AMD Zen (Roadmaps, Quad Core Unit, Block Diagram, 32 Core Opteron)

[Opcode]

2015-2016 AMD Roadmaps ["FAKE"]

 

 

 

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AMD Zen ”Quad Core Unit” Block Diagram

 

Source

 

The block diagram reveals only one more fact that the previous block diagram did not: L3 Cache will be shared among 4 Zen cores. We are also looking at the basic building block of all Zen products. Since AMD uses a lego-like philosophy in designing architecture, where nearly every design is compatible with others, this “basic building block of Zen” will be featured across many products – of that I am sure. We already know for eg, that a 16 core Zen APU (with 4 Zen Units) is in the works along with a 32 Core Opteron Processor (with 8 Zen Units). AMD will be launching Opteron processors sometime in 2016 and are thought to be manufactured on the 14nm GloFo node.

 

 

We have some additional details on the 32 core Opteron processor as well. The processor has 4 dies and each die has 8 zen cores. Basically, you are looking at two Zen Units per die. Each die will have 2 memory channels and each channel will support exactly 2 DIMM slots. Thats a total of 4 DIMM slots (the standard) per 8 core die and upto 16 DIMM slots. The TDP of the Opteron Processor will be 140W but there will also be a 120W variant along with even less power hungry SKUs. AMD will also be employing 2 combo links per die which combine 8 and 16 bit links and can be in the form of xGMI, PCIe, SATA/SATA-e, 10Gbase-KR and SGMII. There will be 1P socket boards as well along with 2P socket boards configurations (thats a resounding total of 64 Zen cores per board people).

 

The excess silicon space that results from the removal of Greenland graphics is given to L2, L3 cache as well as its Zen x86 cores. Each core will have 512KB of L2 cache and 4 cores will share 8MB worth of L3 cache. The processor will be divided into eight clusters of 4 cores each for a net total of 32 cores. A platform security model of the same will enable security features which include secure boot and cryptographic co processing. The next generation Opteron processor has eight DDR4 memory channels capable of handling 256GB per channel. The chipset supports PCIe Gen 3 SATA, 4x10GbE Gig Ethernet and Sever controller HUB.

 

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AMD Zen CPU Core Block Diagram

 

Source

 

We don’t have a die shot of the core but we have the next best thing, a block diagram.  Below you can see Zen on the right, compared to AMD’s upcoming and last Clustered Multithreading / CMP CPU core code named Excavator. Excavator is the fourth and as mentioned above the last of AMD’s Bulldozer family of cores. It will debut with AMD’s upcoming Carrizo APU, which the company hails as the most power efficient mainstream APU the company has ever made.

 

 

The first thing we can spot is that there is only one integer cluster in a Zen core rather than two as in the Excavator module on the left. These two integer clusters are what forms the two separate CPU cores / threads in each Excavator module. Zen takes on a more traditional AMD CPU layout resembling that of Phenom and Athlon K series cores. Featuring a single large Integer cluster and one equally large floating point unit.

 

Looks like Zen will be able to handle 512-bit floating point numbers. This would also confirm the removal of the CMT implementation and looking more like K10. Given the width the rumors of an SMT implementation are increasingly growing. It's looking like AMD is finally going back to their roots of providing "real" cores instead of modules. With a 50% wider pipeline and Keller (he knows his stuff) at the helm it's safe to say Zen will definitely boost single thread performance.

 

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Next Generation Opteron Has 32 Zen Cores

 

Source

 

We recently showed you a new 16 Zen core next generation processor with Greenland integrated graphics and DDR4 support. 

 

This part definitely sounds interesting but we got an update on the 2016 Opteron server market parts. The next generation Opteron won't have an integrated graphics part but it will have up to 32 Zen x86 cores with 64-thread support. Unlike the highest end compute HSA part that comes with Greenland HBM graphics, the next generation Opteron doesn't have any integrated graphics. The Opteron needs all the silicon space for the L2, L3 cache as well as its Zen x86 cores.

 

Just like the 16 Zen core high performance market APU, each core has 512KB of L2 cache and four processors share 8MB L3 cache. The highest end part will come with eight clusters of 4 cores and if you do the math this server oriented CPU will come with 64GB of L2 cache and 16MB of L2 cache for its CPU cores.

 

Seems likely as Zen is suppose to be a small "big" core. 32 cores and 64 threads would be quite a behemoth especially in a pair (64 cores 128 threads).

[Kyuubixchidori]

In before all the hate, Intel does the same thing. They have chips that are just 16-32 atom cores.

