AMD Zen May Arrive In 2016, But Mass Availability Slated For 2017

by Michael Justin Allen Sexton July 22, 2016 at 4:13 PM

AMD CEO Lisa Su responded to questions about the company’s upcoming Zen microprocessors during AMD’s quarterly earnings call. Although it appears some of the Zen CPUs will ship in Q4 2016, most people won’t have access to them until 2017.

According to Su, Zen will not ship in large quantities until 2017. AMD might ship some desktop Zen processors towards the end of 2016, but supplies will be limited until Q1 2017.

AMD technically makes it’s 2016 deadline by releasing limited quantities of Zen in Q4 2016, but it will be unattainable to most people until the company can ship the new processor in volume. Instead, system builders planning to construct a Zen PC will likely have to wait until Q1 2017.

“We have been very focused on the server launch for first half of 2017. Desktop should launch before that. In terms of true volume ability, I believe it will be in the first quarter of 2017. We may ship some limited volume towards the end of the fourth quarter, based on how bring up goes and the customer readiness,” said Lisa Su, AMD’s CEO. “But again, if I look overall at what we're trying to do, I think the desktop product is very well positioned for that high end desktop segment, that enthusiast segment in both channel and OEM, which is very much a segment that AMD knows well and so that's where we would focus on desktop. You should expect a notebook version of Zen, with integrated graphics in 2017, and that development is going on as well. And so, I think it's just a time of a lot of activity around the Zen and the different Zen product families,” said Su.

Zen processors will eventually stretch into both the server and mobile market segments closer to Q2 2017. AMD and some of its close business partners are already testing server variants of Zen, and the company expects to be able to deliver volume shipments of Zen server parts in Q2.

AMD also recently entered into a new licensing agreement with Tianjin Haiguang Advanced Technology Investment Co. Ltd. (THATIC), which is a joint venture that consists of AMD and both public and private Chinese companies. Some industry analysts are concerned about possible legal repercussions from Intel in regards to AMD licensing out x86-based designs.

Su was queried directly about the potentially thorny legal issues, to which she replied, "Yes, so relative to the server JV that we have with THATIC, as we stated before, we believe that our joint venture is operational. I think it's well underway. The technology that we're licensing is AMD technology, and so we don't have any issues relative to licensing. I think."

It remains to be seen when the THATIC consortium will begin producing Zen chips.

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About the author

Michael Justin Allen Sexton @EmperorSunLao

Michael Justin Allen Sexton is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He covers hardware component news, specializing in CPUs and motherboards.

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The_Prince2017

Any naming on the processors? Like FX XXXX?
jp7189

What kind of CEO fills an official statement with "should", "I believe", "I think"? That kind of uncertainty at the top will infect the whole company. It seems like Su has some serious doubts about her company's ability to execute.
chicofehr

i am hoping to upgrade my phenom II x6 to a 10+ core this decade with a non intel processor. my 3 monitor setup is boddlenecked by it
SixtyFourK

"What kind of CEO fills an official statement with "should", "I believe", "I think"? That kind of uncertainty at the top will infect the whole company. It seems like Su has some serious doubts about her company's ability to execute."

If Lisa Su gives definite dates and then can't follow through then people will use that to spread fear that AMD can't deliver what they say. IMO Zen is going to get over hyped by fans but then that just leads to disappointment when it does come.
elbert

Kind of old info as now we know there will be 3 sockets. The 4 and 8 cores run at 2.8 with boost 3.2Ghz on AM4. A 8, 12, and 16 core on yet unnamed socket possibly backward compatible to AM4. The server gets sp3 socket with 24 cores at 2.7Ghz and 32 cores at 2.9Ghz.

Possible an October launch of 65watt quad and 95watt octa core.
ohim

@SIXTYFOURK it`s already overhyped i think
jaber2

AMD is losing on both fronts to Nvidia and Intel
MaCk0y

2294481 said:

"What kind of CEO fills an official statement with "should", "I believe", "I think"? That kind of uncertainty at the top will infect the whole company. It seems like Su has some serious doubts about her company's ability to execute." If Lisa Su gives definite dates and then can't follow through then people will use that to spread fear that AMD can't deliver what they say. IMO Zen is going to get over hyped by fans but then that just leads to disappointment when it does come.

I agree about the release dates. No need to commit to a date but that 'I think' at the end is pretty awkward. You don't say 'I think' to something you have to be absolutely sure you are correct regarding licensing. Or else might get sued by Intel. Maybe she should have said 'We have our legal team working to make sure that everything is in accordancet' or something like that.
George Phillips

Make the true 8-core cpu in mainstream system and incorporate all the latest features. I am in AMD.
none12345

"Kind of old info as now we know there will be 3 sockets. The 4 and 8 cores run at 2.8 with boost 3.2Ghz on AM4. A 8, 12, and 16 core on yet unnamed socket possibly backward compatible to AM4. The server gets sp3 socket with 24 cores at 2.7Ghz and 32 cores at 2.9Ghz."

The clock speed ive only seen mentioned for an A0 engineering sample, usually retail chips ship faster then A0 silicone.

