New amd mobile processors. AMD mobile processors. AMD chips for organizing mid-range laptops

This article presents only the best AMD processors in 2017.

If you don't want to independently understand all the characteristics of each processor model or are not sure that you can choose the best option, pay attention to our CPU rating from AMD.

Contents:

A good processor is the main indicator of power and. AMD is one of the leaders in the processor market.

AMD produces the following types of processors:

• CPU – central computing units
• GPU – a separate device that renders video. Often used in gaming computers to reduce the load on the central unit and to ensure best quality video sequence;
• APU – central processors with a built-in video accelerator. They are also called hybrid, because such a component is a combination of the central one and in one crystal.

#5 - Athlon X4 860K

Ruler AMD Athlon designed for socket FM2+. X4 860K is the best and most productive model of the entire series, which contains three processors:

• Athlon X4 860K;
• Athlon X4840;
• and model Athlon X2.

The Athlon family is designed for desktop personal computers. All models in the line are distinguished by good multi-threading.

The best results in the Athlon group were shown by the X4 860K model.

The first detail to note is the support for virtually , which consumes no more than 95 watts along with quiet operation and no loss in performance.

If the processor has been overclocked using special programs, there may be an increase in noise in the operation of the cooling system.

Main characteristics:

• Family: Athlon X4;
• Number of processor cores: 4;
• Clock frequency – 3.1 MHz;
• There is no unlocked multiplier;
• Core type: Kaveri;
• Approximate cost: $50.

There is no integrated graphics in the CPU.

The X4 860K processor is capable of supporting fast work only general-purpose systems.

Testing of the CPU operation was carried out using the AIDA64 utility. Overall, the model shows good results for a mid-class processor.

If you are looking for an inexpensive CPU with multitasking support for your home computer, Athlon X4 860K is one of the suitable options.

testing Athlon X4 860K

No. 4 – AMD FX-6300

AMD's FX-6300 is a CPU that supports the Piledriver architecture. Processors with this architecture have already become worthy competitors new products from Intel.

All processors from AMD FX group have excellent overclocking potential.

FX-6300 Features:

• Series: FX-Series;
• Supported connector: Socket AM3+;
• Number of cores: 6;
• No integrated graphics;
• The clock frequency is 3.5 MHz;
• Number of contacts: 938;
• The cost of the model is on average $85.

A characteristic feature of the processor is its flexibility.

The clock frequency declared by the developer is 3.5 MHz, which is a rather mediocre figure among.

However, this CPU provides the ability to overclock the frequency to 4.1 MHz.

boxing devices of the FX series from AMD

Acceleration of work occurs during intense loads. Most often in the process of rendering videos or working with games.

It should be noted that this CPU model is equipped with a dual-channel memory controller.

CPU speed testing was carried out in Just Cause 2.

The final results showed that the Athlon X4 860K supports a maximum graphics resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels.

The computer also used an integrated GTX video card 580.

In the picture below you can see comparative analysis performance and other processors that have been tested under identical software and hardware environment conditions.

test result of Athlon X4 860K

No. 3 - A10-7890K

The A10-7890K is a hybrid CPU from AMD. Despite the announcement of the development of a fundamental new technology and generation of processors, AMD decided to release another model in the A10 line.

The company positions this series of devices as an excellent choice for desktop PCs.

The A10-7890K is a best-in-class playback solution.

Of course, the graphics settings will have to be lowered, but as a result you will get good performance without severe overheating of the PC hardware.

packaging model A10-7890K

This processor has a built-in Radeon graphics unit that allows you to:

The processor comes with a Wraith cooler, which features very quiet operation. Also, the cooler supports backlight mode. Specifications A10-7890K:

• CPU Family - A-Series;
• Clock frequency: 4.1 MHz;
• Type of connector: Socket FM2+;
• Number of cores: 4 cores;
• There is an unlocked multiplier;
• Number of contacts: 906;
• Estimated cost – $130.

The main advantage of the A10-7890K is improved interaction with Windows 10.

The detailed characteristics of the processor are shown to us in the figure below:

detailed characteristics of APU A10-7890K

Component Test Results standard test :

Cinebench R15 test result

As you can see, the tested component has surpassed in its parameters some AMD models in the A-10 and Athlon line.

