AMD details future 7nm CPU and GPU designs
AMD details future 7nm CPU and GPU designs
On the CPU side, AMD’s future is in 7nm, confirming that their new “ZEN 2” processor architecture is “Design Complete” and would “Improve on ‘Zen’ in multiple dimensions”. At this time these dimensions are unknown, though it is likely that Zen 2 will deliver higher clock speeds on 7nm and improved performance per clock. Â
AMD has also stated that their “ZEN 3” architecture is “on Track”, though they have not released any further details. This vagueness makes sense as the company doesn’t want to draw away attention from ZEN 2. If the slide below is correct ZEN 2 will become available in early 2019, and Zen 3 should become available in 2020.Â
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In the GPU market, AMD has stated that their 7nm NAVI graphics architecture is “on track”, with 7nm Vega being “Design Complete”. So far AMD has said that their 7nm Vega graphics cards are designed for the enterprise market for Machine Learning applications, though a consumer/gaming release is not out of the question. Â
AMD’s “Next-Gen” graphics architecture is “on track for a release in 2020 using a 7nm process node. AMD’s lack of an architecture codename suggests that AMD plans to move away from GCN, perhaps opening the door to another Zen-like innovation for the graphics market. This new architecture is expected in 2020 using 7nm technology, replacing Navi.Â
Sadly, Radeon has not released any specific details regarding Navi or “Next-Gen”, giving us no clear indication of what AMD wants to achieve with their next-generation GPU designs. It is likely that AMD wants to avoid the overhype which surrounded Vega and left most Radeon fans disappointed in their final product.Â
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Intel’s continued delay of 10nm has left AMD with a great opportunity to shake up the CPU market once again with ZEN 2, which will likely make up AMD’s Ryzen 3000 series of processors. The combination of 7nm lithography and architectural advancements will allow AMD to offer consumers more performance and increased power efficiency, changes which may allow AMD to surpass Intel’s current CPU offerings when it comes to Single-threaded performance.Â
You can join the discussion on AMD’s future 7nm CPU and GPU plans on the OC3D Forums.Â