AMD has launched the first two of its Ryzen mobile APUs (codenamed "Raven Ridge"): the Ryzen 7 2700U and Ryzen 5 2500U. Both APUs come with "Vega" graphics cores.
These are 15 W TDP chips intended for lower-power but high performance designs (e.g. "Ultrabooks"). Chips with higher TDPs will come out later. In comparing the Ryzen 7 2700U to the AMD FX-9800P, an Excavator-based 15 W TDP chip that was released in 2015, AMD claims that CPU performance has been increased by 200% while GPU performance has increased by 128%. The 200% figure is a result of doubling the core/thread count (the Excavator chip used 2 "modules" rather than 4 real cores) and Ryzen's approximate 52% increase in instructions per clock:
In AMD's slide nodes, the CPU difference was taken using Cinebench R15 in multithreaded mode – a Ryzen 7 2700U scored 719, while the last generation FX-9800P scored 240. 720/240 = 3.00x, or a +200% gain.
The GPU gains look like a better fit to AMD's earlier predictions, moving from 8 3rd Generation GCN compute units to 10 5th Generation Vega compute units. Even without the throughput improvements in graphics, that's a base 25% increase in available hardware. The peak frequency moves up from 758 MHz to ~1300 MHz, which is a +70% increase as well. Together that accounts for a +112% increase in performance, leaving the base architecture design improvements to account for the remainder. In AMD's slide nodes, the GPU difference was taken using FutureMark's TimeSpy– a Ryzen 7 2700U scored 915, while the last generation FX-9800P scored 400. 915/400 = 2.29x, or +129% gain.
For power, AMD stated a 58% decrease in (total) power consumption from the previous generation and the new generation. This is listed as taking the total system level power consumption during the Cinebench R15 multithreaded test. The Ryzen 7 took 1594 joules while the FX-9800P took 3782 joules. 1594/3782 = 42% power, or a 58% reduction. Combining the CPU performance and the power advantage, AMD is quoting a 270% performance per watt improvement for the new Ryzen 7 mobile parts. That's an impressive number, any way to slice it.
The efficiency of the Raven Ridge APUs shows that AMD is currently on track to meet its goal of improving energy efficiency by 25x (+2400%) in just 6 years (with 2014 "Kaveri" chips as the baseline). Raven Ridge is considered 5.86x as energy efficient as Kaveri, so AMD wants its 2020 chips to be at least 4.27x as energy efficient as Raven Ridge.
Intel's 15 W Kaby Lake mobile APUs (e.g. the Intel Core i7-8550U) appear to be worse than AMD's new APUs due to lower clock speeds and AMD's much faster integrated graphics:
On the graphics side, the difference is even more pronounced; in the Time Spy subtest of 3DMark, AMD is claiming performance of more than double that of Kaby Lake-R, even edging slightly ahead of a previous generation Kaby Lake paired with a GeForce 950M discrete GPU. Integrated graphics are never going to make these systems into gaming powerhouses, but AMD is claiming respectable framerates (minimum of 30, sometimes averaging as high as 60fps) across a range of games (including Dota 2 and
Overwatch), albeit at reduced quality settings. As a stopgap to enable some light gaming while on the road, the Ryzen parts look like they'll do a tolerable job.
Both APUs support dual-channel DDR4-2400 DRAM.
Also at Tom's Hardware, Notebookcheck, and VentureBeat.
Previously: AMD Profits in Q3 2017
Related Stories
AMD turned a profit last quarter:
2017 has been a great year for the tech enthusiast, with the return of meaningful competition in the PC space. Today, AMD announced their third quarter earnings, which beat expectations, and put the company's ledgers back in the black in their GAAP earnings. For the quarter, AMD had revenues of $1.64 billion, compared to $1.31 billion a year ago, which is a gain of just over 25%. Operating income was $126 million, compared to a $293 million loss a year ago, and net income was $71 million, compared to a net loss of $406 million a year ago. This resulted in earnings per share of $0.07, compared to a loss per share of $0.50 in Q3 2016.
