Gigabyte has officially confirmed the ‘Ryzen 9000’ moniker for AMD’s upcoming processor lineup, dispelling rumors of a Ryzen 8000 branding. Based on the Zen 5 architecture, the Ryzen 9000 series is expected to debut later this year, along with the Strix Point APUs. AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su has confirmed a launch for client and server applications in the second half of 2024. Rumors suggest a potential showcase at Computex 2024 and significant performance improvements of over 40% compared to Zen 4.
AMD’s upcoming processor lineup for desktops will be branded under the ‘Ryzen 9000’ moniker, according to official confirmation from Gigabyte. Codenamed ‘Granite Ridge,’ the Ryzen 9000 series will be based on the Zen 5 architecture and will offer significant improvements over the current-generation Zen 4-based ‘Raphael’ CPUs. Rumors suggest that the first Ryzen 9000 processors will be showcased at Computex 2024 before going on sale later this year. AMD has already confirmed that Zen 5-based CPUs for both client and server applications will launch in the second half of 2024.
AMD is facing a headwind as China plans to replace foreign chips from its telecom systems by 2027. However, AMD is still a buy as it is countering this with the introduction of new AI PC chips and the expansion of the AI PC market. AMD’s Ryzen AI integration in select models and AMD PRO technologies provide enhanced security and manageability for business users.
AMD has uploaded new firmware files to its Linux repository, indicating an impending refresh to its RDNA 3 graphics architecture. The codename GC 11.5 in the new GPU firmware suggests the upcoming update, while changes in the LLVM compiler further corroborate this. The refresh is expected to improve chip flexibility and performance, notably through enhanced scalar ALUs. The first recipients of the updated architecture will likely be the Strix Point and Strix Halo laptop APUs, with the latter rumored to match the performance of a laptop RTX 4070. AMD’s use of TSMC’s N4 process nodes for these APUs should prevent excessive chip size. Historically, AMD releases Linux firmware updates close to product launches, suggesting the new APUs may debut soon, possibly at Computex 2024.
According to a rumor from tipster @Kepler_L2, AMD’s upcoming Radeon RX 8000 RDNA 4 GPUs may utilize slower 18 Gbps GDDR6 memory instead of the faster GDDR6W DRAM. This decision, if accurate, could be surprising as Nvidia is expected to launch its RTX 5000-series cards with 28Gbps GDDR7 memory. AMD has predominantly used 18Gbps memory in its current-generation graphics cards, but its premium offerings feature faster speeds. The use of older memory in the RX 8000 series could aim to maintain affordability and manage power consumption, as next-gen solutions may require more power.
Rumors regarding AMD’s upcoming Radeon RX 8000 GPU lineup suggest that it may utilize slower 18 Gbps GDDR6 memory, instead of the faster GDDR6W or GDDR7 options expected from competitors. This could be a major disappointment for gamers anticipating faster memory speeds. However, as the RX 8000 series is speculated to cater to mainstream and budget markets, the use of older technology could help AMD maintain affordability and manage power consumption.
Nvidia Corp and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc stocks witnessed a partial recovery on Monday following a significant selloff on Friday. Amidst concerns over the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes and geopolitical tensions, investors had grown wary of stocks that had previously benefited from the artificial intelligence boom. However, recent checks suggest that demand for AI-related products and services remains strong, with key players like Nvidia and AMD poised to benefit.
