AMD’s next-generation Ryzen CPU architecture, Zen 5, is here, powering the new Ryzen 9000 and Ryzen AI 300 series processors. Promising substantial performance gains in gaming and productivity, AMD claims a significant advantage over Intel’s 14th-generation offerings. Let’s delve into everything you need to know about Zen 5.
Zen 5 Release, Availability, and Pricing
Initially slated for a July 31, 2024 launch, AMD surprised everyone by releasing the Ryzen 5 and 7 models on August 8th, followed by the Ryzen 9 processors on August 15th. This strategic move likely aims to preempt Intel’s Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake CPUs and capitalize on the growing “AI” laptop market. Non-X and X3D variants are expected later, with rumors suggesting a September release for the X3D chips.
AMD has lowered prices across the Zen 5 desktop lineup compared to the previous generation. The Ryzen 9 chips are $50 cheaper, while the Ryzen 5 has a $20 price reduction. However, retail prices may vary and are expected to drop further, especially considering the declining prices of Zen 4 CPUs.
Zen 5 Specs and Architecture
AMD unveiled the specifications for the initial four Ryzen 9000 processors at Computex 2024. While core counts and clock speeds remain comparable to the Ryzen 7000 series, significant architectural changes promise improved performance.
| Model | Cores/Threads | Base Clock | Boost Clock | L2 + L3 Cache | TDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 9 9950X | 16/32 | 4.3 GHz | 5.7 GHz | 80 MB | 170W |
| Ryzen 9 9900X | 12/24 | 4.4 GHz | 5.6 GHz | 76 MB | 120W |
| Ryzen 7 9700X | 8/16 | 3.8 GHz | 5.5 GHz | 40 MB | 65W |
| Ryzen 5 9600X | 6/12 | 3.9 GHz | 5.4 GHz | 36 MB | 65W |
A key improvement is the reduced power consumption. While the 9950X maintains a 170W TDP, the 9900X operates at 120W, and both the 9700X and 9600X are just 65W. This demonstrates a considerable efficiency gain with the new Zen 5 design. AMD claims performance improvements despite the lower TDP, citing up to a 17% speed increase for the 9600X and up to 22% for the 9950X.
Performance and efficiency improvements between Zen 4 and Zen 5.
Key architectural enhancements in Zen 5 include:
- Increased dispatch/retire units from six to eight.
- Increased ALUs from four to six.
- A single 512-bit data path for AVX instructions.
Maintaining simultaneous multithreading and improvements in branch prediction accuracy and latency further contribute to performance gains, resulting in a claimed 16% IPC boost.
AMD "Zen 5" Tech Day
Zen 5 processors feature the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, promising improved integrated graphics performance compared to Ryzen 7000. This reinforces AMD’s push to provide competent onboard graphics for casual gaming.
AM5 Socket Compatibility
MSI MEG X670E Godlike motherboard
Continuing AMD’s commitment to platform longevity, Zen 5 retains the AM5 socket introduced with Ryzen 7000. This ensures cooler compatibility and allows users with existing X670E, X670, or B650 motherboards to upgrade to Zen 5 CPUs with a potential BIOS update. New x870 and x870E chipsets were also announced, offering USB4, PCIe 5.0, and support for higher memory frequencies.
Zen 5 Performance
Cinebench R23 Single-Core Performance
Zen 5 showcases significant single-core performance gains, outperforming many competitors. However, Intel’s core count advantage still prevails in heavily multi-threaded workloads.
Cinebench R23 Multi-Core Performance
While real-world application performance improvements are evident, the gains may not justify an upgrade from Ryzen 7000. In gaming, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D remains the top contender.
Handbrake Performance
Far Cry 6 Performance
The native AVX-512 implementation in Zen 5 benefits niche workloads like AI and emulation.
LeelaChessZero Performance
The Ryzen 9 models excel in multi-core tasks but struggle in gaming compared to Intel’s offerings.
Ryzen 9 Gaming Performance
Ryzen AI 300 mobile CPUs offer competitive performance and impressive battery life.
Zenbook S 16 Cinebench R24 Performance
Zenbook S 16 Battery Life
3D V-Cache in Zen 5
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
AMD has confirmed the development of Zen 5 processors with 3D V-Cache, aiming to improve upon the successful Ryzen 7 7800X3D. While details are scarce, potential improvements include an updated chiplet approach, higher clock speeds, and increased cache.
The Future of AM5
AMD Zen 5 Presentation
Zen 5 represents a significant step forward for AMD, potentially giving them a performance and efficiency lead, at least until Intel’s response. With the upcoming 3D V-Cache variants and further additions to the lineup, the AM5 platform’s future looks promising.
