AMD Piledriver rumours ... and expert conjecture

[Reynod]

We have had several requests for a sticky on AMD's yet to be released Piledriver architecture ... so here it is.

I want to make a few things clear though.

Post a question relevant to the topic, or information about the topic, or it will be deleted.

Post any negative personal comments about another user ... and they will be deleted.

Post flame baiting comments about the blue, red and green team and they will be deleted.

Enjoy ...

 

[Cazalan]

they're betting on the future where the os scheduler will efficiently allocate resources among cores and improving their own arch.

That problem was already patched in Windows 7 and 8. It helped some but It didn't fix the underlying problem with the instruction decoder not being fast enough to feed the cores. It's being fixed in Steamroller where they have a separate decoder for each core.

 

[-Fran-]

And it seems that the 12th of October (I hate the USA way of saying the dates, lol) the retailers will be getting the chips.

Well, that's according to the page linked in xblit lab's article. So... It seems I'll be getting one for myself if they're not sold out right away, lol.

Cheers!

 

[jdwii]

I'm waiting for steamroller, i wonder if it is going to use a new socket? Kinda hope Amd puts the North bridge on the CPU soon like Intel and i hope DDR4 ram will also be included in AM4 socket(if this is going to be the name). But then again it would be cool to if i can just buy a Steamy and put it in my current sabertooth.

 

[-Fran-]

I really HOPE Steamy uses a new socket, cause that would mean DDR4 in it.

Since Sammy already has some DDR4 samples out there, it means that the tech sheet is already there for Intel and AMD to deliver new interconnects and stuff.

Besides, if Steamy is indeed a good product, they'll need a new socket for GCN interaction; that is, if what I'm understanding from the road map is true.

Cheers!

 

[de5_Roy]

That problem was already patched in Windows 7 and 8. It helped some but It didn't fix the underlying problem with the instruction decoder not being fast enough to feed the cores. It's being fixed in Steamroller where they have a separate decoder for each core.

http://images.anandtech.com/doci/6201/Screen Shot 2012-08-28 at 4.38.05 PM_575px.png

i hope windows 8 will improve currently available fx cpus' performance, at least to some degree. if win 8 helps trinity and pd performance, that will help mobile apus get better performance and probably better battery life as well. if amd's mobile lineup gets a boost from win 8, they'd be better positioned to compete using steamroller apus.
i don't like how amd is keeping silent about sr cpus, and keep talking about using socket fm2 as their main socket. may be amd's desktop 'performance'(!) lineup will receive less and less attention....
btw, do you guys think ddr4 will become cheap enough for the masses within q4 2013? seems unlikely to me...

 

[-Fran-]

Since the RAM business is running thin on profits, maybe they'll come out not that expensive like the previous gens came out at first... That's on a limb, but it could happen 😛

Cheers!

 

[jdwii]

I really HOPE Steamy uses a new socket, cause that would mean DDR4 in it.

Since Sammy already has some DDR4 samples out there, it means that the tech sheet is already there for Intel and AMD to deliver new interconnects and stuff.

Besides, if Steamy is indeed a good product, they'll need a new socket for GCN interaction; that is, if what I'm understanding from the road map is true.

Cheers!

I'm hoping it uses a new socket as well even though i did spend 200$ on the sabertooth but i feel to get the most out of steamy a new socket will be necessary. I really hope the Steamy platform uses DDR4 ram and has the north bridge on the CPU.

 

[cgner]

Aside from overclocking, ram really does not play a huge difference in real world programs. At least in my observations :/

 

[noob2222]

I really HOPE Steamy uses a new socket, cause that would mean DDR4 in it.

Since Sammy already has some DDR4 samples out there, it means that the tech sheet is already there for Intel and AMD to deliver new interconnects and stuff.

Besides, if Steamy is indeed a good product, they'll need a new socket for GCN interaction; that is, if what I'm understanding from the road map is true.

Cheers!

Im betting steamroller is fm2 or a slight chance for some am3+. DDR4 isn't coming till late 2013-2014. servers first. truthfully ddr$ won't even be affordable till a couple of years after its out.

Intel is wanting to move away from memory chips all together. Just more ways to profit from screwing you over when a program needs more memory, buy a new cpu. Ya, sorry, not interested in that route.

 

[jdwii]

Aside from overclocking, ram really does not play a huge difference in real world programs. At least in my observations :/

APU's! DDR4 ram will make Integrated graphics better, for some reason people forget that.

Im betting steamroller is fm2 or a slight chance for some am3+. DDR4 isn't coming till late 2013-2014. servers first. truthfully ddr$ won't even be affordable till a couple of years after its out.

Intel is wanting to move away from memory chips all together. Just more ways to profit from screwing you over when a program needs more memory, buy a new cpu. Ya, sorry, not interested in that route.

Never heard of that but probably true sounds like them anyways. I'd say staked ram is great for APU's though! With Staked ram and DDR4 coming in the next 2-3 years I picture integrated graphics improving a lot!

 

[cgner]

ooooh for that, yea, DDR4 would be much better for integrated video.

 

[noob2222]

starts with crystalwell

http://semiaccurate.com/2012/09/07/intel-to-do-away-with-dram-in-pcs/

 

[-Fran-]

Well, in all honesty, it doesn't sound THAT bad to me.

