A long-awaited announcement is finally here: AMD has just teased the upcoming release of the next generation of processors, dubbed the AMD Ryzen 7000 series.
The CPUs are set to release in the second half of 2022. AMD previewed the performance of one of the upcoming Zen 4 processors during CES 2022, showing how it fared during a Halo Infinite gaming demo.
The new processors mark a completely new generation of CPUs for AMD, upgrading from the current Zen 3 platform to Zen 4. AMD has also revealed that Ryzen 7000 CPUs are based on a 5nm process node — a first for AMD. Recent generations of AMD CPUs (Zen 2 and Zen 3) all utilized a 7nm process node.
Releasing the new CPUs means more for AMD than just catching up to the 12th-gen Intel Alder Lake that was released last year. Aside from a straight upgrade to the specifications of the processors themselves, AMD revealed that with the new Zen 4 processors, it will also release the AM5 platform. This will open the door to technologies currently unavailable to AMD users.
AMD is now officially switching from its current socket to the LGA1718, allowing for compatibility with PCIe Gen 5.0, as well as DDR5 memory. Despite the huge socket change, AMD claims that the new platform will retain compatibility with current AM4 coolers.
The manufacturer has promised that the new AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs will bring with them unprecedented levels of performance, emphasizing hitting the right balance between raw power and energy efficiency. The recent generations of AMD chips have typically offered a good performance-per-watt ratio, and AMD made it clear that this continues to be a key factor going forward.
In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the new Zen 4 processor, AMD revealed a demo of Halo Infinite gameplay on one of the upcoming chips. According to Lisa Su, the CEO of AMD, the preview bodes well for the Ryzen 7000 — all the cores in the processor maintained a steady high of 5.0GHz, resulting in smooth gameplay with high frames per second. Unfortunately, the demo was very short.
Exciting times are ahead for those in need of a new CPU. With AMD once again entering the contest, Intel’s Alder Lake will meet its current-gen match. Although there are still questions left to answer, it may be a while until we hear more about the new processors. AMD is planning to launch both Zen 4 and AM5 in the second half of 2022.
Here’s a look at everything else AMD announced at CES 2022.