to move to new technical processes and promising architectures: graphics Radeon Navi and processor Zen +, Zen 2 and Zen 3.

New processors, chipset and cooling

First Ryzen desktops with Vega graphics

Two Ryzen desktop models with integrated Vega graphics will go on sale on February 12, 2018. The 2200G is an entry-level Ryzen 3 processor, while the 2400G is an entry-level Ryzen 5 processor. Both models dynamically boost frequencies by 200 and 300 MHz from 3.5 GHz and 3.6 GHz base frequencies, respectively. In fact, they replace the ultra-budget Ryzen 3 1200 and 1400 models.

The 2200G has only 8 graphics units, while the 2400G has 3 more. The 2200G graphics cores go up to 1,100 MHz, while the 2400G has 150 MHz more. Each graphics unit contains 64 shaders.

The cores of both processors bear the same codename as mobile processors with integrated graphics - Raven Ridge (lit. Raven Mountain, a rock in Colorado). But nevertheless, they plug into the same AMD AM4 LGA socket as all other Ryzen 3, 5 and 7 processors.

Reference: AMD sometimes refers to processors with integrated graphics as non-CPU (Central Processing Unit, English Central processing unit), and APU (Accelerated Processor Unit).
AMD desktop processors with integrated graphics are labeled with a G at the end, following the first letter of the word graphics ( English graphics). Both AMD and Intel mobile processors are marked with a U at the end, the first letter of the words ultrathin ( English ultra-thin) or ultra-low power ( English ultra-low power consumption) respectively.
At the same time, do not think that if the model numbers of the new Ryzen begin with the number 2, then the architecture of their cores belongs to the second generation of the Zen microarchitecture. This is not the case - these processors are still in the first generation.

New Ryzen mobiles with Vega graphics

AMD already brought the first mobile Ryzen to market last year, codenamed Raven Ridge. The entire Ryzen mobile family is designed for gaming laptops, ultrabooks, and hybrid laptop tablets. But there were only two such models, each in the middle and senior segments: Ryzen 5 2500U and Ryzen 7 2700U. The younger segment was empty, but right at CES 2018, the company fixed it - two models were added to the mobile family at once: Ryzen 3 2200U and Ryzen 3 2300U.

AMD VP Jim Anderson Showcases Ryzen Mobile Family

The 2200U is Ryzen's first dual-core CPU, while the 2300U is quad-core as standard, but both run in four threads. At the same time, the base frequency of the 2200U cores is 2.5 GHz, and the lower frequency of the 2300U is 2 GHz. But with increasing loads, the frequency of both models will rise to the same rate - 3.4 GHz. However, the power ceiling can be lowered by laptop manufacturers, because they also need to calculate the energy costs and think over the cooling system. There is also a difference between the chips in the size of the cache: the 2200U has only two cores, and therefore half the cache of 1 and 2 levels.

The 2200U has only 3 graphics units, while the 2300U has twice as many, as well as processor cores. But the difference in graphics frequencies is not so significant: 1000 MHz versus 1 100 MHz.

The first mobile Ryzen PRO

For Q2 2018, AMD is slated to release mobile versions of the Ryzen PRO, an enterprise-grade processor. The specifications of the mobile PROs are identical to the consumer versions, with the exception of the Ryzen 3 2200U, which hasn't received a PRO implementation at all. The difference between desktop and mobile Ryzen PRO is in additional hardware technologies.

Ryzen PRO processors are full copies of regular Ryzen processors, but with additional features

For example, TSME is used to ensure security, hardware-based RAM encryption "on the fly" (Intel only has software-intensive SME encryption). And for centralized fleet management, the open standard DASH (Desktop and mobile Architecture for System Hardware) is available - support for its protocols is built into the processor.

Laptops, ultrabooks and hybrid notebooks with Ryzen PRO should primarily be of interest to companies and government agencies that plan to purchase them for employees.

