Ryzen 7000 3D V-Cache CPUs Could Be Limited to 6-Core, 8-Core Configurations

Ryzen 7000
Ryzen 7000 (Image credit: AMD)

According to a Bilibili forum post by ECSM_Official, AMD could unveil two new Ryzen 7000 processors featuring 3D V-Cache technology in the first half of 2023. However, he also claims that AMD may only introduce a six-core and an eight-core Zen 4 SKU with 3D V-Cache. Unfortunately, ECSM says there's no news of higher core count V-Cache chips in the works. Nonetheless, take the information with a grain of salt. 

If ECSM's information is accurate, it seems AMD will start small with its next generation of 3D V-Cache chips by limiting the models to its more budget-friendly six-core and eight-core models. AMD will likely launch them as the Ryzen 5 7600X3D and Ryzen 7 7700X3D, respectively. For this generation, AMD may be extending its 3D V-Cache offers to budget-conscious consumers with the Ryzen 5 7600X3D as opposed to the last generation, which only had the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.

With two options for Ryzen 7000, this will lower the barrier to entry for 3D-Vcache chips on the AM5 platform, now that the six-core has a V-Cache option instead of the 8-core alone. But, pricing is still unknown and will play a critical role in how valuable these chips are. For example, suppose AMD follows the same pricing strategy it did with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. In that case, we're probably looking at a $100 to $150 premium for the upcoming Ryzen 7000 3D V-Cache chips over their vanilla counterparts.

We don't know how performant Zen 4 with 3D V-Cache will be, but we expect it to represent a good uplift over Zen 3. We've already seen optimizations on Ryzen 7000 3D V-Cache chips that hint at bandwidth improvements for the stacked 3D cache itself, and this is just one of the improvements we know about right now.

ECSM also shared new rumors on more CPUs and motherboard chipsets coming soon in 2023, including AMD's budget A620 chipset and AM5-based APUs. The A620 chipset seemingly arrives in Q2 of 2023 and is even cheaper than B650, while the mysterious AMD APU has no set due date or known specifications. But, ECSM says this APU will have a reduced memory frequency of 4800 MHz, suggesting it might run on an older CPU architecture like Zen 3.

Aaron Klotz
Freelance News Writer

Aaron Klotz is a freelance writer for Tom’s Hardware US, covering news topics related to computer hardware such as CPUs, and graphics cards.

  • Amdlova
    If is true, amd is dead...
    Reply
  • Sergei Tachenov
    Well, I'd be surprised if it wasn't the case.

    The very strength of V-cache comes from it being connected to a single chiplet, which very strongly reduces memory latency. No inter-chiplet latencies plus huge cache is what makes them excel at some games to the point of beating the 12900KS.

    For example, the 5900X has twice the cache of the 5600X, but it's barely any faster in gaming than the 5600X, even though it's clocked slightly higher, while the 5800X3D has triple the cache and clocked even slightly lower, but it'ss tremendously faster.

    And as we've seen, V-cache provides little advantage in workloads other than gaming. So there's no point really trying to squeeze it into dual chiplet SKUs.
    Reply
  • Alvar "Miles" Udell
    3D Cache for home use is only good for games.
    Games do not scale well past 8 cores (or even to 8 cores).
    Therefore 12+ core 3D Cache Ryzen chips are not needed.
    Reply
  • Roland Of Gilead
    Amdlova said:
    If is true, amd is dead...

    Why? You do realise the 5800x 3d is still one of the best gamer centric CPU's available!?

    It only makes sense that a Zen 4 part will give increased performance over even the stellar 5800x 3d.

    Also, why is it most sites are reporting a 7700x 3d as the next iteration of the 3d sku's? Doesn't it make sense given the previous gen (5800x 3d) that the next logical step is 7800x 3d? This gives a clear differentiation than the 5800x/5800x 3d didn't have. With the 7700x remaining 'vanilla' if you like.
    Reply
  • zecoeco
    Makes sense and if true, will be a smart move by AMD.
    3DX chips will improve AMD's position in lower-end market (Gamer's segment).
    So, I think 3D V-Cache on 12/16 core chips is an overkill and won't be cheap for customers as we know it's an expensive tech to implement.
    AMD don't need to compete in the high-end segment because 7900x/7950x are already good enough and won't consume too much energy like its counterparts.
    Reply
  • buttabean2
    Didn't they just put 3d cache on their server cpus? I don't see why they wouldn't release a top tier 7900x/7950x 3d. It's all about the margins. What's going to make them more bank
    Reply
  • Roland Of Gilead
    Sergei Tachenov said:
    And as we've seen, V-cache provides little advantage in workloads other than gaming

    This was never in doubt and always clearly stated by AMD.

    Sergei Tachenov said:
    So there's no point really trying to squeeze it into dual chiplet SKUs.

    They are not. I'd imagine they will keep it to single CCD, as this gives the best performance uplift.
    Reply
  • Sergei Tachenov
    zecoeco said:
    3DX chips will improve AMD's position in lower-end market (Gamer's segment).
    Not sure if "lower-end" is a proper term here. For a lower end gaming build, the 5600 is plenty. On AM5, the 7600X is currently a gaming beast even for high-end gaming builds. The 3D lineup will be for the top of the top gaming builds.

    I figure you meant "lower-end" in the sense that the gaming segment itself isn't very CPU-demanding, so as compared to something like the 7950X even the 7700X3D can be considered low end, it's just when I think of it, I imagine it being paired with something like the 4090 and 32 GB of DDR5-6000 and calling that low end seems like heresy :-)

    Roland Of Gilead said:
    They are not. I'd imagine they will keep it to single CCD, as this gives the best performance uplift.
    Which was exactly my point, and exactly what the news article says. Add it to single-chiplet SKUs to turn them into gaming beasts, and leave dual-chiplet SKUs as they are.
    Reply
  • zecoeco
    buttabean2 said:
    Didn't they just put 3d cache on their server cpus? I don't see why they wouldn't release a top tier 7900x/7950x 3d. It's all about the margins. What's going to make them more bank
    Think about the heat it will generate, and the space it'll need..
    So, for the consumer market, it is not beneficial, and it'll be EXPENSIVE
    Reply
  • zecoeco
    For AMD, gaming is a lower end segment in a business perspective, as it is not very profitable for them.
    So for the server business, 3DV is worth is.
    Reply