[...] The Computing and Graphics segment has been a key to these numbers, with some impressive launches this year, especially on the CPU side. Revenue for this segment was up 74% to $819 million, and AMD attributes this to strong sales of both Radeon GPUs and Ryzen desktop processors. Average Selling Price (ASP) was also up significantly thanks to Ryzen sales. AMD is still undercutting Intel on price, but they don't have to almost give things away like they did the last couple of years. ASP of GPUs was also up significantly, and the proliferation of cryptocurrency likely played a large part in that. Operating income for the segment was an impressive $70 million, compared to an operating loss of $66 million last year.
When AMD turns a profit, it is news. Stocks still plunged on concerns over future growth. Citi Research has predicted big losses for AMD as Intel ships its Coffee Lake CPUs.
Previously: AMD Ryzen Launch News
AMD GPU Supply Exhausted By Cryptocurrency Mining, AIBs Now Directly Advertising To Miners
AMD Epyc 7000-Series Launched With Up to 32 Cores
Cryptocoin GPU Bubble?
Ethereum Mining Craze Leads to GPU Shortages
Used GPUs Flood the Market as Ethereum's Price Crashes Below $150
AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 and 56 Announced
First Two AMD Threadripper Chips Out on Aug. 10, New 8-Core Version on Aug. 31
Cryptocurrency Mining Wipes Out Vega 64 Stock
AMD Expected to Release Ryzen CPUs on a 12nm Process in Q1 2018
At the Consumer Electronics Show, AMD confirmed details about products coming out in 2018:
- Ryzen 3 Mobile APUs: January 9th
- Ryzen Desktop APUs: February 12th
- Second Generation Ryzen Desktop Processors: April.
- Ryzen Pro Mobile APUs: Q2 2018
- Second Generation Threadripper Processors: 2H 2018
- Second Generation Ryzen Pro Desktop Processors: 2H 2018
The second generation "Zen+" products use a "12nm" process. Zen 2 and Zen 3 will use a "7nm" and "7nm+" process and will be out around 2019-2020.
Two cheaper Ryzen-based mobile APUs have been released. The Ryzen 3 2300U has 4 cores, 4 threads, and the Ryzen 3 2200U has 2 cores, 4 threads, making it the first dual-core part in the entire Ryzen product line. All of the Ryzen mobile parts have a 15 W TDP so far.
AMD has also lowered the suggested pricing for many of its Ryzen CPUs. For example, $299 for Ryzen 7 1700 from $329. The Threadripper Ryzen TR 1900X is down to $449 from $549.
Intel has officially launched five new Kaby Lake CPUs with AMD Radeon Vega graphics and 4 GB of High Bandwidth Memory. Each CPU also includes Intel's HD 630 GT2 integrated graphics, which is expected to be used for lower power video encode/decode tasks.
Previously: AMD Launches First Two Ryzen Mobile APUs With Vega Graphics
Intel Core i7-8809G with Radeon Graphics and High Bandwidth Memory: Details Leaked
AMD has launched the second generation of Ryzen Mobile processors, based on the "12nm" node. These mostly represent an incremental upgrade over the previous generation:
These parts are upgraded versions of the first generation of Ryzen Mobile parts, the Ryzen 3 2300U and the Ryzen 5 2500U (codename: Raven Ridge), which found their way into a number of premium designs. These new second generation parts will take advantage of the upgraded microarchitecture going from Zen to Zen+, as well as the additional frequency headroom and lower power offered by GlobalFoundries' 12nm process. The new processors will also expand the range of power envelopes that Ryzen Mobile is available under, from the top of the stack 35W Ryzen 7 3750H processor down to the 15W Athlon 300W for entry-level devices.
AMD's reasoning for expanding its offerings, the company says, is in part due to the shape of the notebook market. Based on data from analysts at IDC, the notebook market sells around 87-90 million units per year, but the sales distribution between the various market segments has changed from 2017 to 2018: there are fewer 'mainstream' products, more Chromebooks, more premium devices, and more gaming devices. By increasing the number of processors on offer, as well as the power/performance at both the high-end and the budget and value segments, AMD hopes to address most of the possible market in order to get a bigger slice of the pie. Usually the discussion here is about TAM, or 'Total Addressable Market', measured in billions of dollars – the more market you can address, the higher the TAM.