At the same time, the results obtained were not enough to outperform analogues from Intel.

#2 - Ryzen 5 1600X

The first two places in our TOP are occupied by models of the Ryzen line. It is in the last few years that the architecture of these processors has become key for Advanced Micro Devices Corporation.

The presented Zen microarchitecture is gradually returning the manufacturer to its leading position in the market.

Ryzen 5 is a direct competitor to the group's processors. The CPU performs best in gaming systems. This is also stated by the CEO of AMD.

Characteristics:

• AMD Ryzen 5 Family;
• 6 cores;
• No integrated graphics;
• There is an unlocked multiplier;
• Clock frequency 3.6 MHz;
• Socket AM4 connector;
• The cost is about $260.

Most modifications of the 1600X lack the native . Users will have to purchase this component separately.

The base frequencies do not cross the established 3.6 MHz mark. When operating in turbo mode (as a result of overclocking the processor), the clock frequency reaches 4.0 MHz.

All fifth-generation Ryzen models support SMT - surface mount technology.

This makes the CPU easy to mount on a surface printed circuit board without the need to trim parts of the component.

Ryzen 5 package

During testing of the CPU, even with the most resource-intensive programs, the maximum CPU temperature did not exceed 58 degrees. , Test results:

1600X model performance test

Along with the line of powerful CPUs, AMD also released special firmware for their initial setup– AGESA.

The utility allows you to reconfigure memory to avoid delays and interruptions in work.

No. 1 - Ryzen 7 1800X

The Ryzen 7 1800X is an excellent choice for building a powerful PC or for multi-tier data server support.

AMD is currently developing another powerful member of the Ryzen family.

In March 2017, the Ryzen 2000 X APU model was announced, which should go on sale at the end of the year.

Characteristics:

• Family: AMD Ryzen 7;
• 8 cores;
• Clock frequency 3.6 MHz with the ability to overclock to 4 MHz;
• Unlocked multiplier support;
• No support for integrated graphics;
• The average price is $480.

The 1800X can simultaneously execute up to 16 threads of program code. The processor works with SMT multi-threading technology.

All Zen cores provide efficient use of others. Increased throughput by supporting three-level cache memory.

Comparison of test results of the Ryzen 7 1800X with competitive models from Intel.

A week ago, AMD held a small presentation dedicated to the new Ryzen Mobile APUs, previously known under the code name Raven Ridge. The speaker - however, as usual - first complained about the current situation in the world of processors. They say that Moore’s law is no longer so strictly observed and everyone has already gotten used to “5-7% growth per year” (it is known whose garden this stone is in). And even in desktops, where there are no special restrictions, five years ago the competitor’s mainstream processor had 4 cores (and 8 threads) with a frequency of about 3.5 GHz, and until recently the same 4C/8T, but at about 4 GHz. Only this year, the competitor changed tactics, offering more cores for the same price as before. In the mobile segment, in this sense, until this fall, it was even worse - the stability of configurations is no longer a sign of skill. Lack of competition is bad for the market and end consumers. However, we have already heard all this from AMD before.

On the left is the CCX block of Zen cores, on the right is the GPU block (blue)

The company itself has been developing new cores (CPU and GPU) for the last four years, and, according to AMD, the important thing is that they tried to make them as scalable as possible. Both powerful server solutions and desktop systems, and now here are mobile ones - for laptops. Strictly speaking, AMD Ryzen Mobile 7 2700U and 5 2500U are one CCX with four Zen cores (8 threads), Radeon Vega graphics and a slightly modified Infinity Fabric bus. The latter combines the CPU, GPU, memory controller, display and multimedia units, as well as a peripheral controller. The basic version of both chips has a TDP of 15 W, but system manufacturers, with the approval of AMD, can independently configure the TDP in the range from 12 (the table shows 9, but 12 was repeatedly stated) to 25 W - everything will depend on the quality of the cooling system. Such settings are not available to the user.

At the microarchitecture level, the new APUs are not much different from the desktop versions of crystals and . The changes concern those areas that are critical specifically for the mobile segment. The developers, for example, cut down the L3 caches to 4 MB - just so as not to inflate the size of the crystal. We also had to abandon HBM for GPUs - video memory is cut off from the main DDR4. The specific capacity depends on the OEM of the laptop. For tests (benchmarks are given below), AMD used configurations with 256 MB of video memory, but in general there will be options for 512-1024 MB, since a relatively large amount of RAM is no longer uncommon in modern laptops. And yes, the overall performance of the complex will again partially depend on the frequency random access memory.

