Category: Processors

AMD quietly launches big.LITTLE, Zen 4c-based Phoenix2 confirmed

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Many like to diss Intel for hybrid processors but leaks has long been showing that AMD is also preparing their own take on it – the “LITTLE Phoenix” or Phoenix2 APU, to be used in cheaper mobile Ryzen 7000 SKUs. Phoenix2 is to feature Zen 4 big cores and Zen 4c as little cores, which is a compact redesign recently introduced in servers. Now this hybrid SoC has indeed appeared and AMD has officially confirmed it on their website. Read more “AMD quietly launches big.LITTLE, Zen 4c-based Phoenix2 confirmed” »

Ryzen 5 5600X3D launches this week, but exclusively in the U.S.

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

AMD is reportedly going release a new AM4 processor after more than a year, a cheaper derivative of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D called Ryzen 5 5600X3D, which would include the game-boosting 3D V-Cache, but with only six cores. Initially, there were some doubts, but it looks like it is real. Its release and availability in the US is already confirmed to be due this week. It’s less clear for the rest of the world, however. Read more “Ryzen 5 5600X3D launches this week, but exclusively in the U.S.” »

Intel CPU launch plans: refreshes, Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Intel has recently hinted at release of new desktop processors when the company announced the Intel InnovatiON event which was used to unveil the 12th and 13th generation Core desktop processors (Alder Lake, Raptor Lake for socket 1700) in previous years. However, it’s likely that only a paper launch will come directly at this event and the real CPUs will come out later. Unofficial reports from Chinese leakers now reveal when that will be. Read more “Intel CPU launch plans: refreshes, Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake” »

Conflict of interests? ARM wants Intel to buy part of company

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Ever since Nvidia’s plan to acquire ARM failed, the Softbank fund has been aiming to monetise the company through an IPO instead, in which a portion of ARM’s stock would be sold not to a single acquiring party but through the mechanisms of open stock trading. It turns out this could have curious results, because it seems the initial public offering could end up with Intel, the main competitor, being one of the owners. Read more “Conflict of interests? ARM wants Intel to buy part of company” »

big.LITTLE by AMD: Zen 4c has the same IPC as the big Zen 4

Analysis, News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

After Intel’s hybrid CPUs, AMD is preparing its own big.LITTLE scheme that uses a mix of Zen 4 cores and a new Zen 4c variant that will be used in servers but also in laptops. However Zen4c is and at the same time is not a little core. While having much smaller footprint, it is said to be fully architecturally equivalent to the large core, including (almost?) the same performance per 1 MHz. The only little thing about it is clock speed. Read more “big.LITTLE by AMD: Zen 4c has the same IPC as the big Zen 4” »

ARM unveils record-breaking Cortex-X4 core with eight ALUs

Analysis, News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

ARM has been releasing a new generation of processor cores every year lately. This year will be no different (except for the Computex timing). ARM has unveiled a complete line of new architectures: a new Cortex-X4 “prime” big core for maximum single-threaded performance, a new medium Cortex-A720 core whose role is to provide multi-threaded performance (like Intel’s E-Core), and finally a new low-power Cortex-A520 little core. Read more “ARM unveils record-breaking Cortex-X4 core with eight ALUs” »

x86-S: Intel wants to drop legacy compatibility from processors

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

The scenario of Intel dropping backwards compatibility and creating a new version of x86 processors free of various “legacy burdens” has been discussed for a long time. The hype around ARM processors and the perceived or real advantages they gain by not carrying similar “baggage” highlighted this topic again. Intel has unveiled a proposal for a simplified pure 64-bit x86-S architecture that could bring about such a revolution, now. Read more “x86-S: Intel wants to drop legacy compatibility from processors” »

GeForce in ARM processors. MediaTek SoCs will use Nvidia GPUs

Graphics, News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Android phones are dominated by Qualcomm, but it is closely followed by MediaTek, which has already achieved similarly significant market shares, but lacks a comparable positioning in the highend and flagship mobile phone segment. But it looks like MediaTek is preparing a move that could possibly shake things up. The Taiwanese manufacturer is said to have teamed up with Nvidia, and its mobile chips could feature GPUs with its architecture. Read more “GeForce in ARM processors. MediaTek SoCs will use Nvidia GPUs” »

