AMD Confirms July 31 Launch for Ryzen 9000 Series
At the “AMD Tech Day 2024” event held in Los Angeles, AMD finally confirmed the launch date for the Ryzen 9000 series processors, codenamed “Granite Ridge,” as July 31, matching previous rumors. New motherboards featuring the X870 and X870E chipsets will be released two months later. However, the Ryzen 9000 series is compatible with existing AM5 motherboards, so enthusiasts eager to upgrade won’t face significant issues.
Although AMD has confirmed the launch date for the Ryzen 9000 series processors, it has not disclosed specific pricing, which may be revealed at the last moment. The initial lineup includes four models: Ryzen 9 9950X (16 cores, 32 threads), Ryzen 9 9900X (12 cores, 24 threads), Ryzen 7 9700X (8 cores, 16 threads), and Ryzen 5 9600X (6 cores, 12 threads). With the new architecture and manufacturing process, these processors promise overall improvements in speed and energy efficiency compared to the previous generation.
According to AMD, the Zen 5 architecture shows a significant 16% improvement in IPC (Instructions Per Clock) over Zen 4. The new processors are manufactured using the N4P process, which offers notable advancements over the N5 process used in the previous generation. TSMC, the manufacturer, claims an 11% performance increase, a 22% improvement in energy efficiency, and a 6% increase in transistor density. The increased use of EUV layers reduces the number of masks needed in production by 6%, making the process more cost-effective. There might also be a 3nm version of the Zen 5 cores, which could further enhance performance.
Compared to the X3D series, which incorporates 3D vertical cache (3D V-Cache) technology, the current improvements in IPC and manufacturing processes are still insufficient to close the gap. In certain games, processors with larger L3 caches perform better. Rumors suggest that the Ryzen 9000X3D series processors might be released as early as September, aligning closely with the release of the X870/X870E motherboards, which will undoubtedly heighten anticipation among enthusiasts.