The DDR4-2400 memory controller has also remained almost unchanged: it is dual-channel, but for some ultraportable solutions AMD insists on using a single-channel configuration - in this case, the difference in graphics performance will be approximately 20-40%. ECC is supported, but we are unlikely to see this in laptops. The differences between the AMD Ryzen Mobile 7 2700U and 5 2500U are not that great. The older model has basic and increased frequency 2.2 and 3.8 GHz, respectively, and the lowest - 2.0 and 3.6 GHz. The 2500U has eight Radeon Vega CU modules with a frequency of 1.1 GHz, and the 2700U has ten of them and they operate at 1.3 GHz. Yes, for now only two APU models will be available, but next year AMD promises to significantly increase their number. The crystal has an area of ​​209.78 mm 2 and contains approximately 4.95 billion transistors. Technological process - 14 nm.

However, some important changes in the new chipsets are worth mentioning. The technology for dynamic control of the frequency of Precision Boost crystals has acquired the number 2 in its name. It still changes frequencies in 25 MHz steps, but in this case this step is used in both the GPU and CPU. Besides, a new version copes better with multi-threaded workloads - the main limiting factor in the case of laptops will be more the cooling efficiency than the power limit. In addition, the new APUs have the Mobile XFR subsystem - it also further increases the turbo frequency above the nominal, but here its task is to maintain the established overclocking for as long as possible. The exact frequency increase, the number of activated cores, and specific APU models with mXFR have not been announced, but it is reported that this technology is designed more for high-performance laptops with good cooling.

However, some additions are also provided in the power subsystem. The chips contain thousands of individual sensors (and regulators) that measure voltages directly at the transistor blocks, with millivolt accuracy. That is, data on the state of external VREGs is no longer so important. There was already voltage regulation for individual Zen cores, and now it has been added for the GPU. It is curious that an AMD representative claims that the worst load case, when the peak occurs simultaneously on the CPU and GPU, supposedly does not occur in practical operating scenarios. This, of course, can be argued. However, the main task in the case of an APU is the correct and fast distribution of power between the graphics and processor parts, depending on which of them really needs it. Actually, the main innovation in the APU is the LDO controllers built into the GPU. It is argued that no one currently has such an effective implementation of this technology.

New internal LDOs unified for CPU/GPU, as AMD itself says, allow in the case of APUs to reduce current requirements by 36%, while increasing the maximum current for powering the CPU or GPU by 20% - in fact, you can make either a more powerful solution, leaving that the same power system, or, conversely, reduce it but maintain performance. In any case, the energy efficiency of the final solution increases, because dynamic distribution of frequency and power depending on the load occurs both between the CPU cores and between the graphics and central processors. However, specific details of the distribution algorithm are not disclosed. On the other hand, not only the algorithm is important, but also the speed of switching between different CPU/GPU states and their number, which, in particular, is necessary for more efficient use of the laptop battery.

In the new APUs, the GPU has a special mode in which the power consumption of the card is reduced by 95%. It is activated when literally nothing happens on the screen, that is, a static picture is displayed - for example, if the user simply steps away from the PC for a while. A similar state exists for CPU cores. The transition between the main states in both cases takes 100 microseconds or less (typical value is 50 microseconds), and for deep sleep mode it takes up to 1.5 ms. Besides, internal components APUs are conventionally divided into two zones with different power policies, which also contributes to energy efficiency. The Infinity Fabric bus carries data from various internal sensors and controllers.

The developers also note the small thickness of the finished product - only 1.38 mm. Previously, as stated, not all ultrabooks were able to fit existing chips precisely because of their thickness. As for the GPU, it is worth noting the presence of FreeSync 2 technology. AMD will try to ensure that manufacturers, whenever possible, add support for it to the displays of their laptops. The video card itself supports multi-monitor configurations, image output with 4K resolution and HDR. Right now, together with Microsoft, support for PlayReady is being prepared, which is necessary for the correct operation of some video streaming services. Well, in general, AMD continues to adhere to the long-term 25 × 20 strategy, which was announced in 2014. According to it, by 2020, the overall APU performance should increase by 25 times compared to 2014 models.

