Zen delayed to 2017 (DigiTimes)

[Sweepr]

Market watchers originally expected Intel and AMD to launch their new CPU platforms in the third and fourth quarter, respectively, to help boost PC demand in the second half, but both CPU makers have recently postponed their launch schedules to January 2017 at CES 2017 since the upstream supply chain still has serious inventory issues, and market demand has been slow.

Intel's Kaby Lake platform was originally scheduled to launch at the end of the third quarter and AMD's Zen architecture in the fourth. Related brand vendors have been aggressively clearing their inventory of older-generation models and preparing for the new products since May, but will need to delay the plans as both CPU makers have postponed their launches.

Since most vendors still have Skylake and Haswell-based inventory waiting to be digested, while the Kaby Lake architecture does not feature any major improvements from the previous-generation architectures, Intel is not in a hurry to release Kaby Lake-based CPUs until early 2017.

AMD's Zen architecture is produced by Globalfoundries' 14nm process and chipsets are designed by Taiwan-based players. However, the platform is also expected to be delayed until January 2017.

With the delays, the PC supply chain will not be able to begin mass production for the next-generation products until November or December and PC demand is also unlikely to pick up until the first quarter of 2017.

www.digitimes.com/news/a20160607PD202.html

AMD said the Computex 2016 , Zen is a runnable sample from the factory back , now is the final optimization of the series. Depending on the scope of these actions follows sometimes even a Revision- or Stepping update the CPU to the mass production starts, by up to a quarter of it usually takes a few weeks to a bigger number of trade is available. Therefore, the to early 2017 pending six months is a very short window, AMD told a conference last winter , even a metal staple to Troubleshooting, and optimization of a processor can quickly take two months to complete.

www.computerbase.de/2016-06/intel-kaby-lake-amd-zen-ces-2017

According to DigiTimes and ComputerBase, Zen and (desktop) Kabylake are now 2017 products.


#June 8th Update:

The desktop CPUs are expected in Q4 2016 which is quite late to the game, but better late than never.

www.fudzilla.com/news/processors/40853-kaby-lake-s-brings-15-percent-more-i-o-lanes


#August 7th Update:

 

[sm625]

"expected to be delayed until January 2017"? Based on what?

 

[RussianSensation]

That's why once 6700K dropped in price over time, I didn't think it was worth waiting for Zen/KBL anymore. KBL seems completely meh, maybe 200mhz higher clocks, but I doubt it will overclock much better. Zen will probably be a very solid workstation/productivity CPU but considering today I'd probably pick 6700K over 6800K, it's highly doubtful Zen's single threaded performance will meet my expectations. MicroCenter now has 6700K for $289.99, which is a stellar deal. Looks like I am good to go at least until Icelake, or even until 2020-2021 (next true Intel gen after Icelake).

All of this of course doesn't paint a positive picture long-term. If there is a lot of unsold Haswell/SKL inventory, the only way for Intel to keep increasing revenue is to keep raising prices.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Not to say I told you so, but I thought all along Zen would not be available in any useful quantities until 2017. Looks now like that is true, not even a token launch in 2016.

As for Kabylake, who cares, except as it also may delay cannonlake, since I cant imagine introducing Cannonlake until at least a year after Kaby.

 

[Arachnotronic]

That's why once 6700K dropped in price over time, I didn't think it was worth waiting for Zen/KBL anymore. KBL seems completely meh, maybe 200mhz higher clocks, but I doubt it will overclock much better. Zen will probably be a very solid workstation/productivity CPU but considering today I'd probably pick 6700K over 6800K, it's highly doubtful Zen's single threaded performance will meet my expectations. MicroCenter now has 6700K for $289.99, which is a stellar deal. Looks like I am good to go at least until Icelake, or even until 2020-2021 (next true Intel gen after Icelake).

All of this of course doesn't paint a positive picture long-term. If there is a lot of unsold Haswell/SKL inventory, the only way for Intel to keep increasing revenue is to keep raising prices.

6700K is a great deal right now if you live by a micro-center and it is by far the best pure gaming CPU on the market. Intel hit a home run with this one.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

That's why once 6700K dropped in price over time, I didn't think it was worth waiting for Zen/KBL anymore. KBL seems completely meh, maybe 200mhz higher clocks, but I doubt it will overclock much better. Zen will probably be a very solid workstation/productivity CPU but considering today I'd probably pick 6700K over 6800K, it's highly doubtful Zen's single threaded performance will meet my expectations. MicroCenter now has 6700K for $289.99, which is a stellar deal. Looks like I am good to go at least until Icelake, or even until 2020-2021 (next true Intel gen after Icelake).

