AMD Bristol/Stoney Ridge Thread

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KTE

Senior member
May 26, 2016
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AMD only? Intel U suffers the same fate... OEMs are totally retarded now by pairing with crack configs in order to make the laptop cheaper... Is a total stupid move... Even worse is the fact that they put dGPUs comparable to the iGPUs of the laptops... (Yeah i5 U and GT 920M... I see you!)

You will be able to find many decent Intel laptops. They might be expensive. They might be limited in geography and stores. They might have some compromises. But they'll still be produced for those who want the optionsy. The different permutations are thrown out there as availabile. From top to bottom, and between.

To capture markets, this is critical.

Whereas with AMD, they are nearly always very limited in configs, poorly setup, priced highly/non-competitively, bottom of the lineup and 'designed to fail' for the ones that do exist.

When Zacate did well vs. competition, the laptops for it were so rare, so poorly setup and hardware-paired. Just the way to make them extremely unattractive to anyone. If it's potential market gain should have been a hypothetical 75% from the share available, and from the share it was designed for, it captured sub-5%, due to all this.

Sent from HTC 10
(Opinions are own)
 

AtenRa

Lifer
Feb 2, 2009
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http://www.anandtech.com/show/10705...e-and-am4-analysis-a12-9800-b350-a320-chipset

B350%20Chipset%20Blog%20Diagram_678x452.png
 

cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
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Whereas with AMD, they are nearly always very limited in configs, poorly setup, priced highly/non-competitively, bottom of the lineup and 'designed to fail' for the ones that do exist.

I noticed the same thing with desktops when I did my informal survey (comparing January 2016 to January 2014) a while back:

https://forums.anandtech.com/thread...industry-source.2456970/page-14#post-37937094

Now if AMD could move the APUs from desktop to laptop I think situation could be a lot better perhaps in two ways:

1. Moving APUs off desktop to laptop increases the number of processors notebook makers have access to.

2. With the APUs gone on socketed desktop perhaps the company could use choplines and a new mask set to create a dedicated quad core Zen die by using the bottom half of the octocore Zen die:

(It would only have single channel memory though, but if it is actually feasible it would be a way to increase the pool of 4C/8T and 3C/6T Zen for the ever improving range of mid-level and better dGPUs.)

LL
 
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cbn

Lifer
Mar 27, 2009
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Because they need to get rid of the old gpu stock + dual graphics sounds better on paper.

I do think it is interesting that we see so many low end AMD dGPU paired with AMD iGPU in 15W laptops....this when it appeared to me AMD low end desktop dGPU was particularly weak against Nvidia when I made this thread:

https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/the-entry-level-video-card-hot-deals-thread.2403091/

IMO Ideally it would be 35W APUs in laptops (rather than 15W APUs + dGPUs) with the low end dGPU freed up for desktop competing with Nvidia once again (I think SFF Core 2 to Ivy Bridge desktops, which are quite numerous, could benefit from these entry level video cards).

But for that 35W laptop APU to happen I think one thing AMD needs to do is label the specs on the 35W APUs so it is very clear the combined CPU and GPU performance is much better than the 15W. Then people (normally looking for dGPU) will know to look for the 35W APU laptops rather than the 15W APUs if they want such performance.

Maybe an ideal chain of events for the future would be:

1. Increased uptake of APUs for mobile (in part, caused by better labeling of 35W) such that APUs on socketed desktop don't need to exist anymore.

2. A small die quad core Zen Summit Ridge created (by using chop lines and a new mask set) from the octocore Zen Summit Ridge die. This to replace the desktop APUs in socketed systems.

3. low end dGPU return to desktop in increased numbers. (This for older SFF desktops, crossfire with 35W BGA APU desktops, quad core Summit Ridge processors that didn't get used with mid range and better dGPU)

P.S. I was also thinking eventually it would be great if AMD could create some "All-in-Wonder" low end video cards (with TV tuner and cable tuner) in a bid to bring back Media center to Windows. (Cable cards are slim enough to fit in the back of a low profile video card, but It would probably need to be dual slot).
 
