Zen 5 is new generation CPU architecture which will be the successor to Zen 4 and which will give life to the Ryzen 9000 processors. Yes, don’t worry, you didn’t read wrong and it’s not a typo, I’m convinced that we will see a leap from Ryzens in numbering 7000 to Ryzen 9000 because AMD already used 8000 numbering with its G-series APUs as well as their notebook versions, so the strategy we saw with the jump from Ryzen 5000 to Ryzen 7000 will be repeated.

The information we have about the Zen 5 is still quite scarce, but I know this is a topic you are very interested in.and for this reason, I have spent several hours filtering and choosing among the most credible leaks and rumors that have appeared in recent months and compiled them for you in this article, where you will find an accurate and reasonable summary of everything we know so far about this new architecture.

Zen 5: 3nm chip design

AMD will once again rely on the MCM design, where the chiplet will once again be the star. Everything seems to indicate that it will repeat the 8 cores and 16 threads configuration, thanks to SMT technology and that there will be no increase in L3 cache memory, which will remain at 32 MB per chiplet. This new chiplet will be manufactured on TSMC’s 3nm nodewhich will represent a significant leap over the current generation, which is produced at a 5 nm node.

Jump node enables reduce the size of transistorsand this makes it possible to increase the density of transistors per square millimeter and improve both efficiency and performance without increasing the size of the silicon chip. When it comes to improvements at the micro-architecture level, rumors do not agree, but in general we can expect:

• Changes to the design of the front end of the pipe.
• Cache improvements, especially when it comes to latency.
• Rumor has it that AMD might increase the size of the L1 and L2 caches.
• Improvements in issuing instructions.
• Increased operating frequency and better tuned turbo mode.
• New Infinity Fabric interconnect system to improve communication between chiplets.

He chiplet IO will be present again and this time it will probably be produced in TSMC’s 5nm node. Inside will be integrated an entire interconnect system that performs input and output operations, which groups subsystems such as the controller. 28 PCIe Gen5 lanesRAM controllers, a multi-purpose subsystem for the screen and USB connectors, and we will also have an integrated GPU.

More IPC and more frequency, but the same number of cores?

Rumors do not agree on this point. Some sources state that Zen 5 improve IPC by 10% to 15% compared to Zen 4, and others ensure that the improvement will be 30%. Seeing what AMD has achieved with the current generation, I’m more inclined to believe that the IPC improvement will be 15%, although the difference in single thread performance will be greater due to the increase in operating frequencies.

Maybe combination of both values we meet a 20% performance increase per core compared to the current generation, that’s a number that would already represent a spectacular leap and put AMD ahead of anything Intel has on the market right now. The frequency values ​​could approaching 6 GHz in turbo modebut I don’t think they will be able to exceed that number, except perhaps for a single active thread.

As I told you in the previous section, everything seems to indicate that the Zen 5 will maintain a CPU chiplet with 8 cores and 16 threads, which means that There will be no increase in the maximum number of cores and threads for this new generation of processors.s. So we will have the following configurations:

• Ryzen 5 9600 and 9600X: 6 cores and 12 threads.
• Ryzen 7 9700 and 9700X: 8 cores and 16 threads.
• Ryzen 9 9900 and 9900X: 12 cores and 24 threads.
• Ryzen 9 9950X: 16 cores and 32 threads.

All of these processors will have Zen 5 cores, but now comes the most interesting part, which is that some information has commented on the possibility that AMD will launch versions with Zen 5c cores. These cores will differ from the Zen 5 cores in only two aspects, amount of L3 cache and speed of work. Both will be inferiorbut in exchange, AMD could use the free space to increase CPU chiplet density 16 cores and 32 threads, so you could fit two of these chiplets and run a 32 core 64 thread processor.

The average user doesn’t need a processor with such a high core and thread count, but it may make sense in certain usage scenarios, such as those who use the processor for work and play, preferring the former over the latter. It is also commented AMD could combine Zen 5 cores and Zen 5c cores in the same processor. This is not confirmed either, but the result would be the same, Zen 5 processors with a higher number of cores.

Socket AM5, faster RAM and compatibility with current boards

All this is confirmed, the Ryzen 9000 CPUs based on the Zen 5 architecture will use the AM5 socket, the same one used by the Ryzen 7000 CPUs, They will be compatible with current motherboards and they last DDR5 memory at higher speeds without reducing the clock speed of the memory controlleron.

Ryzen 7000 and current motherboards with 600 series chipsets only guarantee a uniform value for 6000 MHz memories, if we exceed this number it is normal that memory controller speed is halved, which will have a negative impact on latencies and affect real-world performance. Therefore, it is not recommended to install memories at more than 6,000 MHz for these processors.

In order to fit a Ryzen 9000 processor on a motherboard with a 600 series chipset we will need to update the BIOS firstand it remains to be seen if the ability to use faster RAM is also somehow limited to the new motherboards arriving with Zen 5. These motherboards will retain the AM5 socket, but will use new 700 series chipsets.

Possible release date, models and price of Ryzen 9000

Although nothing has been confirmed by AMD yet, we have two big pieces of data on the table. The first refers to the introduction of the Zen 5 architecture, which could theoretically take place at this year’s Computex in June, and the second key date points to the launch of Ryzen 9000 processors sometime in the third quarter. this year.

This launch will consist of a total of four different models, and “non-X” versions will arrive later, which will have lower working speeds in exchange lower expenses, as well as models with 3D stacked L3 cache, which will be specialized for games and will do their best to work with this type of application. These would be their specifications and possible prices:

• Ryzen 5 9600X: 6 cores and 12 threads. It could be around 350 euros.
• Ryzen 7 9700X: 8 cores and 16 threads. It will cost about 450 euros.
• Ryzen 9 9900X: 12 cores and 24 threads. The price should be between 550 and 600 euros.
• Ryzen 9 9950X: 16 cores and 32 threads. It should cost between 700 and 750 euros.

Ryzen 9000 processors They will coexist with Ryzen 7000, as happened in the current generation between these and the Ryzen 5000s, which have coexisted on the market for years without problems. With the arrival of a new generation of AMD, the prices of the previous generations will drop significantly, which could generate a “golden” moment to restore the processor of our PC or even to build a new computer.

How will it compete with Intel?

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It’s a question we all ask ourselves and we’d all like to be clear about, but the truth is that right now it can’t be answered and I can only give you estimates based on the latest leaks and rumours. Zen 5 will compete with Lion Cove, the architecture Intel will use in Intel’s high-performance Arrow Lake processor cores, which will theoretically achieve a double-digit CPI increase compared to Redwood Cove, the architecture used by Meteor processors. Lake.

In theory, the CPI improvement will be between 10% and 15%, although early rumors were as high as 30%, which frankly seems very unlikely to me. If this 15% improvement is achieved, things will be very tight between AMD and Intel, because the Zen 5 and Lion Cove would have such similar IPCs that it would end up being the maximum operating frequencies that would tip the balance in favor of one or the other.

However, this must be taken into account there would only be some IPC parity between Lion Cove cores and Zen 5 cores. The high-performance Skymont cores that Intel’s Arrow Lake processors will bring will be well below those in terms of IPC and operating frequencies, and should also have a lower IPC than the Zen 5c cores.

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