[Sidiox]

Holy shit 32 cores

I really have high hopes for this new Zen architecture. Although I will stick to Intel it is good the get some more competition since Intel has free reign in the server and desktop market atm

 

Also, with that many cores, what kind of Ghz will this run at? Cuz I'm guessing this will be one hell of a die

[Zeke]

Yes, I'm aware of hypocrisy very much (looks at Intel's 16-core)

[Opcode]

In before all the hate, Intel does the same thing. They have chips that are just 16-32 atom cores.

Zen cores will be at minimal twice as strong as Atom cores.

 

Holy shit 32 cores

I really have high hopes for this new Zen architecture. Although I will stick to Intel it is good the get some more competition since Intel has free reign in the server and desktop market atm

 

Also, with that many cores, what kind of Ghz will this run at? Cuz I'm guessing this will be one hell of a die

I would guess around the 2 GHz mark like most high core count Opterons.

[IMPERIUS]

If the single core performance will still be shitty then idc 'bout dem amd cpus anymore

[Toddwjp]

well it better either be priced really well or have similar performance on single core tasks as some intel chips. or have insanely low power draw, (for the zen cores in general)

[SatansHollow]

What we need to look at is performance per watt

[cesrai]

Guys be like it better or priced well and I'm like dafuq you know about server CPUs pricing ??

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Will this sounds pretty interesting.

[Brainless906]

inb4 people dont understand the nature of server processing and complain about single fast cores

 

 

-snip-

Yes, I'm aware of hypocrisy very much (looks at Intel's 16-core)

 

Oh wait, too late

[spartaman64]

wait the 16 core zen was a consumer cpu? with ECC support!!!  or are they both opterons im confused now

this bodes well for the tdp and power consumption if they are confident enough to make a 32 core processor

[bcredeur97]

folding anyone? put four of these in a folding rig hehehehe

 

128 cores of maddness

[spartaman64]

inb4 people dont understand the nature of server processing and complain about single fast cores

 

 

 

Oh wait, too late

this is why opterons have actually been competing with intel xeons

[KirbyTech]

this is why opterons have actually been competing with intel xeons

Pretty sure Titan has AMD processors. Call that a win for them, on that scale price to performance and heat output / energy use are important factors so for them to be in Titian that is pretty good on the server side.

[harrynowl]

If the single core performance will still be shitty then idc 'bout dem amd cpus anymore

It's not a general use/gaming CPU.

[patrickjp93]

In before all the hate, Intel does the same thing. They have chips that are just 16-32 atom cores.

Avoton max out at 12. Knight's Landing will start at 60 and max out at 72, but those are also heavily modified.

[Misanthrope]

This is a server processor, this might actually be useful.

[Mister Snow]

wait the 16 core zen was a consumer cpu? with ECC support!!!  or are they both opterons im confused now

this bodes well for the tdp and power consumption if they are confident enough to make a 32 core processor

 

I am guessing that both of them are server parts but one is a compute APU with HSA and the other one is a regular CPU. They are looking to have something for everyone it seems.

[Opcode]

If the single core performance will still be shitty then idc 'bout dem amd cpus anymore

Single core performance is irrelevant in the server ecosystem.

 

wait the 16 core zen was a consumer cpu? with ECC support!!!  or are they both opterons im confused now

this bodes well for the tdp and power consumption if they are confident enough to make a 32 core processor

The 16 core Zen APU was another variant for HPC (High Performance Compute) this one is suppose to be a straight up server CPU.

[Zeke]

It's not a general use/gaming CPU.

People still use lower-end Xeons as a cheaper non-overclockable i7 replacement, but I see your point. 

[Fetzie]

If the single core performance will still be shitty then idc 'bout dem amd cpus anymore

 

Nobody buying those CPUs gives even a tiny shit about single core performance. Just think about what you just said. Simply the fact that it has 64 threads should be enough of an indication that this CPU isn't designed for single-core processing.

[harrynowl]

People still use lower-end Xeons as a cheaper non-overclockable i7 replacement, but I see your point. 

Well just because it's not a gaming/general use cpu doesn't necessarily mean it is/has to be bad for those things, it's just silly for someone to complain about characteristics that are not really within the focus of the product line/its intended market.

[Opcode]

People still use lower-end Xeons as a cheaper non-overclockable i7 replacement, but I see your point. 

That's because the Xeon E3 v1231 v3 is as cheap as the i5-4690k but offers Hyper-Threading at the cost of being unlocked. If you were a gamer that does video editing and other stuff but are on a tight budget them extra threads are more valuable.

[sgloux3470]

I did think it was weird they would put the APU on a server chip.

 

At the very least, it's going to be an interesting couple of years for AMD vs Intel after the last few uneventful years.

[azurezeed]

great, just a little more time and AMD could catch up to intel