New AMD 400-series chipsets

The second generation of Ryzen relies on the second generation of system logic: the 300th series of chipsets is replaced by the 400th. The flagship of the series is expected to be AMD X470, and later there will be simpler and cheaper sets of circuits, such as the B450. The new logic has improved everything about RAM: reduced access latency, raised the upper frequency limit and added headroom for overclocking. Also, in the 400 series, the USB bandwidth has increased and the power consumption of the processor, and at the same time, its heat dissipation has improved.

But the processor socket has not changed. The AMD AM4 desktop socket (and its mobile non-removable AMD FP5) is a particular strength of the company. The second generation has the same connector as the first. He will not be replaced in the third and fifth generations. AMD has promised, in principle, not to change AM4 until 2020. And for the 300 series motherboards (X370, B350, A320, X300 and A300) to work with the new Ryzen, you just need to update the BIOS. Moreover, in addition to direct compatibility, there is also the opposite: old processors will work on new boards.

At CES 2018, Gigabyte even showed a prototype of the first motherboard based on the new chipset - the X470 Aorus Gaming 7 WiFi. This and other motherboards based on X470 and lower chipsets will appear in April 2018, along with the second generation of Ryzen on the Zen + architecture.

New cooling system

AMD also introduced the new AMD Wraith Prism cooler. While its predecessor, the Wraith Max, was backlit in solid red, the Wraith Prism features on-board RGB lighting around the fan perimeter. The cooler blades are made of transparent plastic and are also illuminated in millions of colors. Lovers of RGB lighting will appreciate it, and haters can simply turn it off, although in this case the point of buying this model is leveled.

Wraith Prism is a complete replica of Wraith Max, but backlit with millions of colors

The rest of the characteristics are identical to the Wraith Max: direct contact heat pipes, programmed airflow profiles in acceleration mode and almost silent operation at 39 dB under standard conditions.

There is no word yet on how much the Wraith Prism will cost, whether it will come bundled with processors, and when it will be available to buy.

New Ryzen laptops

In addition to mobile processors, AMD is also promoting new laptops based on them. In 2017, the HP Envy x360, Lenovo Ideapad 720S and Acer Swift 3 models came out on Ryzen mobiles. In the first quarter of 2018, the Acer Nitro 5, Dell Inspiron 5000 and HP series will be added to them. They all run on last year's Ryzen 7 2700U and Ryzen 5 2500U mobiles.

The Acer Nitro family is a gaming machine. The Nitro 5 line is equipped with a 15.6-inch IPS-display with a resolution of 1920 × 1080. And some models will be added a discrete graphics chip Radeon RX 560 with 16 graphics units inside.

The Dell Inspiron 5000 line of laptops offers 15.6 and 17-inch models with either hard drives or solid state drives. Some models in the line will also receive a discrete graphics card Radeon 530 with 6 graphics units. This is a rather strange configuration, because even the integrated graphics of the Ryzen 5 2500U have more graphics units - 8 pieces. But the advantage of a discrete card can be in higher clock speeds and separate graphics memory chips (instead of the RAM section).

Reduced prices for all Ryzen processors

Plans until 2020: Navi graphics, Zen 3 processors

2017 was a watershed year for AMD. After years of troubles, AMD completed the development of the Zen core microarchitecture and released the first generation of CPUs: the Ryzen, Ryzen PRO and Ryzen Threadripper family of PC processors, the Ryzen and Ryzen PRO mobile processor families, and the EPYC server family. In the same year, the Radeon group developed the Vega graphics architecture: based on it, the Vega 64 and Vega 56 video cards were released, and at the end of the year, the Vega cores were integrated into Ryzen mobile processors.

Dr. Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, assures that the company will release 7nm processors before 2020

New items not only attracted the interest of fans, but also captured the attention of ordinary consumers and enthusiasts. Intel and NVIDIA had to fend off hastily: Intel released the Coffee Lake six-core processors, the unplanned second "so" of the Skylake architecture, and NVIDIA expanded the 10th series of Pascal graphics cards to 12 models.