AMD is also announcing two Excavator-based APUs, with 6 W TDPs, for fanless devices such as Chromebooks:
One part of the market that AMD hasn't played in yet is the Chromebook market. The processors that typically go into Chromebooks are lower grade Celerons and Pentiums, which AMD doesn't particularly compete against. In 2019, AMD is going to pursue this market, with they feel is 'an underserved but growing market'. AMD quoted that the Chromebook market is currently growing with an 8% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) with increasing average selling prices, so now is the right time to enter for them. To this end, AMD is launching two Excavator-based A-Series processors with a 6W TDP.
While, the next iteration of Ryzen Mobile will be on the "7nm" node, AMD is expected to announce "7nm" Ryzen desktop CPUs this week. Thus, Ryzen Mobile APUs may be lagging a full year (and a half-node) behind AMD's desktop Ryzen CPUs.
See also: HP and Acer unveil world's first Chromebooks with AMD processors
Previously: AMD Launches First Two Ryzen Mobile APUs With Vega Graphics
(Score: 1) by snmygos on Tuesday October 31 2017, @06:58AM (7 children)
I shall be the first to buy a mini-low power computer with a such processor!
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday October 31 2017, @07:59AM (2 children)
Intel NUCs have generally ranged in TDP from 5-28 W, with a bunch around 15 W, although there is a 45 W one [wikipedia.org].
AMD's weakest desktop Ryzens are 4 core, 4 thread, 65 W TDP, and I haven't heard of any plans yet to offer Ryzen/Raven Ridge as a 15 W NUC/HTPC chip.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Informative) by snmygos on Tuesday October 31 2017, @01:07PM (1 child)
Do you have read the article?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday October 31 2017, @04:40PM
lower-power but high performance [laptop and tablet] designs
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by Ingar on Tuesday October 31 2017, @05:30PM (3 children)
I said that about the Ryzen 7. Now I'm stuck with a CPU that crashes my server every few days.
(Score: 2) by tibman on Wednesday November 01 2017, @12:38AM (2 children)
I'll bite : ) Which Ryzen 7, mobo, and RAM? Powersupply wattage on the sticker and how old is it?
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 1) by Ingar on Wednesday November 01 2017, @11:06AM (1 child)
R7 1700
ASUS Prime X370-PRO
Corsair CMK16GX4M2A2666C (4X 8Gb)
SeaSonic 750W Snow Silent
4 march 2017
It freezes every now and then with a CPU THREAD LOCKUP kernel message.
Running Linux 4.13.8-1-ARCH.
No OC: RAM and CPU running at stock speed.
Things I could probably test:
- Run the Phoronix torture test
- Run with 2 sticks of RAM instead of 4
- Mess with voltages.
(Score: 2) by tibman on Thursday November 02 2017, @01:30AM
Looks like an active issue with ryzen and the linux kernel. One person says specifically that 4.12.x works and 4.13.x doesn't: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=196683#c26 [kernel.org]
But it looks like some config change just exposed some underlying issue.
The last comment is from today so it's worth jumping in, if you have the time.
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 31 2017, @04:17PM
sounds like a bad ass htpc board to me. as long as one of these dumb ass board makers will make one with two ethernet ports it will make a good soho router/fw/nas too
(Score: 2) by richtopia on Tuesday October 31 2017, @08:43PM (2 children)
I did a quick look and still cannot see any laptops with this chip yet. Not even product announcements. Has anyone seen a laptop vendor advertise a new AMD laptop yet?
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Tuesday October 31 2017, @10:22PM
My guess is that it's going to take some time given Intel's shifty business practices and the stranglehold they've had on the market.
An AMD powered "ultrabook" with the option to not ship with Windows, but instead some user-friendly GNU/Linux distro (Amazon/Ubuntu, perhaps?) would IMO be the best possible initial offering. Not only would the cost savings vs. Intel be immense but would also help Linux OS share.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 02 2017, @03:41PM
Look at the laptop page they had one on there this weekend I believe that was one of the FX series chips.
Not sure if that is actually Ryzen or the previous generation though.