Unfortunately, during the presentation, AMD did not present the full specifications of the new products (for example, there was no data on integrated controllers for peripherals), showing only some benchmarks. Let's note a few important points in them. Firstly, in some cases the comparison is not with competitor solutions, but only with AMD products on the old platform. Secondly, where such a comparison does exist, an eighth-generation chip with the same nominal TDP of 15 W was used, which was available on the market (and there are still few of them). Thirdly, various acceleration technologies or any other “cheating” were not used, including, for example, laptop tests in a pre-cooled room. Below in the gallery are the test results, as well as comments and notes on them.

AMD Ryzen Mobile Benchmarks

The new products perform best in multi-threaded applications, as well as in software that actively uses the graphics subsystem. AMD notes that now on ultra-thin laptops you can, for example, safely do video and graphics processing and not worry too much about the autonomy of the device. And of course, according to the company, a new niche is emerging for them - games. Naturally, heavy gaming monsters will feel uncomfortable here, but popular e-sports projects work well with acceptable resolution and graphics quality. By the way, there are no options with Dual Graphics yet; instead, developers can use DirectX 12 tools to share the resources of different GPUs.

At a special event before CES 2018, AMD released new mobile processors and announced desktop chips with integrated graphics. And Radeon Technologies Group, a structural division of AMD, announced Vega mobile discrete graphics chips. The company also revealed plans to switch to new technical processes and promising architectures: Radeon Navi graphics and Zen+, Zen 2 and Zen 3 processors.

New processors, chipset and cooling

The first Ryzen desktops with Vega graphics

Two Ryzen desktop models with integrated Vega graphics will go on sale on February 12, 2018. The 2200G is an entry-level Ryzen 3 processor, while the 2400G is a mid-range Ryzen 5 processor. Both models dynamically boost clock speeds by 200 and 300 MHz from base frequencies of 3.5 GHz and 3.6 GHz, respectively. In fact, they replace the ultra-budget models Ryzen 3 1200 and 1400.

The 2200G has only 8 graphics units, while the 2400G has 3 more. The frequency of the 2200G graphics cores reaches 1,100 MHz, and the 2400G is 150 MHz more. Each graphics unit contains 64 shaders.

The cores of both processors have the same code name as mobile processors with integrated graphics - Raven Ridge (literally Raven Mountain, a rock formation in Colorado). But nevertheless, they are connected to the same LGA AMD AM4 socket as all other Ryzen 3, 5 and 7 processors.

Reference: Sometimes AMD calls processors with integrated graphics not CPU (Central Processing Unit, English Central processing unit), and APU (Accelerated Processor Unit, English. Accelerated processing unit, in other words, a processor with a video accelerator).
Tabletop AMD processors with built-in graphics are marked with the letter G at the end, after the first letter of the word graphics ( English graphic arts). Mobile processors from both AMD and Intel are marked with the letter U at the end, after the first letter of the words ultrathin ( English ultra-thin) or ultra-low power ( English ultra-low power consumption) respectively.
At the same time, you should not think that if the model numbers of the new Ryzen begin with the number 2, then their core architecture belongs to the second generation of the Zen microarchitecture. This is not true - these processors are still in the first generation.

New Ryzen mobiles with Vega graphics

Last year, AMD already brought the first mobile Ryzen to the market under the code name Raven Ridge. The entire Ryzen mobile family is designed for gaming laptops, ultrabooks and tablet-laptop hybrids. But there were only two such models, each in the middle and high-end segments: Ryzen 5 2500U and Ryzen 7 2700U. The junior segment was empty, but the company corrected this right at CES 2018 - two models were added to the mobile family: Ryzen 3 2200U and Ryzen 3 2300U.

AMD Vice President Jim Anderson demonstrates the Ryzen mobile family

The 2200U is the first dual-core Ryzen CPU, while the 2300U is quad-core as standard, but both run four threads. At the same time, the base frequency of the 2200U cores is 2.5 GHz, and the lower 2300U is 2 GHz. But with increasing loads, the frequency of both models will rise to the same level - 3.4 GHz. However, laptop manufacturers can lower the power ceiling, because they also need to calculate energy costs and think through the cooling system. There is also a difference in cache size between the chips: the 2200U has only two cores, and therefore has half the cache of levels 1 and 2.

The 2200U has only 3 graphics units, but the 2300U has twice as many, as well as processor cores. But the difference in graphics frequencies is not so significant: 1,000 MHz versus 1,100 MHz.

The first mobile Ryzen PRO

AMD has planned release for the second quarter of 2018 mobile versions Ryzen PRO, enterprise level processors. Characteristics mobile PRO identical to the consumer versions, with the exception of the Ryzen 3 2200U, which did not receive a PRO implementation at all. The differences between desktop and mobile Ryzen PRO are in additional hardware technologies.

Ryzen PRO processors are complete copies of regular Ryzen, but with additional features

For example, TSME, on-the-fly hardware encryption of RAM, is used to ensure security (Intel only has software-intensive SME encryption). And for centralized management of a fleet of machines, the open standard DASH (Desktop and mobile Architecture for System Hardware) is available. system devices) - support for its protocols is built into the processor.

Laptops, ultrabooks and hybrid tablet-laptops with Ryzen PRO should primarily be of interest to companies and government agencies that plan to purchase them for employees.

New AMD 400 series chipsets

The second generation of Ryzen relies on the second generation of system logic: the 300th series of chipsets is replaced by the 400th. The flagship of the series, as expected, was the AMD X470, and later simpler and cheaper sets of circuits, such as the B450, would be released. The new logic has improved everything related to RAM: it has reduced access latency, raised the upper frequency limit, and added headroom for overclocking. Also in the 400 series, USB bandwidth has increased and the processor's power consumption has improved, and at the same time its heat dissipation.

But the processor socket has not changed. The AMD AM4 desktop socket (and its mobile non-removable version AMD FP5) is a special advantage of the company. The second generation has the same connector as the first. It will not change in the third and fifth generations. AMD promised, in principle, not to change AM4 until 2020. And for the 300 series motherboards (X370, B350, A320, X300 and A300) to work with the new Ryzen, you just need to update the BIOS. Moreover, in addition to direct compatibility, there is also reverse compatibility: old processors will work on new boards.

Gigabyte at CES 2018 even showed a prototype of the first motherboard based on the new chipset - the X470 Aorus Gaming 7 WiFi. This and other boards based on X470 and lower chipsets will appear in April 2018, simultaneously with the second generation of Ryzen on the Zen+ architecture.

New cooling system

AMD also introduced a new AMD cooler Wraith Prism (English prism of anger). While its predecessor, the Wraith Max, was illuminated in a single color red, the Wraith Prism features motherboard-controlled RGB lighting around the perimeter of the fan. The cooler blades are made of transparent plastic and are also illuminated in millions of colors. Fans of RGB backlighting will appreciate it, and haters can simply turn it off, although in this case the point of buying this model will be negated.

Wraith Prism - a complete copy of Wraith Max, but with backlighting in millions of colors

The remaining characteristics are identical to the Wraith Max: direct contact heat pipes, programmable airflow profiles in overclocking mode and virtually silent operation at 39 dB under standard conditions.

There is no information yet on how much the Wraith Prism will cost, whether it will come bundled with processors, or when it will be available for purchase.

New Ryzen laptops

In addition to mobile processors, AMD is also promoting new laptops based on them. In 2017, HP Envy x360 models were released on mobile Ryzen, Lenovo Ideapad 720S and Acer Swift 3. In the first quarter of 2018, the Acer Nitro 5 series will be added to them, Dell Inspiron 5000 and HP. They all run on last year's mobile Ryzen 7 2700U and Ryzen 5 2500U.

The Acer Nitro family is all about gaming machines. The Nitro 5 line is equipped with 15.6-inch IPS displays with a resolution of 1920 × 1080. And some models will be equipped with a discrete Radeon RX 560 graphics chip with 16 graphics units inside.

The Dell Inspiron 5000 line of laptops offers models with display diagonals of 15.6 and 17 inches, equipped with either hard drives or solid state drives. Some models in the line will also receive a discrete Radeon 530 graphics card with 6 graphics units. This is a rather strange configuration, because even the integrated graphics of the Ryzen 5 2500U have more graphics units - 8 pieces. But the advantage of a discrete card may be higher clock speeds and separate chips graphics memory(instead of the RAM section).