Rumors about AMD's future plans have been piling up throughout 2017. So far, Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, has only indicated that the company plans to surpass the 7-8% annual productivity growth rate in the electronics industry. Finally, at CES 2018, the company showed a roadmap not just until the end of 2018, but up to 2020. The basis of these plans is to improve chip architectures through the miniaturization of transistors: a progressive transition from the current 14 nanometers to 12 and 7 nanometers.

12 nanometers: the second generation of Ryzen on Zen +

The Zen + microarchitecture, the second generation of the Ryzen brand, is based on a 12 nanometer process technology. In fact, the new architecture is a revised Zen. The technological production rate of GlobalFoundries factories is being transferred from 14nm 14LPP (Low Power Plus) to 12Nm 12LP (Low Power). The new 12LP process technology should provide the chips with a 10% increase in performance.

Reference: The GlobalFoundries factory network is AMD's former manufacturing facility, spun off in 2009 and merged with other contract manufacturers. In terms of market share for contract manufacturing, GlobalFoundries shares the second place with UMC, significantly behind TSMC. Chip developers - AMD, Qualcomm and others - order production both from GlobalFoundries and other factories.

In addition to the new technical process, the Zen + architecture and chips based on it will receive improved AMD Precision Boost 2 (precise overclocking) and AMD XFR 2 (Extended Frequency Range 2) technologies. In Ryzen mobile processors, you can already find Precision Boost 2 and a special modification of the XFR - Mobile Extended Frequency Range (mXFR).

The Ryzen, Ryzen PRO and Ryzen Threadripper family of PC processors will be released in the second generation, but there is no information yet about the generation update of the Ryzen and Ryzen PRO mobile family and the server EPYC. But it is known that some models of Ryzen processors from the very beginning will have two modifications: with and without graphics integrated into the chip. The entry-level and mid-range Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5 models will come in both variants. And the high level Ryzen 7 will not receive any graphical modification. Most likely, the codename Pinnacle Ridge is assigned to the architecture of the cores for these particular processors (literally, the sharp crest of a mountain, one of the peaks of the Wind River ridge in Wyoming).

The second generation Ryzen 3, 5, and 7 will begin shipping in April 2018 alongside the 400 series chipsets. And the second generation Ryzen PRO and Ryzen Threadripper will be late until the second half of 2018.

7 nanometers: 3rd generation Ryzen on Zen 2, discrete Vega graphics, Navi graphics core

In 2018, the Radeon group will release discrete Vega graphics for laptops, ultrabooks, and laptop tablets. AMD does not share specific details: it is known that discrete chips will work with compact multilayer memory such as HBM2 (integrated graphics use random access memory). Separately, Radeon emphasizes that the height of the memory chips will be only 1.7 mm.

Radeon executive reveals integrated and discrete Vega graphics

And in the same 2018, Radeon will transfer graphics chips based on the Vega architecture from the 14 nm LPP process directly to 7 nm LP, completely leaping over 12 nm. But first, the new graphics units will only ship for the Radeon Instinct line. This is a separate family of Radeon server chips for heterogeneous computing: machine learning and artificial intelligence - the demand for them is provided by the development of self-driving cars.

And already at the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019, ordinary consumers will wait for the products of Radeon and AMD on the 7-nanometer process technology: processors on the Zen 2 architecture and graphics on the Navi architecture. Moreover, the design work for Zen 2 has already been completed.

AMD partners are already getting acquainted with the chips on Zen 2, who will create motherboards and other components for the third generation Ryzen. AMD is gaining such momentum due to the fact that the company has two teams jumping over each other to develop promising microarchitectures. They started by doing Zen and Zen + in parallel. When Zen was completed, the first team moved to Zen 2, and when Zen + was completed, the second team moved to Zen 3.

7 nanometers "plus": the fourth generation of Ryzen on Zen 3

While one AMD department is tackling the problems of mass production of Zen 2, another department is already designing the Zen 3 at the technology standard designated as "7nm +". The company does not disclose details, but according to indirect data, it can be assumed that the process technology will be improved by complementing the current deep ultraviolet lithography (DUV, Deep Ultraviolet) with a new hard ultraviolet lithography (EUV, Extreme Ultraviolet) with a wavelength of 13.5 nm.

