AMD Zen 2 + Radeon RX 5700 Series For Linux Expectations

[smitty3268]

Exactly, but then please explain, how can a $500 processor have 70MB of cache (which would belong to a jewel-priced processor) as seen in the slide?

7nm?

Looks like each 8 core chiplet has a 32MB L3 cache, which I'm sure is quite a bit cheaper than the L2/L1, and only 512KB of L2 per core.

[numacross]

Exactly, but then please explain, how can a $500 processor have 70MB of cache (which would belong to a jewel-priced processor) as seen in the slide?

Each core has 512KB of L2 cache which sums to 6MB. There are 4 physical cores in a core complex (CCX). There are 2 CCX in a chiplet and for the model you're asking about there's 2 of them in the package. Each CCX has 16MB of L3 cache which gives 70MB in total.

How do they do it? They have moved all the IO into a separate die manufactured at 14nm. The processing chiplets are manufactured at 7nm. From the AnandTech analysis:

For Zen 2, a single chiplet is 74mm2, of which 31.3 mm2 is a core complex with 16 MB of L3. AMD did not breakdown this 31.3 number into cores and L3, but one might imagine that the L3 might be approaching 50% of that number [...]
Overall however, AMD has stated that the CCX (cores plus L3) has decreased in size by 47%.

[numacross]

I rarely get excited about new technology but this event brought information about very interesting features and details of the Zen 2 architecture. The improvements are very impressive especially since they simultaneously made architectural changes and a process shrink. All that while having backwards compatibility with most of the previous generation motherboards!

Probably overlooked in the sea of bar charts and schematics are the new instructions allowing for QoS management for memory. As noted in the article this is an enterprise feature (together with working ECC) that's only available on the Xeon Scalable line for Intel. I hope support for this gets implemented quickly into the major open source hypervisors and kernels.

Edit: Oh and Windows is finally getting a working scheduler

[andrei_me]

I'm hoping this new cards can undervolt like Polaris and Vega, as it is consuming 225W to compete against 175W from nvidia 2070, considering that nvidia still uses the 12nm lithography

[cusa123]

Amd

https://www.amd.com/en/products/graphics/amd-radeon-rx-5700-xt-50th-anniversary

OS Support
Windows 10 - 64-Bit Edition
Windows 7 - 64-Bit Edition
Ubuntu x86 64-Bit
Linux x86_64

[AndyChow]

I don't like that the 570 chipset requires a fan, I don't much care for navi, and I'm not paying 1000+ for a new motherboard and 16-core processor. Very disappointing release. I thought I could get an efficient 16-core processor for $500, and a decent passive motherboard or $200.

My eight year old 8-core 32GB RAM system shall just have to carry me another winter. Much to my chagrin.

[chithanh]

AndyChow
Now what exactly have you been expecting? It's the cheapest 16-core processor ever from AMD or Intel. Last generation you have been paying at least $1200 (AMD) or $1900 (Intel) for a 16-core CPU+mobo. Also you don't need a new motherboard, a B450/X470 motherboard (without chipset fan) will be fine after a BIOS update.

We already know the exact price of one mobo btw.: The Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro Wifi which will sell for $220 according to Buildzoid. So you will have options under $1000 even on X570.

[Daktyl198]

I don't like that the 570 chipset requires a fan.

From what I can tell based on various sources, the fan is necessary because of PCI-e 4 support. Nothing about the chipset or the CPU itself should be overly inefficient. I'm sure you can undervolt them to better suit your needs, and if you don't need PCI-e 4 then you can use a previous generation board with a BIOS update.

[wizard69]

at low cost they have low amounts of cache

Also when the number of cores explode what use to sound like a lot of cache really isn't any more.

Zen 2 sounds fantastic, so much so that I could likely build a ten year workstation. That is a machine that would be performant enough to keep me happy for another 10 years. I would just need to justify investment in a desktop as opposed to another laptop. It will be really interesting come September / October when there is a wide selection of Zen 2 hardware out there.

[wizard69]

I don't like that the 570 chipset requires a fan,

I'm not sure it is required but don't use the new boards if you don't want too.

I don't much care for navi, and I'm not paying 1000+ for a new motherboard and 16-core processor. Very disappointing release.

Huh?

This is high performance on a desktop that we haven't seen before. Just think aobut the cost even a year ago to get the same results.

I thought I could get an efficient 16-core processor for $500, and a decent passive motherboard or $200.

You can.

My eight year old 8-core 32GB RAM system shall just have to carry me another winter. Much to my chagrin.

Oh come on now! An 8 year old system, that still works reliably, is nothing to get upset about.