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Abwx

Lifer
Apr 2, 2011
10,847
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IMO Ideally it would be 35W APUs in laptops (rather than 15W APUs + dGPUs) with the low end dGPU freed up for desktop competing with Nvidia once again (I think SFF Core 2 to Ivy Bridge desktops, which are quite numerous, could benefit from these entry level video cards).

On second thoughts dual GPU s really a very good idea, only downside is that the dGPU is (still) not a Polaris with 640-1024 SPs, and since you mentioned their GPU competitor certainly that there was a time, the one of the bumpgate, when people wished that they had a dual GFX in their laptop....
 

KTE

Senior member
May 26, 2016
478
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On second thoughts dual GPU s really a very good idea, only downside is that the dGPU is (still) not a Polaris with 640-1024 SPs, and since you mentioned their GPU competitor certainly that there was a time, the one of the bumpgate, when people wished that they had a dual GFX in their laptop....
On the sub-35W front, AMD has had the muscle to hussle with Intel since Fusion. Just failed OEM/ODM builds with poor hamstrung configs letting them down.

Sent from HTC 10
(Opinions are own)
 

Shehriazad

Senior member
Nov 3, 2014
555
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Of course I'm not from "camp AMD" or "camp Intel"...but seeing how hard OEMs keep on redactedup those setups almost makes one think they're doing it on purpose...of course I'll just hope that this is not the case....but from the looks of it they gave the job of putting together the configurations to a Chimpanzee with a learning disorder.



No profanity allowed in tech.


esquared
Anandtech Forum Director[
 
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superstition

Platinum Member
Feb 2, 2008
2,219
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from the looks of it they gave the job of putting together the configurations to a Chimpanzee with a learning disorder.
Never underestimate the bizarre outcomes of corporations' desires to pinch pennies.

The Performa 5200 — literally the Frankenstein's monster of computers.
The 970's VRAM scheme and false advertising.
The 840 TLC drives' too-weak NAND.
The Vertex 2 OCZ drives (with stealth 64-bit NAND) that were never stable, especially in 240 GB.
The IBM Deathstar drive.
Intel's refusal to issue a firmware patch to give G1 SSD buyers TRIM support.
The 5+ revisions of a product with the same name and different specs (common with motherboards)
The Lenovo S-10 netbook that was sent to review with a matte screen, which was praised — sold to buyers with cheap glossy.
The panel lottery in TVs.
Apple's refusal to recall laptops with faulty Nvidia GPUs and replace them with parts that were actually fixed.
The substandard Intel TIM, including Devils' Canyon which got a fancy new acronym and performed just as badly.
The endless patch spew from beta-grade software being released for sale.
GPUs being sold with the same name and radically different specs.
The first Mac, with its ridiculously small 128K of RAM and no ability to use a hard disk.
The Pinto with its exploding gasoline tank.
The gasoline GM engine that they tried to run diesel in back in the 80s (Olds in particular).

etc.
 
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The Stilt

Golden Member
Dec 5, 2015
1,709
3,057
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In case of Bristol Ridge, the B350 chipset variant can saturate the APU-chipset interconnect link with just the USBs. Bristol Ridge has x8 3.0 links for the external graphics and x4 3.0 for general purpose. In case of AM4 the four GPP links will be used for the external chipset.
Since each Gen. 2 USB3.1 is 10Gb/s, Gen. 1 USB3.1 / 3.0 is 5Gb/s and USB2.0 is 480Mbit/s, you can exceed the available 32Gb/s without using anything else.
 

AtenRa

Lifer
Feb 2, 2009
14,000
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Base on this schematic , possible to use all USB 3 , 3.1 at full speed? Or one USB 3 and one USB 3.1 , both at full speed.

Well, the APU alone has 4x USB 3.0(5Gbps) so you can use all 4x at full speed and

*USB 3 = 5Gbps = 0.625GB/s
*USB 3.1 Gen 2.0= 10Gbps = 1.25GB/s

So B350 has

2x USB 3 = 2x 0.625GB/s = 1.25GB/s

And

2x USB 3.1 Gen 2.0 = 2x 1.25GB/s = 2.5GB/s

Total = 3.75GB/s

Since B350 is connected through 4x PCIe Gen 3.0 (8GB/s) you can use all of them at the same time without any bottlenecks.

7th%20Gen%20Block%20Diagram%20Logo.png


B350%20Chipset%20Blog%20Diagram_678x452.png



* 1GB/s (GigaBytes) = 8Gbps (Gigabits)
 

Shivansps

Diamond Member
Sep 11, 2013
3,835
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I was looking at the chipset and i was about to rant about the lack of 4 USB 3.0 ports as minimum, what whould have caused lack of front 3.0 headers. Good thing they are present on the APU.
 

The Stilt

Golden Member
Dec 5, 2015
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I don't think there is any truth in that.

- AMD cannot afford locking down overclocking on any of their products, even after Zen
- The chipset has nothing to do with the overclocking capabilities, it is just a I/O extender. While an artificial limit is always a possibility, I don't find it likely.
- The number of available PCI-E lanes has nothing to do with the I/O extender (Promontory) variant used on the motherboard.
- I don't think any AM4 motherboards will have 2x x16 links available for graphics, unless we are talking about with 2.0 (instead of 3.0) equivalency...
 

hojnikb

Senior member
Sep 18, 2014
562
45
91
Any chance we might see chipsetless motherboards ? I mean, it's not really necessary for absolute budget boards (x2 sata, x4 usb). And having no chipset could probably mean cheaper starting prices for am4 boards too.
 

Justinbaileyman

Golden Member
Aug 17, 2013
1,980
249
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What happened to the screen shots of the motherboard they are no longer working..?? Could you please repost them??
 

AtenRa

Lifer
Feb 2, 2009
14,000
3,357
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hmmm, i dont have them saved it was a direct link. I will see what i can find later.

Sorry guys
 

The Stilt

Golden Member
Dec 5, 2015
1,709
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Two low-end motherboards, not much to see. The most interesting thing for me to see was the final version of the AM4 cooler mounting bracket(s).
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
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I fail to see how Ultra M.2 slots are going to work with those diagrams. PCI-E 2.0 x4 off of the B350 chipset, or off of the APU's PCI-E lanes? But with no bifurication of the PCI-E 3.0 x8 coming off of the APU, that would mean users would either get stuck with an M.2 slot, with PCI-E 2.0 x4, or if they wanted 3.0, then off of the APU's PCI-E 3.0 lanes, and then they would have to forgo a dGPU. I think that the lack of x4/x4 bifurication of the APU's PCI-E lanes is a mistake.
 

The Stilt

Golden Member
Dec 5, 2015
1,709
3,057
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I fail to see how Ultra M.2 slots are going to work with those diagrams. PCI-E 2.0 x4 off of the B350 chipset, or off of the APU's PCI-E lanes? But with no bifurication of the PCI-E 3.0 x8 coming off of the APU, that would mean users would either get stuck with an M.2 slot, with PCI-E 2.0 x4, or if they wanted 3.0, then off of the APU's PCI-E 3.0 lanes, and then they would have to forgo a dGPU. I think that the lack of x4/x4 bifurication of the APU's PCI-E lanes is a mistake.

That's more a limitation of Carrizo / Bristol Ridge than the platform itself. Twelve 3.0 links in total and eight of them reserved for the dGPU. Nothing prevents the manufacturers from using those eight links reserved for the dGPU for other purposes. Or alternatively you could plug your M.2 drive in a x4 PCI-E adapter, like I do.