GlobalFoundries has already installed new equipment to move to 5nm

Back in the summer of 2017, one of the GlobalFoundries factories purchased more than 10 lithographic systems from the TWINSCAN NXE series from the Dutch ASML. With partial use of this equipment within the framework of the same 7 nm process technology, it will be possible to further reduce power consumption and increase the performance of chips. There are no exact metrics yet - it will take some more time to debug new lines and bring them to acceptable capacities for mass production.

AMD expects to start organizing sales of chips at the rate of "7 nm +" from processors on the Zen 3 microarchitecture by the end of 2020.

5nm: 5th Gen Ryzen on Zen 4?

AMD has not made an official announcement yet, but one can safely speculate that the next frontier for the company will be the 5 nm process technology. Experimental chips at this rate have already been produced by a research alliance of IBM, Samsung and GlobalFoundries. Crystals based on the 5 nm process technology will require not partial, but full-fledged use of rigid ultraviolet lithography with an accuracy of more than 3 nm. This permission is provided by the models of the TWINSCAN NXE: 3300B lithographic system purchased by GlobalFoundries from the ASML company.

A layer as thick as one molecule of molybdenum disulfide (0.65 nanometers) exhibits a leakage current of only 25 femtoamperes / micrometer at 0.5 volts.

But the difficulty also lies in the fact that the 5 nm process will probably have to change the shape of the transistors. Long-established FinFETs (fin-shaped transistors) may give way to promising GAA FETs (gate-all-around transistors). It will take several more years to set up and deploy mass production of such chips. The consumer electronics sector is unlikely to receive them before 2021.

Further reduction of technological standards is also possible. For example, back in 2003, Korean researchers created a 3 nanometer FinFET. In 2008, a nanometer transistor was created at the University of Manchester based on graphene (carbon nanotubes). And the research engineers at the Berkeley laboratory in 2016 conquered the sub-nanometer scale: in such transistors, both graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) can be used. True, at the beginning of 2018, there was still no way to produce a whole chip or substrate from new materials.

Sergey Pakhomov

Notebook sales have long outstripped desktop PC sales, and today the majority of home users are targeting notebooks. The retail network offers a huge variety of laptop models on both Intel and AMD platforms. On the one hand, such an abundance is pleasing to the eye, but on the other, the problem of choice arises. As you know, the performance of a computer is largely determined by the processor installed in it, but it is not so easy to understand modern processor families and conventions. And if everything is more or less clear with the designations of mobile processors from Intel, then AMD has a complete mess with this. Actually, it was this circumstance that prompted us to compose a kind of guide to mobile processors from AMD.

The lineup of AMD notebook processors is more than varied (see table). However, if we talk about modern processors, which makes sense to focus on, then we can restrict ourselves to considering only 45-nm processors of the Phenom II, Athlon II, Turion II, V-series, Sempron families with the following core code names: Champlain, Geneva and Caspian.

The processors codenamed Champlain were announced by the company quite recently - in May 2010, while the 45 nm processors codenamed Caspian were announced in September 2009.

The AMD mobile processor family includes both quad-core and tri-, dual- and single-core models.

Each processor core has a 128KB L1 cache, which is divided into a 64K dual channel data cache and a 64K dual channel instruction cache. In addition, each processor core has a dedicated L2 cache of 512KB or 1MB.

But AMD mobile processors are deprived of the third level (L3) cache memory (unlike their desktop counterparts).

All AMD mobile processors feature AMD 64 (64-bit support) technology. In addition, all AMD processors are equipped with the MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, and Extended 3DNow! Instruction sets with Cool'n'Quiet power-saving technologies, NX Bit virus protection, and AMD Virtualization technology.

So, let's take a closer look at the families of modern AMD mobile processors. And we will start, naturally, with a look at the AMD Phenom II family of quad-core processors.

AMD's mobile quad-core processor family is the 900th Phenom II series.

