The AMD Ryzen logo is revealed during AMD New Horizon event on Dec. 13, 2016. (Photo : YouTube/Red Gaming Tech)
AMD Ryzen specs and price are gradually being revealed as the assumed February release date is drawing near. As an you an overview of the current update concerning AMD's Zen chips for PC, below are gathered significant reports, rumors, and speculations, including the $500 price point for the high-end Ryzen variant.
Concerning the specs of AMD's latest CPU offering, it has been already reported that AMD's initial introduction of the 8-core processor will be followed with quad-core variants. However, unlike the 8-core processor, the lower-tier quad-core Ryzen processor will not support Simultaneous Multi-Threading (SMT), according to PC GamesN.
Moreover, for its clockspeed, it has been recently showcased that consumers will be looking at 3.4GHz base and 4GHz turbo configuration. In terms of power draw, the 8 core Ryzen is going to be a 95W chip, in contrast to the previous eight-core at 125W.
Another important feature to note concerning Ryzen processor, is the promise of at least 40% increase in the instructions per clock (IPC). Thus, indicating that AMD's upcoming processor will bring closer processing speed that of Intel's chips, with its tangible boost in single-threaded performance.
As for its release date, the same website also reported that Ryzen could be released before the end of March. This particular release period is hinged on AMD's assurance that Ryzen processor will be available in the first quarter of this year, with an official launch before the end of Q1.
Most reports would even go further, claiming that AMD might launch their Ryzen CPU just before the Game Developer Conference (GDC), running from Feb. 27 to March 3. Such indicated time frame for release coincides with the recently corrected GDC session description, which substantiated previous reports of an early release ahead of GDC 2017, according to WCCF Tech.
With regards to the price of Ryzen CPU for PC setup, most reports would suggest that higher clocked version will be within a $500 price point, while the slightly slower octo-core will cost at around $350. On the other hand, some reports also claim that quad-core processors would be within a $150 price range capable of competing with the Intel's quad-core counterparts.
The main goal AMD as for its release of Ryzen is to give gamers and enthusiasts a powerful alternative from Intel's costly line-up. The hype and marketing ploy used by the company are set to gradually change the current CPU industry being dominated by Intel.
Watch here below AMD Ryzen specs summary presentation:
