AMD Zen 5, the upcoming Ryzen CPU architecture from AMD, was showcased prominently at Computex 2024 and is scheduled for a launch in July. AMD touts significant performance enhancements in gaming and productivity compared to its predecessors and claims superiority over Intel’s top 14th-generation CPUs, positioning it among the top processors available.
Zen 5 release date and availability
AMD announced in January 2024 that Zen 5 was on schedule for a launch in the second half of the year, which was reaffirmed at Computex 2024. The initial batch from the Ryzen 9000 series, including the Ryzen 9 9950X, Ryzen 9 9900X, Ryzen 7 9700X, and Ryzen 5 9600X, is set to release in July. Following these, additional non-X and X3D variants are expected, with Club386 hinting at X3D chips possibly arriving as early as September, marking a quicker release than in previous generations.
This earlier launch is seen as a strategic move by AMD to outpace Intel, whose Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake CPUs are slated for later in the year. It also positions AMD to integrate its CPUs into the new wave of “AI” laptops promoted by major manufacturers.
While an official release date for the Ryzen 9000 chips has not been confirmed by AMD, speculation suggests desktop processors launch around July 31, 2024, two weeks after the confirmed Ryzen AI 300 launch date.
Zen 5 Specs
AMD revealed the specifications of the four new Ryzen 9000 processors at Computex 2024, highlighting similar core counts and clock speeds compared to the previous generation, but emphasizing improvements in inter-process communication (IPC) due to the new architectural design.
| Processor | Cores/Threads | Base Clock | Boost Clock | L2 + L3 Cache | TDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 9 9950X | 16/32 | 4.3GHz | 5.7GHz | 80MB | 170W |
| Ryzen 9 9900X | 12/24 | 4.4GHz | 5.6GHz | 76MB | 120W |
| Ryzen 7 9700X | 8/16 | 3.8Ghz | 5.5GHz | 40MB | 65W |
| Ryzen 5 9600X | 6/12 | 3.9GHz | 5.4GHz | 36MB | 65W |
These specs closely match their Ryzen 7000 counterparts in cache sizes, thread counts, and clock speeds. However, the standout difference this time is in power consumption. While the flagship 9950X retains the 170-watt TDP of its predecessor, the 9900X now operates at 120 watts, down from the previous 170 watts. Similarly, the 9700X and 9600X have reduced TDPs of just 65 watts each. Despite potential slightly higher real-world power usage, these reductions mark significant efficiency improvements with the new Zen 5 design.
However, there’s a new rumor suggesting AMD may adjust the Ryzen 7 9700X’s TDP to enhance competitiveness. The report indicates AMD aims to nearly double the chip’s power draw from 65 watts to 120 watts, possibly to better compete against Zen 4 X3D CPUs, which are expected to outperform non-3D Zen 5 equivalents in gaming scenarios, as AMD acknowledges.
While a higher power draw could boost performance, it’s crucial not to fully trust this rumor yet. With a July launch approaching, AMD has little time for such major adjustments. Alternatively, AMD might introduce a higher-power variant of the Ryzen 7 9700X in the future instead of altering the imminent release.
Unlike Intel’s upcoming Arrow Lake CPUs, AMD has retained simultaneous multithreading with Zen 5 and has significantly enhanced branch prediction accuracy and latency to improve overall multi-threading performance.
AMD has confirmed that Zen 5 processors will incorporate the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, promising improved onboard graphics capabilities compared to Ryzen 7000 CPUs. While not a monumental leap, this upgrade is welcomed, especially considering the decent performance for casual gaming seen with Zen 4. Ryzen 8000 APUs are already pushing entry-level graphics further into obsolescence, and RDNA 3.5 on Zen 5 will likely continue this trend.
AM5 Socket
AMD’s Ryzen processors have long been celebrated for their upgradeability, a stark contrast to Intel’s typical support for two or occasionally three generations of any socket design. Since the Ryzen 1000 generation, users have enjoyed the flexibility of upgrading to newer CPUs like Ryzen 3000 or 5000 simply by updating the BIOS, without needing to change memory or power setups.
AMD aims to continue this with its AM5 socket, introduced alongside the Ryzen 7000 CPUs in fall 2022. Zen 5 utilizes the same AM5 socket as Zen 4, ensuring compatibility not only with existing coolers but also with CPUs. Owners of X670E, X670, or B650 motherboards should be able to seamlessly upgrade to a Zen 5 CPU, gaining most benefits of the new generation with a BIOS update if required.
At Computex 2024, AMD unveiled the x870 and x870E chipsets as the first new motherboard chipsets for Ryzen 9000. These chipsets standardize USB4 support and introduce PCI Express 5.0 for graphics and storage slots. They also support higher memory frequencies, potentially enhancing performance for next-generation CPUs.
Zen 5 Performance
AMD has released initial performance benchmarks for Zen 5, focusing on its flagship Ryzen 9 9950X CPU. These benchmarks primarily compare its performance against Intel’s top offerings, showing promising results thus far.
AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs are expected to achieve an average increase of 16% in instructions per clock (IPC), with certain applications seeing up to a 35% improvement. This translates into significant productivity gains, with AMD claiming up to a 56% performance lead over the 14900K in Blender.
In gaming, the Ryzen 9 9950X reportedly outperforms the 14900K (comparable to the 7800X3D and 7950X3D) by 4% to 23%. Local AI tasks, such as running the Mistral large language model (LLM), also show improved performance on the new Ryzen CPUs.
While specific benchmarks for the Ryzen 9000 series haven’t been released yet, AMD’s commitment to leveraging the latest technology suggests promising prospects not only for this generation but also for future ones.
While real-world testing is necessary to confirm these claims, early indications are highly promising for AMD’s Zen 5 CPUs.
3D V-Cache in Zen 5
AMD’s 3D V-Cache processors, starting with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, have dominated gaming performance charts. Given the success of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, gamers are eagerly anticipating its successor, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. While confirmation of its release is exciting, the exact timeline remains uncertain.
In a recent interview, AMD’s Donny Woligroski emphasized that AMD is actively improving upon the X3D versions of Zen 5 processors, indicating a commitment to advancement rather than resting on past achievements. Conversely, AMD has acknowledged that Zen 4 X3D chips will continue to outperform their non-3D counterparts in gaming.
AMD has not disclosed specific enhancements planned for the 3D V-Cache chips or a release timeframe. Speculations include potential updates to AMD’s chiplet approach to ensure broader integration of extra cache across dies, alongside prospects for higher clock speeds, enhanced overclocking capabilities, or increased cache capacities.
As a clear indication of AMD’s ongoing work on 3D V-Cache chips, despite not launching them in July, the company recently released a Ryzen chipset driver featuring a new 3D V-Cache Optimizer.
AM5
AMD’s Zen 5 appears poised to make a significant impact for Team Red, arriving ahead of Intel’s Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake processors by several months. This head start could mean several months of AMD dominating the market before Intel makes its competitive move later in the year.
AMD has demonstrated with Zen 5 that it has the potential to lead in both performance and efficiency across productivity and gaming tasks. If these claims hold true, AMD’s historical track record with first-party performance numbers suggests they may be accurate. Stay tuned for our upcoming reviews of various Zen 5 components in the coming weeks to confirm these expectations.