All Phenom II 900-series processors have 2 MB L2 cache (512 KB per processor core) and an integrated DDR3 memory controller. In addition, all of these processors use 128-bit FPUs. The differences between the Phenom II 900 series quad-core processors are in clock speed, power consumption, and supported memory. For its processors, AMD indicates another rather strange and, in our opinion, absolutely illogical characteristic - Maximum processor-to-system bandwidth (MAX CPU BW). We are talking about the total bandwidth of all buses between the processor and the system, or rather, the total bandwidth of the HyperTransport (HT) bus and the memory bus. If, for example, the processor works with DDR3-1333 memory, then the memory bus bandwidth is 21.2 GB / s (in dual-channel mode). Further, if the bandwidth of the HyperTransport (HT) bus is 3600 GT / s, which corresponds to the bandwidth of 14.4 GB / s, then the total bandwidth of the HyperTransport bus and memory bus will be 35.7 GB / s. Of course, it would be more logical to indicate in the processor specification the maximum memory frequency supported by the processor, but ... that is, that is. Fortunately, knowing the bandwidth of the HyperTransport bus and such a parameter as MAX CPU BW allows you to unambiguously determine the maximum memory frequency supported by the processor.

So, back to the 900 series Phenom II family of quad-core processors. The head of this family is the Phenom II X920 Black Edition (BE) model with an unlocked multiplier. This processor has the highest clock speed (2.3 GHz) in the family of quad-core mobile processors from AMD and is the hottest with a power consumption of 45 watts. The HyperTransport bus bandwidth is 3600 GT / s, and the MAX CPU BW setting is 35.7 GB / s. As you can easily calculate, this means that the built-in DDR3 memory controller supports memory with a maximum frequency of 1333 MHz (in dual-channel mode).

Another two models of AMD's quad-core mobile processors are the Phenom II N930 and Phenom II P920. The Phenom II N930 is clocked at 2GHz and has a power consumption of 35W, while the Phenom II P920 is clocked at 1.6GHz and has a power consumption of 25W. For both processor models, the HyperTransport bus bandwidth is 3600 GT / s, but the Phenom II N930 processor supports DDR3-1333 memory, and the Phenom II P920 processor only supports DDR3-1066 memory.

AMD's tri-core mobile processor family is the 800-series Phenom II processor. Today there are only two triple-core mobile processors: the Phenom II N830 and Phenom II P820, both equipped with 1536 KB L2 cache (512 KB per processor core) and an integrated DDR3 memory controller. The difference between these models lies in the clock speed, power consumption and the maximum frequency of the supported DDR3 memory. So, the Phenom II N830 processor operates at a clock frequency of 2.1 GHz with a power consumption of 35 W, and the maximum frequency of DDR3 memory supported by the processor is 1333 MHz. The Phenom II P820 processor is clocked at 1.8GHz with a power consumption of 25W and supports DDR3-1066 memory.

Along the way, we note that if the letter "P" is present in the marking of AMD processors, it means that the processor's power consumption is 25 watts. The presence of the letter "N" indicates the power consumption of the processor at 35 W, and the letter "X" - 45 W.

The Phenom II family of dual-core processors is the 600 series. There are two models in this series today: Phenom II X620 BE and Phenom II N620. Both have 2MB L2 cache (1MB per core) and 3600 GT / s HT bus bandwidth. At the same time, both processor models support DDR3-1333 memory (MAX CPU BW is 35.7 GB / s). The difference between the processors is that the Phenom II X620 BE has a power consumption of 45 W and a clock speed of 3.1 GHz. In addition, this processor has an unlocked multiplier. The 35W Phenom II N620 is clocked at 2.8GHz.

Finishing the review of mobile processors of the Phenom II family, we note once again that it includes four, three and dual-core processors with a 128-bit FPU, the power consumption of which can be 45, 35 or 25 watts. All of these processors have HT 3600 GT / s bus bandwidth and support DDR3 memory with a maximum frequency of 1333 or 1066 MHz. The L2 cache size depends on the number of processor cores and is 512 KB (for quad and triple-core models) or 1 MB (for dual-core models) per processor core.