Price reduction for all Ryzen processors

Plans until 2020: Navi graphics, Zen 3 processors

2017 was a completely turning point for AMD. After years of troubles, AMD completed development of the Zen core microarchitecture and released the first generation of CPUs: the Ryzen, Ryzen PRO and Ryzen Threadripper family of PC processors, the Ryzen and Ryzen PRO mobile family, and the EPYC server family. In the same year, the Radeon group developed the Vega graphics architecture: Vega 64 and Vega 56 video cards were released on its basis, and by the end of the year, Vega cores were integrated into Ryzen mobile processors.

Dr. Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, assures that the company will release 7 nanometer processors before 2020

The new products not only attracted the interest of fans, but also captured the attention of ordinary consumers and enthusiasts. Intel and NVIDIA had to quickly counter: Intel released six-core Coffee processors Lake, the unplanned second “so” of the Skylake architecture, and NVIDIA expanded the 10th series of video cards on the Pascal architecture to 12 models.

Rumors about AMD's future plans accumulated throughout 2017. Until now, Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, has only noted that the company plans to exceed the 7-8% annual rate of productivity growth in the electronics industry. Finally, at CES 2018, the company showed a “road map” not just until the end of 2018, but right up to 2020. The basis of these plans is improving chip architectures through the miniaturization of transistors: a progressive transition from the current 14 nanometers to 12 and 7 nanometers.

12 nanometers: second generation Ryzen on Zen+

The Zen+ microarchitecture, the second generation of the Ryzen brand, is based on the 12-nanometer process technology. In fact, the new architecture is a modified Zen. The GlobalFoundries manufacturing standard is being converted from 14nm 14LPP (Low Power Plus) to 12nm 12LP (Low Power). The new 12LP process technology should provide chips with a 10% performance increase.

Reference: The GlobalFoundries network of factories are former AMD manufacturing facilities that were spun off into a separate company in 2009 and merged with other contract manufacturers. In terms of contract manufacturing market share, GlobalFoundries shares second place with UMC, significantly behind TSMC. Chip developers - AMD, Qualcomm and others - order production both from GlobalFoundries and other factories.

In addition to the new technical process, the Zen+ architecture and chips based on it will receive improved AMD Precision Boost 2 and AMD XFR 2 (Extended Frequency Range 2) technologies. In mobile Ryzen processors you can already find Precision Boost 2 and a special modification of XFR - Mobile Extended Frequency Range (mXFR).

The second generation will see the release of the Ryzen, Ryzen PRO and Ryzen Threadripper family of PC processors, but so far there is no information about updating the generations of the Ryzen and Ryzen PRO mobile family, and the server EPYC. But it is known that some models of Ryzen processors will have two modifications from the very beginning: with graphics integrated into the chip and without it. Entry- and mid-level models Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5 will be released in both versions. And the high level Ryzen 7 will not receive any graphical modification. Most likely, the code name Pinnacle Ridge (lit. sharp mountain ridge, one of the peaks of the Wind River Range in Wyoming) is assigned to the core architecture for these particular processors.

The second generation of Ryzen 3, 5 and 7 will begin selling in April 2018 along with the 400 series chipsets. And the second generation of Ryzen PRO and Ryzen Threadripper will be late until the second half of 2018.

7 nanometers: third generation Ryzen on Zen 2, discrete Vega graphics, Navi graphics core

In 2018, the Radeon group will release Vega discrete graphics for laptops, ultrabooks and laptop tablets. AMD does not share any special details: it is known that discrete chips will work with compact multi-layer memory like HBM2 (integrated graphics use RAM). Separately, Radeon emphasizes that the height of the memory chips will be only 1.7 mm.

Radeon exec shows off integrated and discrete Vega graphics

And in the same 2018, Radeon will transfer graphics chips based on Vega architecture from the 14 nm LPP process technology directly to 7 nm LP, completely jumping over 12 nm. But first, new graphics units will be supplied only for the Radeon Instinct line. This is a separate family of Radeon server chips for heterogeneous computing: machine learning and artificial intelligence - the demand for them is ensured by the development of unmanned vehicles.

