AMD Zen, news and comments

[rul3s]

@Rules said in AMD Zen, news and comments:

Ah, the render they do with the Ryzen and the 6900k that takes 34s they've put it on their website so people can try it out:

Blender: https://www.blender.org/download
Project: http://download.amd.com/demo/RyzenGraphic_27.blend

I RECIFY A DETAIL, you have to set the samples to 150, by default they come in 200.

My 4790k@4.6GHz configured to 150 samples takes 57 seconds to render the same work.

[palotes]

I am a Linux user and I am thinking about getting a Zen when they come out because AMD has been doing well with drivers for Linux lately. I have been reading about these processors for a few days and I am intrigued by the neural networks. No matter how much I search, I can't find details. But if I understand it correctly, the CPU will have a neural network that will make decisions about the execution of instructions? Does that mean I can train the processor to learn how to do certain tasks more quickly?

[rul3s]

@palotes said in AMD Zen, news and comments:

I am a Linux user and I am thinking about getting a Zen when they come out because AMD has been treating Linux drivers well lately. I have been reading about these processors for a few days and I was intrigued by the neural networks. No matter how much I search, I can't find details. But if I understand it correctly, the CPU will have a neural network that will make decisions about the execution of instructions? That means that I can train the processor to learn to do certain tasks more quickly?

But they can only be trained with positive reinforcement, not like if you don't do them well I'll stop the fan for a few seconds... rather from the plan if you do well I'll raise the vcore by +0.05

P.D: Don't take much notice of me, at this time of the morning I still haven't fully fueled up

[palotes]

@Rules But the neural networks are not for controlling cooling and frequency, right? It's for executing instructions. At least that's what I understood from @cobito's post. If that's the case, when the processor is used a lot for a task, over time it would get faster at that task. For example, if I use the processor to do intensive calculations on something specific, over time it would learn to do it faster. That's what I understand about the neural network that has been put on the Zens.

[krampak]

@palotes Yes, it's about executing instructions but the exact mechanism hasn't been specified yet, there are just the following two hypotheses:

1. Ranging from actual physical modelling of instruction workflow to identify critical paths to be accelerated (unlikely)

2. Statistical analysis of what is coming through the engine and attempting to work during downtime that might accelerate future instructions (such as inserting an instruction to decode into an idle decoder in preparation for when it actually comes through, therefore ends up using the micro-op cache and making it quicker).

[rul3s]

@palotes said in AMD Zen, news and comments:

@Rules But the thing about neural networks is not for controlling cooling and frequency, right? It's for executing instructions. At least that's what I understood from @cobito's post. If that's the case, when the processor is used a lot for a task, over time it would get faster at that task. If for example I use the processor to do intensive calculation of something specific, over time it would learn to do it faster. That's what I understand about the neural network they put on the Zens.

Indeed, it's about executing instructions, but they didn't give more details, like how long this learning would last, if it was based on the last few seconds or the last few days, etc... Now, I suppose it could slightly speed up the process, but I doubt it would see more than a 5% improvement.

[palotes]

Umm what an interesting thing. The bad thing is that it will be very difficult to be able to pass a test bench to this to know how much it yields. If it ends up being like this we will see if the traffic of trained processors to do X task does not begin :rofl:

[cobito]

To me, the whole thing about neural networks sounds more like a buzzword that they've pulled out of thin air as a marketing tactic.

[whoololon]

@cobito That's where the bullets are going.
The way I see it, the "thing" will basically work like the SSHD controller: it's based on priorities and access in processes (files in the case of SSHDs) and some predefined rules, for the pattern of which loads and which doesn't.

But of course, if someone ends up thinking that there's a small computer inside the processor (it will simply be an algorithm), then it will undoubtedly sell better.

[Obione]

It sounds almost quantum to me, nonsense talk. And I feel bad for swearing, but I'm fine with what's there, that an x8 is fighting an x4. I just hope the prices are right. In our little hearts, we remember the arrival of 64 bits where AMD was crushing it xD

Now without jokes, for gaming Intel, for editing and calculation we'll see. I wouldn't bet a euro that they'll develop games for multiple threads, briefcase aside.

Editing: My brodel the brainiac (the shortest one for other things) developed a neural network in Excel. It was the typical quiniela calculation, called "Get rich project". It's enough that they didn't fail, they calculated many variables, just like those who set the game rules calculate them. I was talking about the move with my econometrics teacher and the guy said that if any project like that shows up even a little, at most it's worth selling it cheap.

So that's it, sell it cheap. Let's see if games come out that pull from HT and the x6 doesn't go through the roof...

Editing: What a fucking drunk I am. I thought the Ryzen was being compared to a Kaby x4 and I thought I saw it standing up to the x8 with double the dough...

I'm going to take a better look at those presentation tests.

[cobito]

They say that Zen will be manufactured by Globalfoundries (like AMD's chips so far) and Samsung.

[cobito]

It seems that the Zens will come with the multiplier unlocked as standard.

Read more...

[whoololon]

@cobito Well, if that's the case, a mini point for AMD. It's also mentioned that at CES 2017, the base frequency was 3.6 GHz and not 3.4 GHz as it appeared in the presentation (the 8-core one)... all that's left is for the IPC to live up to expectations.

[jordiqui]

Waiting for new news. But I'm going to buy a PC piece by piece and I hope for news on performance, temperature and prices. It seems like a good option for my interests.

[cobito]

According to rumors, in a month we will have them in stores. The first models would be these:
· 8 cores with AMD's HT
· 6 cores with HT
· 4 cores with HT
· 4 cores plain

It is not clear which models correspond to the SR3, 5 and 7 although we can get an idea of where the shots are going.

Source.

[whoololon]

@cobito Well, I don't know, now a rumor has come out that mentions that there will be no 6-core processors, but that it will go from 4/8 to 8/8, and from there to 8/16; that is, that the supposed SR5 would be octacore without HT.

I don't know if I've said it already, but all this secrecy bores me a lot.

[cobito]

@whoololon Marketing. AMD has been hyping Zen for two years and all this rumor mongering is part of the game.

[whoololon]

Well, indeed, it doesn't seem to be anything more than a baseless rumor (as Javier Krahe sang).
According to subsequent leaks from Asian sources, and reported by WccfTech, the situation would be as follows:

What really amazes me, if you look closely, is the clamp on the frequency of the smaller ones, since it was announced that the base frequency was going to be 3.4 Ghz. Well, we'll see.

[cobito]

There are only two pieces of data left to make an objective assessment: the price and the single/multi-thread performance. Let's see if anyone can find a benchmark test of an engineering sample or whatever.

[Yorus]

I've already passed the hype with these micros and I've switched to an Intel NUC with Skylake, but I still find this Intel/AMD war very interesting. I hope that, as in other times, things are more even and AMD returns to hoist the flag of quality/price.