Ryzen gains on Intel with second generation
(credit: AMD)
The second-generation Ryzen chips announced last week are now out, and reviews have hit the 'Net. Unlike the situation last week, we're now free to talk about what has changed in the second-generation chips and where their improvements lie.
| Model | Cores/Threads | Clock base/boost/GHz | TDP/W | Cooler | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 2700X | 8/16 | 3.7/4.3 | 105 | Wraith Prism (LED) | $329 |
| Ryzen 7 2700 | 8/16 | 3.2/4.1 | 65 | Wraith Spire (LED) | $299 |
| Ryzen 5 2600X | 6/12 | 3.6/4.2 | 95 | Wraith Spire | $229 |
| Ryzen 5 2600 | 6/12 | 3.4/3.9 | 65 | Wraith Stealth | $199 |
AMD is calling the new parts "Zen+." This isn't a new architecture; rather, it's a tweaked version of the first-generation Zen architecture. The basic layout of the chips remains the same: each contains two core complexes (CCXes), which are blocks of four cores, eight threads, and 8MB level 3 cache, joined with AMD's Infinity Fabric.
Architecturally, the biggest improvements seem to have been made to memory and cache latencies. AMD says that the cache latency for level 1, level 2, and level 3 caches and main memory have all improved, reduced by up to 13 percent, 34 percent, 16 percent, and 11 percent, respectively. Tech Report's benchmarks show improved main-memory latency, and PC Perspective found improved communications latency between CCXes.
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