And already at the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019, ordinary consumers will wait for Radeon and AMD products on the 7-nanometer process technology: processors based on Zen 2 architecture and graphics based on Navi architecture. Moreover, the design work for Zen 2 has already been completed.

AMD partners are already familiarizing themselves with Zen 2 chips and will create motherboards and other components for the third generation Ryzen. AMD is gaining such momentum due to the fact that the company has two teams “jumping” over each other to develop promising microarchitectures. They started with parallel work on Zen and Zen+. When Zen was completed, the first team moved to Zen 2, and when Zen+ was completed, the second team moved to Zen 3.

7 nanometers “plus”: fourth generation Ryzen on Zen 3

While one AMD department is solving the problems of mass production of Zen 2, another department is already designing Zen 3 at a technological standard designated as “7 nm+”. The company does not disclose details, but indirect data suggests that the process will be improved by complementing the current deep ultraviolet lithography (DUV, Deep Ultraviolet) with a new hard ultraviolet lithography (EUV, Extreme Ultraviolet) with a wavelength of 13.5 nm.

GlobalFoundries has already installed new equipment for the transition to 5 nm

Back in the summer of 2017, one of the GlobalFoundries factories purchased more than 10 lithographic systems from the TWINSCAN NXE series from the Netherlands ASML. With partial use of this equipment within the same 7 nm process technology, it will be possible to further reduce power consumption and increase chip performance. There are no exact metrics yet - it will take some more time to debug the new lines and bring them to acceptable capacity for mass production.

AMD expects to begin organizing sales of chips at the 7 nm+ standard from processors based on the Zen 3 microarchitecture by the end of 2020.

5 nanometers: fifth and subsequent generations of Ryzen on Zen 4?

AMD has not yet made an official announcement, but we can safely speculate that the next frontier for the company will be the 5 nm process technology. Experimental chips based on this standard have already been produced by a research alliance of IBM, Samsung and GlobalFoundries. Crystals using a 5 nm process technology will no longer require partial, but full use of hard ultraviolet lithography with an accuracy above 3 nm. This is exactly the resolution that the TWINSCAN NXE:3300B lithography system from ASML purchased by GlobalFoundries provides.

A layer one molecule thick of molybdenum disulfide (0.65 nanometers) exhibits a leakage current of only 25 femtoamps/micrometer at 0.5 volts.

But the difficulty also lies in the fact that at the 5 nm process it will probably be necessary to change the shape of the transistors. The long-proven FinFETs (fin-shaped transistors, from English fin) may give way to promising GAA FETs (shape of transistors with surrounding gates, from English gate-all-around). It will take several more years to set up and deploy mass production of such chips. Sector consumer electronics is unlikely to receive them before 2021.

Further reduction of technological standards is also possible. For example, back in 2003, Korean researchers created a 3-nanometer FinFET. In 2008, a nanometer transistor was created at the University of Manchester based on graphene (carbon nanotubes). And in 2016, Berkeley Lab research engineers conquered the sub-nanometer scale: such transistors can use both graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). True, at the beginning of 2018, there had not yet been a way to produce an entire chip or substrate from new materials.

This article will compare laptop processors from two leading semiconductor manufacturers - Intel and AMD. The products of the first of them are equipped with an improved processor part and in this regard have a higher level of performance. In turn, AMD solutions boast a more powerful graphics subsystem.

Division into niches

Comparison and Intel for laptops would be best done in three niches:

• Budget-class processors (they are also the most affordable).
• Mid-level CPUs that combine both high speed and acceptable energy efficiency.
• Chips with maximum performance levels. In this case, performance, autonomy and energy efficiency fade into the background.

If in the first two cases AMD can provide a worthy alternative to Intel, then the latter company has reigned supreme in the premium segment for quite some time. The only hope in this regard is new processor solutions based on the Zen architecture, which AMD should present next year.

Entry-level Intel products

Until recently, this niche from Intel was occupied by products from the Atom line. But now the situation has changed and laptops entry level are now based on processors. The most modest products in this class include only 2 cores, and the most advanced - 4. The following models are relevant for the 3rd quarter of 2016, which are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 - Current CPU models from Intel for entry-level mobile PCs.