Since most of the folks that buy computers on day 1, leave it as is until the final day when they replace it, it won't matter that much to them. Besides, you all know that whenever a regular person calls Dell or HP or whatever, they tell them to upgrade the whole thing anyway.

This is the same thing as when Cache was on sticks, just like RAM is now. It's an evolution in design and Intel is just reminding us that. And if you ask me, I'll take on-chip RAM any day against regular RAM if the speed increase is noticeable.

I'm sure, eventually, the main memory will be on chip as well (HDD and SSD) 😛

Cheers!

EDIT: Forgot an idea.

 

[sarinaide]

They have 8 cores, just they're bottle necked until Steamroller fixes them.

In a vast majority of synthetics the FX 8XXX sit between the i5 and i7, in gaming sense in about 85% of games it sits around the i5 level of performance overall its not as bad as things seem but suffice to say it is the base upon which AMD will progress its architecture.

Having read that BD was intended to run at 4ghz stock, if I run my synthetics at 4ghz vs 3.6ghz it seems a 400mhz has significantly less penalty on the IPC, with that said and the moderation to Piledriver it could very well churn out great results but the cost is going to be heat and power relative to Intel, but then again AMD knew this. From what I have seen through sampling the PD on average ranges from 10-25% over BD results (sometimes more or less). I think right now AMD is fully focused on Steamroller, PD could have been better but I think it was merely papering over as a temporary fix, don't get me wrong it is better but the inherent problems from BD are still prevalent but again everyone knew that to be the case.

SteamRoller is completely different though a front end resembling Intel's that is probably where AMD will target legitimately getting back into the game. So far I can say I have enjoyed playing around with Zambezi it by and large remains intriguing.

 

[guskline]

In a vast majority of synthetics the FX 8XXX sit between the i5 and i7, in gaming sense in about 85% of games it sits around the i5 level of performance overall its not as bad as things seem but suffice to say it is the base upon which AMD will progress its architecture.

Having read that BD was intended to run at 4ghz stock, if I run my synthetics at 4ghz vs 3.6ghz it seems a 400mhz has significantly less penalty on the IPC, with that said and the moderation to Piledriver it could very well churn out great results but the cost is going to be heat and power relative to Intel, but then again AMD knew this. From what I have seen through sampling the PD on average ranges from 10-25% over BD results (sometimes more or less). I think right now AMD is fully focused on Steamroller, PD could have been better but I think it was merely papering over as a temporary fix, don't get me wrong it is better but the inherent problems from BD are still prevalent but again everyone knew that to be the case.

SteamRoller is completely different though a front end resembling Intel's that is probably where AMD will target legitimately getting back into the game. So far I can say I have enjoyed playing around with Zambezi it by and large remains intriguing.

I agree with you. I decided the "sweet spot" for my 8150 is 4.5Ghz. I have it cooled by a Corsair H100. The PileDriver should allow a little more OC room and might close the benchmark gap with Intel's SB/IB. SteamRoller is nice to talk about. that's it talk about.

 

[fazers_on_stun]

I really HOPE Steamy uses a new socket, cause that would mean DDR4 in it.

Since Sammy already has some DDR4 samples out there, it means that the tech sheet is already there for Intel and AMD to deliver new interconnects and stuff.

Besides, if Steamy is indeed a good product, they'll need a new socket for GCN interaction; that is, if what I'm understanding from the road map is true.

Cheers!

Steamy might be really good for watching pr0n 😛..

 

[viridiancrystal]

I think we're probably jumping the gun if we start talking about Steamy, we don't even know how Piledriver is going to do. There will be a sticky thread for Steamy, come December or January, I'm sure.

 

[esrever]

Calling it steamy makes it sounds like poopoo.

 

[viridiancrystal]

Or perhaps it will run so hot it will turn the water in your cooling loop to steam 😀

edit: missing word

 

[gamerk316]

http://www.techspot.com/review/577-borderlands-2-performance/page6.html

AMD FX does poorly in borderlands2.
Surprisingly, the gzme benefits a lot from faster OC CPU and moar cores.

Which makes sense? EVERYTHING beneifts from clockspeed increase, unless the program in question has a major I/O bottleneck.

 

[obsama1]

In games like Max Payne 3, the i7 at 2.5GHz gets the same FPS at 4GHz. Not all programs benefit from clockspeed increase, but I see what you mean.

 

[king smp]

Max Payne 3 is weird
has very tough system requirements but yet with my 4ghz 1100T and a OCd 6870 I can play with all settings turned all the way up
I figured it would be a tougher game due to those system requirements

funny how years later Metro 2033 is still one of the best tests of a system hardware

 

[mayankleoboy1]

Which makes sense? EVERYTHING beneifts from clockspeed increase, unless the program in question has a major I/O bottleneck.

Lets see you get 100FPS on metro2033 with an 10ghz OC CPU and a hd577 at 1080p, 4xMSAA, DX11 and DOF filter on.

 

[mayankleoboy1]

This dependence on CPU makes me wonder if Borderland2 is using some 'hidden' CPU Physx also.

 

[truegenius]

http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/21/amd-piledriver-cpu-pre-order-pricing-leaks-out/
piledriver prices