The next 45nm Champlain mobile processor family is the Turion II dual-core processor family, which comes in two models: Turion II N530 and Turion II P520. These processors differ from each other only in clock speed and power consumption. The Turion II N530 is clocked at 2.5 GHz and has a power consumption of 35W, while the Turion II P520 is clocked at 2.3 GHz and has a power consumption of 25W. In all other respects, the characteristics of these processors are the same. So, both models are equipped with 128-bit FPUs, have 2 MB L2 cache (1 MB per core), and the HT bus bandwidth is 3600 GT / s. In addition, both processor models support DDR3-1066 memory. Note that the dual-core processors of the Turion II 500 series in their characteristics practically do not differ from the dual-core models of the Phenom II 600 series processors. The differences are only in the clock frequency and the maximum frequency of the supported memory. Actually, it is not very clear why these two processor models had to be separated into a separate Turion II family, because they could be attributed to the Phenom II family of dual-core processors.

The next family of AMD dual-core mobile processors based on the Champlain core is the Athlon II family, which also comes in two models: Athlon II N330 and Athlon II P320. These processors are really very different from the dual-core Phenom II and Turion II processors. First of all, they have cut their L2 cache to 1 MB (512 KB per core). In addition, these processors have 64-bit FPUs, and the HT bus bandwidth is 3200 GT / s. In addition, these processors only support DDR3-1066 memory. The differences between the Athlon II N330 and Athlon II P320 are the clock speed and power consumption.

Single-core mobile processors based on the Champlain core are represented by the V-Series family, which today includes only one model - the V120 with a clock speed of 2.2 GHz and 512 KB L2 cache. This processor is endowed with 64-bit FPUs, and the HT bus bandwidth is 3200 GT / s. In addition, the V120 processor supports DDR3-1066 memory and has a power consumption of 25W. In general, in terms of its characteristics, the V120 processor is a single-core version of the Athlon II P320 processor.

All of the AMD mobile processors we've reviewed are 2010 processors (announced by the company in May) aimed at performance and general-purpose notebooks as well as entry-level notebooks. However, AMD also has a range of processors with lower power consumption - they are targeted at ultra-thin notebooks and netbooks. Also announced in May, these dual-core and single-core 45nm processors are codenamed Geneva and include the Turion II Neo, Athlon II Neo and V-Series.

Dual-core processors of the Turion II Neo series (Turion II Neo K665, Turion II Neo K625) have a power consumption of 15 W, dual-core and single-core processors of the Athlon II Neo series (Athlon II Neo K325, Athlon II Neo K125) have a power consumption of 12 W, but the power consumption of a single-core the V105 processor is only 9 watts.

The dual-core Turion II Neo series processors feature 128-bit FPUs and 2MB L2 cache (1MB per core). The throughput of the HT bus is 3200 GT / s.

Athlon II Neo series processors have 64-bit FPUs and 1MB L2 cache per core, and HT bus bandwidth is 2000 GT / s. Well, the single-core V105 processor differs (except for the clock frequency) from the single-core Athlon II Neo K125 in the halved L2 cache.

Note that all Geneva processors support DDR3-1066 memory in dual channel mode.

In addition to mobile processors Champlain and Geneva, AMD also offers other mobile 45nm processors. We are talking about processors with the code name Caspian, which were announced in September 2009 and are not outdated yet. Caspian mobile processors are represented by the Turion II and Turion II Ultra dual-core processor families, the Athlon II dual-core processor family and the Sempron single-core processor family.

All Caspian dual-core processors have a power consumption of 35W and single-core processors have a power consumption of 25W. In addition, all Caspian processors only support DDR2-800 memory (in dual-channel mode).

The Turion II and Turion II Ultra processor families are equipped with 128-bit FPUs, and the HT bus bandwidth is 3600 GT / s. The difference between the Turion II Ultra and Turion II processors is that the Turion II Ultra processors have 2 MB L2 cache (1 MB per core), while the Turion II processors have 1 MB (512 KB per core).

The Athlon II and Sempron processors have 64-bit FPUs and 512KB L2 cache per core. In addition, the HT bus bandwidth for these processors is 3200 GT / s.