There are essentially no fundamental differences between these CPU models. They are aimed at solving the simplest problems and have a minimum level of performance. Also from this manufacturer of semiconductor solutions strong point is the processor part, but the integrated graphics subsystem is very weak. Another strength of these products is the high degree of energy efficiency and the resulting improved autonomy.

Mid-range solutions from Intel

Core i3 and Core i5 are mid-range Intel processors for laptops. A comparison of their characteristics indicates that the first family is closer to entry-level solutions, and the second, under certain circumstances, can compete with the most productive chips of this company. Detailed specifications of this product family are given in Table 2.

Table 2 - Parameters of Intel processors for mid-range laptops.

The characteristics of CPUs of this class are almost identical. The key difference is the improved energy saving of the 7U54. As a result, autonomy in this case will also be better. Otherwise, there are no significant differences between these processors. The price for all chips of this family is the same - $281.

Premium processors for laptops from Intel

For the latest generation laptops, this indicates that the most powerful solutions include i7 family CPUs. Moreover, in architectural terms, they are practically no different from middle-class products. Even the video card models in this case are the same. But a higher level of performance compared to mid-range processors is provided by higher clock speeds and an increased size of Level 3 volatile memory. The main parameters of chips of this family are shown in Table 3.

Table 3 - Main characteristics of i7 family CPUs.

The difference between these products is that in the second case, energy efficiency is improved, but the performance will ultimately be lower.

AMD entry-level mobile processors

For laptops from the two leading manufacturers of these products, it indicates that Intel, as noted earlier, has a better processor part, and AMD has an integrated graphics subsystem. If the priority in a new laptop is an improved video system, then it is better to pay attention to laptops from a second manufacturer. Specific Models chips technical specifications are given in Table 4.

Table 4 - The latest AMD processors for entry-level laptops.

For the most part, these chips have almost identical technical parameters. The key difference here is only in the frequency range and the model of the integrated built-in accelerator. It is based on these parameters that you need to make a choice. If you need maximum autonomy, then we choose products with lower performance. If autonomy comes to the fore, then you will have to sacrifice dynamism for this.

AMD chips for organizing mid-range laptops

FX-9XXXP and A1X-9XXXP are for laptops. Comparison of their characteristics with entry-level products indicates that they already have 4 computing units versus 2, which are available in entry-level products. Also in this case it can be a worthy competitor to entry-level discrete accelerators. But the weak processor part is the factor today that significantly reduces the performance of laptops based on these chips. Therefore, you can only look in their direction if you need the fastest possible graphics subsystem at the minimum cost of a mobile computer. The main specifications of this CPU family are listed in Table 5.

Table 5 - AMD CPU parameters for mid-range laptops.

The hardest comparison to make between laptop processors is in the entry-level product segment. On the one hand, Intel solutions in this case have a lower cost and an improved processor part. In turn, AMD offers mobile PCs with an improved graphics subsystem. It is based on the last parameter that it is recommended to buy when choosing an entry-level laptop Pavilion 15-AW006UR from HP. All other things being equal to competing solutions, the video card in this case will have a certain performance margin, and the processor is not that much inferior to the Intel CPU. For a mid-level mobile PC, it is recommended to choose the Aspire E5 - 774 - 50SY from Acer. It has an i5 chip installed - 7200U, which is only slightly inferior to flagship products. And its other technical specifications are at an acceptable level, as for a middle-class laptop. Comparison of laptop processors in the niche of the most productive solutions indicated which is best to buy mobile computers based on 7th generation i7 chips. The most affordable, but also very equipped laptop option is the IdeaPad 510-15 IKB from Lenovo. This is what we recommend buying when choosing the most productive mobile PC. At the same time, the price is quite affordable for this class of devices, and the equipment is excellent.

Results

A comparison of laptop processors from two leading chip manufacturers today clearly and clearly indicates that in most cases the leading positions are occupied by products from Intel. AMD, in turn, lags significantly behind its direct competitor. The only market segment where parity is still maintained is entry-level mobile products, where AMD has a worthy alternative. In all other cases, it would be more correct to purchase laptops based on Intel CPUs. The current situation can be radically changed by the release of processors based on the Zen architecture in 2017. But whether AMD will be able to do this - time will tell. Now, in the niche of mid-level and premium mobile PCs, it is most correct to rely on solutions from Intel. Although their price is somewhat high, the level of performance more than compensates for this shortcoming.