Tag: architecture

Intel cancels x86S, effort to clean up x86 CPUs legacy cruft

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

In fall, we reported here that Intel’s Panther Cove CPU architecture coming in two years (not in Panther Lake CPUs though) reportedly adopts an upgrade to the x86 instruction set labeled APX and also the AVX10 SIMD instructions, which are a compromise between AVX-512 and AVX2 designed for hybrid processors. However, the x86S architecture, the third of these awaited ISA innovations, will not be coming. It has in fact been cancelled. Read more “Intel cancels x86S, effort to clean up x86 CPUs legacy cruft” »

Batttlemage: Details of Intel Xe2 GPU architecture [Analysis]

Analysis, Graphics | | Jan Olšan

Intel has unveiled the new Arc graphics cards, dubbed Battlemage or also “B-Series”, featuring a vastly improved architecture, giving Arc a second chance to gain favour with gamers – though it will have to do this mainly through low prices, as the newly released GPUs will only compete in the bracket of cheaper mainstream graphics. We’ve dedicated this article to the cards themselves now we’ll have a look at the architecture itself. Read more “Batttlemage: Details of Intel Xe2 GPU architecture [Analysis]” »

APX and AVX10 in two years? Intel to introduce them in Nova Lake

News, Processors, Technology | | Jan Olšan

Last year, Intel unveiled plans for improving the x86 platform and instruction set, on which virtually all PC CPUs (from Intel, AMD, China’s Zhaoxin) are based: The APX extension, which breaks through the limitations in the number of registers (somewhat mitigating ARM’s advantage), and AVX10, which is the successor or evolution of AVX-512. For a long time it was unclear when these innovations would ship, but now we finally know. Read more “APX and AVX10 in two years? Intel to introduce them in Nova Lake” »

How much does AVX-512 help Zen 5 in x265? And how to turn it on

Extra tests, Processors | | Jan Olšan

You may not know this, but the x265 video encoder can use AVX-512, but they are unused by default for historical reasons. In the past we made a guide showing how to enable the optimizations and looked at their effect, first on Intel Rocket Lake processors and then on Zen 4. Due to the popularity of those articles, we’ve now repeated the same tests on the new Zen 5 architecture, for comparison with previous cores. Read more “How much does AVX-512 help Zen 5 in x265? And how to turn it on” »

Zen 5: AMD’s biggest innovation since first Zen [expanded deep dive]

Analysis, Processors | | Jan Olšan

It’s roughly two weeks until AMD releases processors with the new Zen 5 architecture. This week, we finally got proper details on these CPUs’ architecture, which AMD revealed at the Tech Day event. So, we can now break down the changes the company has made to the core, compared to Zen 4 – and they’re pretty extensive, probably more so than they seemed in June. And AMD also reiterated its promise of a 16% increase in IPC for these CPUs. Read more “Zen 5: AMD’s biggest innovation since first Zen [expanded deep dive]” »

Zen 5 tested: Mobile core differs considerably from desktop one

Analysis, News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Next month, AMD will begin selling both mobile Ryzen AI 300 “Strix Point” processors with Zen 5 architecture and desktop Ryzen 9000 with this new core. AMD only said vague things about the core at Computex, mentioning a 16% increase in IPC (for selected programs, of course), but now a test of a an actual specimen has appeared on the internet, revealing more about the Zen 5 architecture. And it’s very interesting stuff. Read more “Zen 5 tested: Mobile core differs considerably from desktop one” »

Oryon, the Nuvia ARM core of Snapdragon X: Architecture analysis

Analysis, News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

At Computex 2024, Intel introduced the new Lion Cove and Skymont architectures, which we covered in detail. AMD also shared a peek at their competing Zen 5 core, but with little detail, so we’ll have to wait with our analysis of the architecture. But there’s a new ARM-based challenger entering the fray – the Snapdragon X Elite currently coming to laptops. And Qualcomm has now also finally teased its “Nuvia” Oryon architecture. Read more “Oryon, the Nuvia ARM core of Snapdragon X: Architecture analysis” »

Skymont architecture analysed: Intel little core outgrows the big?

Analysis, News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Intel unveiled their next-gen Lunar Lake mobile processor at Computex 2024. It will power Copilot+ PCs with its NPU and is supposed to be very power efficient, but it’s extremely interesting mainly because of the new CPU architectures, which will power future Arrow Lake desktop CPUs. Ironically, the star of this generation might actually be the little efficient E-Core accompanying the big P-Cores. Its architecture seems to have taken a giant leap. Read more “Skymont architecture analysed: Intel little core outgrows the big?” »

Intel’s new P-Core: Lion Cove is the biggest change since Nehalem

Analysis, News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Intel revealed its next-gen Lunar Lake mobile processor at Computex 2024, to be released this summer. It will power Copilot+ PCs with its fast NPU and is supposed to be highly power efficient, but it’s also extremely interesting because its new CPU architectures are also coming to future Arrow Lake desktop CPUs. First up, we’ll take a look at the big P-Core architecture, which represents the biggest changes in many years. Read more “Intel’s new P-Core: Lion Cove is the biggest change since Nehalem” »

Ryzen 9000 is here. Zen 5 architecture, IPC and model specs

News, Processors | | Ľubomír Samák

After a long wait, it’s here. During its presentation at Computex 2024, AMD unveiled the Ryzen 9000 desktop CPUs, the first of the generation of CPUs based on the Zen 5 architecture. We now have confirmed specifications and also the IPC of this architecture (the officially stated value, at least). According to AMD, these are the fastest “consumer PC” processors of today, and the company has already shown the first performance claims. Read more “Ryzen 9000 is here. Zen 5 architecture, IPC and model specs” »

AMD’s Zen 5 is said to be 40% faster over Zen 4. Can that be real?

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

The day when AMD releases processors with the new Zen 5 core, allegedly the biggest upgrade since the first Zen, is closing in. Their performance remains quite unclear though – on the one hand AMD’s materials talk about a 10–15% or a little bit more performance increase per 1 MHz, but at the same time there are rumors talking about 30% or now even 40% performance increase. So what to believe and what to watch out for? Read more “AMD’s Zen 5 is said to be 40% faster over Zen 4. Can that be real?” »

AMD confirms Zen 5 details: 6 ALUs, full-performance AVX-512

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Zen 5-based AMD processors will launch this year (perhaps in Q3). Unlike Zen 4 which was just Zen 3 refined, Zen 5 will be another big upgrade, and according to various hints including statements by the architect Mike Clark, it could be AMD’s most interesting core since the first Zen. Interestingly, up until now, the only information about it has come from a single YouTuber source. But it has just been officially confirmed directly by AMD. Read more “AMD confirms Zen 5 details: 6 ALUs, full-performance AVX-512” »

Arrow Lake CPU spotted. Missing HT and AVX-512 confirmed

News, Processors | | Jan Olšan

Couple days ago, documents leaked on Arrow Lake-S processors and Generation 800 chipsets – Intel’s next-gen desktop platform with the new LGA 1851 socket, due out in the second half of the year. Besides the things we already analysed, those documents also indicate that Arrow Lake P-cores have only one thread. This has now been confirmed by a log from testing a sample of this CPU. After 22 years, Intel processors are dropping HT. Read more “Arrow Lake CPU spotted. Missing HT and AVX-512 confirmed” »