AMD, like Nvidia, will produce chips at Samsung, on a 4nm node

Graphics, News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Against expectations, Intel will start manufacturing processors at TSMC. Similar diversification may occur with AMD, who relied almost entirely on TSMC lately. But according to unofficial reports, the company will start manufacturing some of its chips at Korea’s Samsung, much like Nvidia recently did with some of its GPUs. This would reduce AMD’s dependence on a single supplier, but the move likely seeks to cut costs, too. Read more “AMD, like Nvidia, will produce chips at Samsung, on a 4nm node” »

AMD fixes bug that kills Ryzen 7000 CPUs, update your BIOS

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Last week, cases of destroyed V-Cache using Ryzen 7000 “X3D” CPUs and even a burned socket on the board (the dead CPU probably started drawing excessive current from the VRM through the pins). At first it wasn’t clear if it wasn’t a result of manual overvolting, but AMD announced that they have found the cause of the problem and are releasing board BIOS updates to protect the CPUs from damage, so definitely update. Read more “AMD fixes bug that kills Ryzen 7000 CPUs, update your BIOS” »

AMD’s Zen 6 processors will use 2nm process technology

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Few days ago there was news that GeForce RTX 5000 graphics (the Blackwell architecture GPUs in them) will not yet use the 3nm manufacturing node, reportedly staying on 4nm technology instead. Now, there is news about another product that will use a new technology for a change – AMD processors with Zen 6 architecture. We learned that thanks to one of the employees leaking this important detail on the LinkedIn social network. Read more “AMD’s Zen 6 processors will use 2nm process technology” »

Jim Keller’s new firm plans RISC-V CPUs with Apple-like wide cores

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

RISC-V processors are still yet to reach above the embedded sector, but with the current developments around ARM, they may be closer to that goal than we think. They ISA might even come to the highest performance processor segment currently ruled by Intel and AMD that ARM itself (with the exception of Apple) is still just trying to crack. Tenstorrent, led by Jim Keller, is now developing processors that could be close to those from Apple. Read more “Jim Keller’s new firm plans RISC-V CPUs with Apple-like wide cores” »

Core i5-13400F complete gaming tests (B0 vs. C0). W/o E cores too

Extra tests, Processors | | Ľubomír Samák

The third and final Intel Core i5-13400F CPU test with measurements beyond standard will add to what the previous two have shown. We ran the two existing steppings – B0 (with Raptor Cove/Raptor Lake P cores) and C0 (Golden Cove/Alder Lake) – through all the games we use to test processors, in four different display setups. In the case of stepping B0 even with modified CPU settings, with E cores disabled. Read more “Core i5-13400F complete gaming tests (B0 vs. C0). W/o E cores too” »

When E cores are disabled: Core i5-13400F vs. Core i5-12400(F)

Extra tests, Processors | | Ľubomír Samák

With the little (E) cores turned off, the Core i5-13400(F) becomes a 6-core processor with 12 threads in the same way that the older Core i5-12400(F) is. This intergenerational comparison is also a side product of tests main goal of which is to show the impact of E cores not only on computational and gaming performance, but also on operational characteristics. The biggest differences occur in the situations that mainstream PCs run into most often. Read more “When E cores are disabled: Core i5-13400F vs. Core i5-12400(F)” »

Not every Core i5-13400F is the same: Raptor (B0) vs. Alder (C0) lake

Extra tests, Processors | | Ľubomír Samák

In the vast majority of Intel Core i5-13400F processor tests (including ours), you’ve studied the results of the variant built on the Golden Cove cores from the Alder Lake generation. But there is also an iteration from Raptor Lake (with Raptor Cove cores). However, this processor is harder to get hold of, its availability is considerably weaker, but it is obtainable. You’ll find out if it’s worth the extra effort from the comparative analysis. Read more “Not every Core i5-13400F is the same: Raptor (B0) vs. Alder (C0) lake” »

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