All of this of course doesn't paint a positive picture long-term. If there is a lot of unsold Haswell/SKL inventory, the only way for Intel to keep increasing revenue is to keep raising prices.

With this turn of events, what are your thoughts on 6700k vs 5820k? Microcenter has the 5820K for $320.

 

[Arachnotronic]

All of this of course doesn't paint a positive picture long-term. If there is a lot of unsold Haswell/SKL inventory, the only way for Intel to keep increasing revenue is to keep raising prices.

Intel hasn't been increasing revenue in its PC business for a while now, it's been on the decline. Their goal is to just stem it as best as they can. Sad but true.

 

[frozentundra123456]

6700K is a great deal right now if you live by a micro-center and it is by far the best pure gaming CPU on the market. Intel hit a home run with this one.

Seriously? Core 2 duo and maybe Sandy Bridge were "home runs". Skylake is more like an infield single.

 

[Arachnotronic]

Seriously? Core 2 duo and maybe Sandy Bridge were "home runs". Skylake is more like an infield single.

I literally don't know what an "infield single" is.

 

[NTMBK]

I literally don't know what an "infield single" is.

I think it's when your girlfriend breaks up with you at a music festival.

 

[RussianSensation]

With this turn of events, what are your thoughts on 6700k vs 5820k? Microcenter has the 5820K for $320.

5820K/6800K vs. 6700K is one of the toughest picks for me. I want to believe that DX12 games will come out in greater quantities and they will benefit from 6+ cores in a way Total War Warhammer does. Realistically though, DX12 is likely to benefit the strategy (turn-based and real time) genre the most due to its CPU limited demands on AI/calculations. I think over the next 3 years i7 6700K 4.6Ghz-4.8Ghz will be a better gaming CPU than those 4.4Ghz 6 cores.

Honestly, it's very hard for me to make the call beyond that. I want 6 cores to win but seeing a 4.9Ghz 4790K lose to a 4.6Ghz 6700K by 10% isn't going to help 5820/6800K overcome its single threaded deficit in games that only benefit from 8 threads or less:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f5lfMogcrPU

Watch that video and compare FPS dips.

Now, this is the shocking part:
i7-6700K@4.6 ASUS Z170-P D3 2x4 Gb DDR3 1600

!

Now imagine adding DDR4 3466-3600 to i7 6700K and hitting 4.7-4.8Ghz? It's going to her even faster, much faster
http://www.techspot.com/article/1171-ddr4-4000-mhz-performance/page3.html

I even have a new X99 board laying in my closet as I genuinely was waiting for 6800K and hoping with more mature 14nm node and solder it could reliably hit 4.8Ghz on Corsair H110i/115i. I am probably going to sell that board now.

Just do the math exactly on X99 board vs. Z170 board you want, then DDR4 2x8GB vs. 4x4GB, and see what you get. Honestly, you cannot go wrong with either platform. The X99 gives you the option later to buy Xeons or discounted 6950X years from now. Z170 is mostly a dead end. I don't mind selling the 6700K and getting Icelake/Icelake-E if they are much faster.

 

[rainy]

Simple question to OP: why thread title doesn't include Kaby Lake too if those rumors are of course correct?

 

[Arachnotronic]

With this turn of events, what are your thoughts on 6700k vs 5820k? Microcenter has the 5820K for $320.

What is your intended use case for the PC? Mainly gaming, or a broader mix of workloads?

 

[Arachnotronic]

Simple question to OP: why thread title doesn't include Kaby Lake too if those rumors are of course correct?

We already have a roadmap leak showing KBL-X in Q2 2017, so that part isn't news.

 

[Justinbaileyman]

Well looks like I am another person switching to Intel there is just no way I can wait that long for Zen.I already purchased a few items for my upgrade but now I am stuck with the do I buy x99 or Z170?

 

[master_shake_]

i don't get amd.

i really don't.

if zen is so great why not get it out as fast as possible?

an ace up your sleeve doesn't mean anything when the game is over.

 

[SK10H]

Simple question to OP: why thread title doesn't include Kaby Lake too if those rumors are of course correct?

Digitimes :sneaky: :\

2) if you look at the stupid reason given for the "delay", "upstream supply chain still has serious inventory issues" -> this is the least of AMD worries, even if you assume the 6 cores land at the i5 price bracket. You have one big gang of people believing Zen must be price at $500+, and then turn around and agree that AMD won't simply write off the existing BD crap on the market. ()

3) "delay", expectation of Zen has always been ship for revenue in Q4. We may get it if lucky before year end, otherwise always been Jan. Agenda.

 

[Arachnotronic]

Well looks like I am another person switching to Intel there is just no way I can wait that long for Zen.I already purchased a few items for my upgrade but now I am stuck with the do I buy x99 or Z170?

