AMD Ryzen 8000 series CPUs – everything we know about Zen 5

Here's all you need regarding the up and coming AMD Zen 5

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Ever wondered what the Ryzen 8000 series might bring? You’re not alone. Ryzen 8000 series CPUs is AMD’s next major step, bringing along a new Zen 5 architecture. The chips will be designed by AMD but manufactured by TSMC, as AMD CPUs usually are. Zen 5 was featured in AMD’s latest roadmap, expected to hit shelves in 2024. Not too much is known about the AMD Ryzen 8000 series, but we aim to lay out everything we know about AMD Zen 5.

AMD is one to watch lately, with the performance increase that Zen 4 had over Zen 3, we expect to see some great things from Zen 5.

AMD Ryzen 8000 series release window

We don’t have an official date yet, but AMD told us in its latest roadmap that Zen 5 would debut in 2024. Which could give those looking for a new gaming CPU something to look forward to. The latest Engineering samples of the Ryzen 9 8950X (none 3D) have been seen to have performance uplifts of around 20% over the 7950X.

Beyond that, there’s not much more we have on the release date of Zen 5, or the release date of the Ryzen 8000 or 9000 series. Only that it’s expected to be in 2024.

AMD Zen 5 specifications speculation

There is conflicting information out there, and we can’t really be sure what’s what until AMD officially announces the specifications of Zen 5. However, for now, this is what we believe the specifications of Zen 5 will be:

• L1 cache: 80 KB per core
• L2 cache: 1 MB per core
• Internal code: Nirvana
• CCD name: Eldora
• Desktop codename: Granite Ridge

This information comes to us from Wikipedia, however, the core cache information is conflicted, with some sources like WccfTech claiming Zen 5 will have 2 MB or 3 MB of L2 cache per core. We won’t know for sure if this information is correct until we get an actual look at the processors. But we wouldn’t rule out the fact that some improvements in caching can be made.

Zen 5 may have the same number of CPU cores as Zen 4

According to a German site PCgamehardware, Zen 5 CPUs could be seen with the same number of CPU cores as the previous generation Zen 4.

AMD’s upcoming Zen 5 CPUs, codenamed “Eldora,” are expected to bring several improvements. The CPUs will feature 6 to 16 Zen 5 processor cores labeled “Nirvana.” Surprisingly, the core count remains the same as Zen 4, with a maximum of sixteen cores. The power dissipation, measured in TDP, ranges from 65 to 170 watts.

The CPUs may come with up to 64 MB of L3 cache and 16 MB of L2 cache, enhancing their performance. Manufacturing of the Zen 5 CCDs will most likely take place at TSMC using either the N3E or N3P process.

Reports suggest that the Ryzen 8000 processors, built on the Zen 5 architecture, will be released in the second half of 2024. It’s important to note that conflicting information exists regarding the manufacturing process, as some sources differ on the details.

If the processors are manufactured using the N3E process, they could provide a performance increase of 10% to 15% while offering a power efficiency upgrade of 25% to 30%. These efficiency improvements would be beneficial in terms of both performance and power consumption. Additionally, these advancements might help address the thermal issues that have been observed with Zen 4 CPUs, as they tend to run hot.

Zen 5 increased cache capacity rumors

The rumor suggests that the L2 cache will receive an increase in capacity. According to AdoredTV, sources indicate that AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs might feature either 2 MB or 3 MB of L2 cache per core in their testing labs, although it’s uncertain if these chips are indeed Zen 5 parts. If they are, it would represent a doubling or tripling, respectively, of the existing 1 MB cache per core found in Zen 4 cores.

If this is true, this could be massive for the performance of Zen 5 CPUs, we all saw what Zen 4 managed over Zen 3 with double the L2 cache per core.

The expanded cache in the AMD Zen 5 CPU cores could potentially enhance instructions per cycle (IPC), with a 2 MB L2 cache per core yielding up to a 4% IPC improvement and a 3 MB L2 cache per core offering a 7% IPC gain, particularly in multi-threaded workloads.

However, single-threaded workloads may only exhibit marginal IPC benefits of around 1%. It’s worth noting that the addition of more cache per core is not expected to impact latency. Ultimately, all these claims require testing and confirmation upon the chips’ release, which is still a year away.

AMD Zen 5 Ryzen 8000 series performance leaks

The only real Zen 5 performance leak so far comes to us from AdoredTV.

The alleged upcoming modification to AMD’s Zen 5 CPU core architecture involves the implementation of a novel “Ladder” shared cache. In the previous Zen designs, the L3 cache was divided into two 16 MB sections, which were shared by the two CCXs within each CCD. Consequently, each CCX had access to only a 16 MB L3 cache pool.

With Zen 3, AMD deviated from this approach and replaced the dual CCX with a single CCX, which featured a 32 MB L3 cache pool shared among all 8 cores in a ring configuration. Zen 4 chips retained this design, but rumors suggest that Zen 5 will introduce another alteration, employing a new 32 MB L3 “Ladder” cache.

This structure is purported to significantly reduce inter-core latency and communication bottlenecks compared to the ring interconnect design. It’s important to note that the figure provided serves only as a visual representation of the potential workings of the new L3 cache structure, and the exact size of the L3 cache has yet to be confirmed.

Zen 5 may come in three versions

AMD has officially announced that the upcoming Zen 5 architecture will be released in 2024. The Zen 5 CPUs may be available in three versions: Zen 5, Zen 5 V-Cache, and Zen 5C. These chips are built with a completely new microarchitecture that prioritizes improved performance and efficiency. They feature a redesigned front end and wider processing capabilities.

Additionally, the Zen 5 CPUs incorporate integrated AI and machine learning optimizations. Some of the notable highlights of the Zen 5 CPUs include:

• Better performance and efficiency
• Redesigned front end and wider processing capabilities
• Integrated AI and machine learning optimizations

It’s going to be interesting to see what sort of performance and configuration we will see from the Ryzen 8000 series of CPUs.

Will there be Ryzen 8000 APUs?

Zen 5 APUs are indeed rumored to be coming to both desktop and Strix Point featuring the same RDNA 3.5 architecture. According to WCCFtech, the desktop dies will utilize a 2 compute unit design. These are expected for the same release window with the rest of the 8000 series processors and could revolutionize budget PC gaming.

However, we are only recently catching a release window of the Ryzen 7000 G-series processors. So we could also see a delay of around a year for the 8000 G-series APUs. We won’t really know for sure until the official announcement of the Ryzen 8000 series.

Final word

The upcoming AMD Zen 5 CPU architecture is highly anticipated, with its release expected in 2024. While specific details about the Zen 5 specifications are still scarce, there are rumors suggesting improvements in cache capacity, such as potentially doubling or tripling the L2 cache per core compared to Zen 4. These increased cache sizes could lead to notable performance gains, particularly in multi-threaded workloads.

The Zen 5 CPUs will be available in three versions: Zen 5, Zen 5 V-Cache, and Zen 5C. These chips will feature a redesigned front end, wider processing capabilities, and integrated AI and machine learning optimizations, aiming to enhance performance and efficiency. As for the Ryzen series, it remains uncertain whether the next desktop CPUs will fall under the Ryzen 8000 series or if a Ryzen 9000 series will be introduced. The naming convention may change, and it’s too early to predict. Additionally, the release order of desktop and mobile CPUs might deviate from the previous pattern, adding to the anticipation and curiosity surrounding the Ryzen 8000 series.

Overall, the AMD Zen 5 architecture holds the promise of delivering significant advancements in performance and efficiency, and it will be intriguing to see the actual specifications and performance benchmarks when the chips are officially released in 2024.