AMD Ryzen 4000 CPUs With 7nm+ Zen 3 Cores & X670 Flagship AM4 Platform Arriving End of 2020

AMD's next-generation Ryzen 4000 CPU family which will be based on the 7nm+ Zen 3 architecture is reportedly arriving at the end of 2020. The report comes from MyDrivers who have received info from their sources that the new processors and the accompanying platform will be available by the end of 2020.

AMD Ryzen 4000 CPUs With 7nm+ Zen 3 Cores and X670 Chipset Platform Reportedly Arriving In Q4 2020

The report talks about two next-generation AMD products, the AMD Ryzen 4000 desktop processor lineup and the 600-series chipset based platform. The AMD Ryzen 4000 CPU lineup will feature the enhanced 7nm+ Zen 3 core architecture. The 7nm+ EUV technology will uplift the efficiency of Zen 3 based processors while increasing the overall transistor density however the biggest change to the Ryzen 4000 series processors would come from the Zen 3 core architecture which is expected to bring a brand new core design to the architecture, allowing for significant IPC gains, faster clock speeds and higher core counts.

In addition to the Ryzen 4000 desktop processors, AMD would also be introducing their 600 series chipset. The flagship of them would be the AMD X670 chipset which will be replacing the X570 PCH. According to the source, AMD's X670 PCH would retain the AM4 socket and feature enhanced PCIe Gen 4.0 support and increased I/O in the form of more M.2, SATA, and USB 3.2 ports. The source adds that there are little chances of getting Thunderbolt 3 natively on the chipset but overall the X670 should improve upon the X570 platform.

It is also stated that the X670 chipset would be the last generation of AM4 socketed platform for AMD's Ryzen processors. This might indicate that AMD has plans to retire the AM4 socket after the Ryzen 4000 series of processors. It makes sense since the AM4 platform has already been with us for a good 3 years since its initial launch on the 300-series chipsets back in 2017. In 2020, it would mark more than 4 years since the socket has been available and retaining support for all of AMD's Ryzen CPUs. This also suggests that AMD needs a new socket platform to support next-gen techs such as DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 which would be available to consumers around late 2021 or early 2022.

Here's What We Know About Zen 3 Powered Ryzen 4000 CPUs So Far

Last week, AMD's SVP, Forrest Norrod, revealed how Zen 3 is going to bring an entirely new chip architecture along with other key enhancements. Based on the 7nm+ process node, AMD aims to deliver some major IPC improvements and key architectural changes with Zen 3 cores. AMD will also follow the Intel Tick-Tock cadence with Zen 2 being the Tick since it offers a new process node and an evolution to the original Zen design rather than a complete architectural change while the Zen 3 core will be AMD's Tock, offering a similar but enhanced process node (7nm+) alongside a brand new architecture.

As for the core count, AMD wants to keep pushing the boundaries with future Zen architectures including Zen 3. Just like Zen 2 doubled the core count of Zen, offering up to 64 cores and 128 threads, Zen 3 would also drive higher core counts with improved nodes. AMD's chiplet design for Zen 2 is one of the most advanced in the industry, offering high core counts at incredibly good performance efficiency.

Even if the 7nm+ process node isn't a big upgrade like 14nm to 7nm, there are still some uplifts to efficiency. TSMC's 7nm+ process node which is made using EUV technology delivers 10% better efficiency than its 7nm process while offering 20% more transistor density than the 7nm node. You can read more here about all the architectural changes that AMD is expected to be bringing with their Zen 3 core architecture.

Given how well AMD Ryzen 3000 CPUs compete against Intel's 9th Generation lineup, in just one more generation, AMD would definitely be the IPC leader in the mainstream and HEDT desktop market considering Intel isn't bringing 10nm anytime soon to their desktop products. Even Intel's Comet Lake and Rocket Lake processors are expected to retain 14nm architectures with the latter expected to be a back-port of Willow Cove architecture on 14nm. If you thought Ryzen 3000 was great, then buckle of your seats because AMD is just getting started for an even bigger 2020 CPU product launch. Expect more information on Zen 3 architecture at CES 2020.

AMD CPU Roadmap (2017-2022)