6800K + X99 gets my vote. It's a more fun chip to overclock, you get better multithreaded performance, and you get an upgrade path to used 6950X down the line if that's worth anything to you.

Just swapped my 6700K + Z170 for 6800K + X99 and I'm really digging it.

 

[Arachnotronic]

It's Digitimes.

DigiTimes gets it right more often than not. Much better track record than pretty much anything else that I follow/subscribe to.

2) if you look at the stupid reason given for the "delay", "upstream supply chain still has serious inventory issues" -> this is the least of AMD worries, even if you assume the 6 cores land at the i5 price bracket. You have one big gang of people believing Zen must be price at $500+, and then turn around and agree that AMD won't simply write off the existing BD crap on the market. ()

Why is it the least of AMD's worries?

3) "delay", expectation of Zen has always been ship for revenue in Q4. We may get it if lucky before year end, otherwise always been Jan. Agenda.

DigiTimes originally said October for Summit Ridge, IIRC.

 

[positivedoppler]

I'm interpreting this correctly? Both Intel and AMD will be ready in 2016 but are withholding Zen and Kylake to help vendors with excessive inventory of existing Intel products. That doesn't explain why they wouldn't just release it anyways for the DIY crowd.

 

[SK10H]

Why is it the least of AMD's worries?

If you belong to the Zen must be priced above $500+ crowd, then existing BD SKU do not conflict with Zen. -> "upstream supply chain still has serious inventory issues" is BS reason Digitimes pump out. This only affect Intel which is competing against itself currently.

If you believe Zen lowest SKU land at i5 K price bracket, that's near the top of BD mainstream SKU, a little bit of write off is not a problem for AMD if that's the reason preventing Zen from coming out if it's ready.

 

[Dresdenboy]

Simple question to OP: why thread title doesn't include Kaby Lake too if those rumors are of course correct?

Yep, strange. 7 lines covering KBL and 2 lines covering Zen. Maybe the OP already knew about the KBL delay?

 

[frozentundra123456]

I literally don't know what an "infield single" is.

It is a really weak, lucky one base hit. Much less powerful than a home run.

In any case, I see skylake as an iterative improvement, much like the last few generations. Not really what I would call a "home run" by any means. Yes, with superfast ram in some scenarios, it shows good improvements, but other times, seems like not much improvement at all. At least it seems to overclock decently, which is surprising on 14nm.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

5820K/6800K vs. 6700K is one of the toughest picks for me. I want to believe that DX12 games will come out in greater quantities and they will benefit from 6+ cores in a way Total War Warhammer does. Realistically though, DX12 is likely to benefit the strategy (turn-based and real time) genre the most due to its CPU limited demands on AI/calculations. I think over the next 3 years i7 6700K 4.6Ghz-4.8Ghz will be a better gaming CPU than those 4.4Ghz 6 cores.

Honestly, it's very hard for me to make the call beyond that. I want 6 cores to win but seeing a 4.9Ghz 4790K lose to a 4.6Ghz 6700K by 10% isn't going to help 5820/6800K overcome its single threaded deficit in games that only benefit from 8 threads or less:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f5lfMogcrPU

Watch that video and compare FPS dips.

Now, this is the shocking part:
i7-6700K@4.6 ASUS Z170-P D3 2x4 Gb DDR3 1600

!

Now imagine adding DDR4 3466-3600 to i7 6700K and hitting 4.7-4.8Ghz? It's going to her even faster, much faster
http://www.techspot.com/article/1171-ddr4-4000-mhz-performance/page3.html

I even have a new X99 board laying in my closet as I genuinely was waiting for 6800K and hoping with more mature 14nm node and solder it could reliably hit 4.8Ghz on Corsair H110i/115i. I am probably going to sell that board now.

Just do the math exactly on X99 board vs. Z170 board you want, then DDR4 2x8GB vs. 4x4GB, and see what you get. Honestly, you cannot go wrong with either platform. The X99 gives you the option later to buy Xeons or discounted 6950X years from now. Z170 is mostly a dead end. I don't mind selling the 6700K and getting Icelake/Icelake-E if they are much faster.

Any advantage to using DDR4-4000 with the 6700K? If I do go with a 6700K, I will spend the money on RAM because I know initial benchmarks for the 6700K sucked because they used slow RAM and when subsequent reviews with faster RAM came out, the 6700K started crushing.

 

[LTC8K6]

i don't get amd.

i really don't.

if zen is so great why not get it out as fast as possible?

an ace up your sleeve doesn't mean anything when the game is over.

It must not be ready yet.

Nothing else makes any sense.

I can see Intel wanting to clear inventory and therefore waiting.

I can't see why AMD would need to do that, or how it could afford to do that.

Particularly if Zen is reasonably competitive.