AMD Future Zen-based APU discussion

[ao_ika_red]

Newbie mistake: Posting same topic.
Redirected here: https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/amd-raven-ridge-zen-apu-thread.2479296/page-33

Hi, folks. I can't find a specific discussion thread about Zen APU in this sub-forum, so I'll start it anyway.
As we know, AMD will release their APU by matching 1 Zen CCX and few Vega CUs in single die.

It won't be as exciting as Ryzen and ThreadRipper, though.
Because it will serve mainly casual users and a lot of average Joe and Jane out there.
But, personally, I think a lot of purpose will be well-served by this chip and it also very cost-effective.

Here's some "leaked" roadmap I took from videocardz.com.

Bear in mind that leaked specification will be addressed for Enterprise market, hence ECC support. But, it gives us a big picture of what we'll get in the future. Horned Owl will become the successor of Excavator-based Bristol Ridge "big" APU and Banded Kestrel will become the successor of Puma+ based Carrizo-L "small" APU (as a fan of cat cores, I don't recognize the existence of Stoney Ridge-APU).

Well, that's it. I hope we can discuss about this cute APU in civil manner. I know there are some people in this forum also eagerly wait this APU and I hope you will share your enthusiasm in this thread.

 

[ghostrev]

Unfortunately the images don't load. Try to edit the post if possible.

 

[Burpo]

Here you go..

 

[ao_ika_red]

Unfortunately the images don't load. Try to edit the post if possible.

I'm really sorry. I post it via PC and everything seems normal. I already edited it using Tapatalk. Hope it works.

 

[Glo.]

Its actually funny because I have found on another forum AMA with Don Woligroski from April that has been done by TomsHardware community. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-ryzen-ama,5018-12.html

And here is what he says about HBM2 APUs:

Tech_TTT: Are we expecting an AMD APU with onboard HBM2 Memory as shared memory for both System and GPU and no DIMMs slots any time sooner? What are your plans for very low voltage CPU? The Ryzen managed a good 65W TDP for 8 cores. Can we expect a 15W 4 core Ryzen APU to compete with a low voltage Intel CPU?

DON WOLIGROSKI: We're definitely considering different HBM implementations, but we haven't announced anything I can talk to. In a lot of ways the Zen architecture gets more impressive as you provide less power. I can't comment on unannounced laptop parts, but there are great things coming!

So they are working on it, and now some roadmaps are making actually more sense, than ever.

Why there is 11CUs in Raven Ridge? Because 12 CU setup may be reserved for HBM2 package, to differentiate it from the APUs without them. Now lets look at roadmap from few years back, from the time when they already were working on the design of the APU:

This is why Bits and Chips sources were wrong about HBM2 designs they touted. They assumed that AMD is building 16 CU design with HBM2, whereas AMD has made one design with 16 compute cores, which B&C Source mistaken with 16 CU's.

None of later AMD roadmaps are not reflecting this because they have not announced any Raven Ridge + HBM2 design. How come? Maybe they are waiting for two things. B2 stepping of the process, or completely updated 14 nm process, and ramping up of manufacturing of HBM2 chips to target lowest possible manufacturing costs, and highest possible margin. IMO HBM2 APUs we will see in MacBook's from Apple.

This is my opinion on situation.

P.S. There is a thread about Raven Ridge APUs: https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/amd-raven-ridge-zen-apu-thread.2479296/page-33

 

[ao_ika_red]

P.S. There is a thread about Raven Ridge APUs: https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/amd-raven-ridge-zen-apu-thread.2479296/page-33

well, I blame my laziness of not using search bar. Thanks, I'll move there.

 

[Pick2]

The trouble I have with the OP's road map "leak" is ; why would they start at 2015 ? A road map - i.e. what coming down the road , would start with 2017 if it's a new leak , Right ?
It seems it would have been produced late '14 - early '15 if it starts at 2015.

 

[insertcarehere]

Given how Vega is turning out, I wouldn't hold my breath for these, would rather more proliferation of 6C/12T + 8C/16T Ryzen on laptops that aren't the size of school buses and cost about as much...

 

[NTMBK]

I'm really sorry. I post it via PC and everything seems normal. I already edited it using Tapatalk. Hope it works.

The problem is with embedding images from Videocardz, there's something weird about it. If you have the image in your browser cache already (e.g. from reading the story) it works fine, but otherwise they don't appear. Caught me out a few times!

I hope Banded Kestrel comes out, it seems like a very promising part for low end devices.

 

[moinmoin]

The Zen-based APUs are interetsting for obviously not using the Zeppelin die every Zen chip so far build upon. Great Horned Owl seems like a straight forward version of a 1x CCX die with an uncore optimized for power consumption (pretty important as the uncore of the Zeppelin die alone already accounts for ~25W TDP). Banded Kestrel on the other hand is a real wildcard. Obviously it's like half a CCX, but will they design a die specifically for it in addition to the 1x CCX one for Great Horned Owl? Or is it like a "mini-CCX" die and Great Horned Owl uses two of those?