Id be suprised to see them ship at only 2.8ghz. (tho im sure some models will, i doubt the fastest will be close to that)
pjc6281

Intel is already about to launch Skylakes successor and AMD for being smaller cannot move fast enough. Intel is getting faster and more efficient.... how about you AMD?
Ionlydothis

AMD under delivering? Say it aint so! Sure would be nice if they became competitive again but oh well. Least they have their mindlessly adoring fans....
Matt_550

By that time Intel will have Cannon Lake on horizon. A step forward for AMD but still behind.
blppt

Sigh...by the time Zen finally gets out the door, Intel will have had months and months of time to prepare, so *if* Zen was kicking Intel's butt in performance, it probably will be eclipsed by the time it launches now.
hotroderx

I am personally feed up with Intel and there lack luster releases lately with exceptional price tags. I be going AMD as long as it with in a few % of intel. I want newer tech then my ivy bridge can offer. The Z77 chipset is a bit long in the tooth. Unless your willing to drop 600-700 dollars to upgrade processor and motherboard your out of luck. Honestly Intels latest processors leave a lot to be desired. I am happy to see Zen releasing soon and will most likely be moving back to AMD
elbert

Quote:

The clock speed ive only seen mentioned for an A0 engineering sample, usually retail chips ship faster then A0 silicone. Id be suprised to see them ship at only 2.8ghz. (tho im sure some models will, i doubt the fastest will be close to that)

All I can tell you is these speeds were leaked to be 65 and 95watts. Without a doubt a 95 watt cpu will clock much higher but leaks give no details about overclocking or other speeds.
Samer1970

by 2017 PCI express 4.0 will be used by Intel , come on AMD release the ZEN already this is not good for competition.
razor512

AMD is shooting them self in the foot by making it so that the the Zen CPUs are only properly supported on windows 10 and up.
This till cost them any market share that users who are sticking with windows 7 will offer.

I was excited about their new CPU until I found that it would have to fully move to windows 10 to use it rather than only for DX12 content. I am essentially going to end up going with a core i7 4790K rather than the AMD zen simply because they refuse to support windows 7.
razor512

669092 said:

i am hoping to upgrade my phenom II x6 to a 10+ core this decade with a non intel processor. my 3 monitor setup is boddlenecked by it

Same here, Phenom II x6 1075t, 4GHz, I had high hopes for AMD, but it seems they are getting lazy with the software support, thus I am going to be forced over to Intel. If AMD decides to make some changes and support windows 7, then I will hold off until it is released. If not, then I will move my upgrade schedule ahead, and get a core i7 7490K
redraider89

All of you moaning about AMD and Windows 7, stop paying attention to one sided news. It's the SAME for Intel:

Skylake users given 18 months to upgrade to Windows 10

And next generation processors, including Intel's Kaby Lake, won't be supported in old Windows

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/01/skylake-users-given-18-months-to-upgrade-to-windows-10/
redraider89

"Intel is already about to launch Skylakes successor and AMD for being smaller cannot move fast enough. Intel is getting faster and more efficient.... how about you AMD?"

"AMD under delivering? Say it aint so! Sure would be nice if they became competitive again but oh well. Least they have their mindlessly adoring fans...."

You being an Intel sycophant, say it ain't so! Why aren't you saying the same for Intel, because you are a sycophant for Intel:

Intel confirms tick-tock-shattering Kaby Lake processor as Moore’s Law falters

Intel has confirmed today that it will build a third generation of processors on its 14nm process, and that the switch to 10nm manufacturing has been delayed until the second half of 2017,

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/07/intel-confirms-tick-tock-shattering-kaby-lake-processor-as-moores-law-falters/
IInuyasha74

129458 said:

AMD is shooting them self in the foot by making it so that the the Zen CPUs are only properly supported on windows 10 and up. This till cost them any market share that users who are sticking with windows 7 will offer. I was excited about their new CPU until I found that it would have to fully move to windows 10 to use it rather than only for DX12 content. I am essentially going to end up going with a core i7 4790K rather than the AMD zen simply because they refuse to support windows 7.

This isn't quite accurate, and you shouldn't blame AMD. AMD hasn't said what OSes they will support. Likely, they will continue to support Windows 7.

Redraider89 is also somewhat off.

The reason for the change in support, is that Microsoft has effectively ended support for new processors on its older operating systems. This is part of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to persuade people to upgrade to its latest and greatest platform. AMD and Intel have no say in what Microsoft does and does not support, as they offer support for their own products independently from Microsoft.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-processor-support-policy,31024.html
maxwellmelon

I agree that amd is behind intel, I agree that zen prob wont beat intel top of the line. but if amd can make a cost effect competition vs the i3 and even the i5, intel is forced to lower the prices for those cpus or lose market share to amd. If amd just keeps pressure in the middle and lower market vs intel intel still receives pressure to advance. if amd fails and stops making cpus then intel will have no competition in the x86 cpu market. So unless another instruction code because more popular then the x86 set, (mabe android and arm processors) you will have no choice but to get whatever intel makes, and pay there price. I really think if amd just keeps releasing matching mid lvl cpu amd will have a better chance vs most people who don't buy the top of line cpu every time. Just my view.
redraider89

Maxwellmelon, AMD is already competitive with and beats i3 and i5 per benchmarks.

Intel Core i5 760 - 2.80GHz - 1MB L2 - 8MB L3

VS

AMD FX-8350 (125W) - 4M/8T, 4.0 GHz. 8MB L2, 8MB L3

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/191?vs=697

That they are not is an arrogant intel snob's lie.

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