A bunch of new information regarding the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 platform powering the next-gen Zen 2 based HEDT processors has been posted by GamersNexus. While we have seen a range of leaks for the upcoming Threadripper processors, it looks like we will definitely be looking at separate platforms aimed at enthusiasts and workstations with the coming generation.
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Series To Feature Quad Channel TRX4 and Octa Channel WRX8 Series Motherboard Support
We heard about the TRX40, TRX80 and WRX80 chipsets being prepped for the new processors but there are more details covered by GamersNexus. The information suggests that AMD has two new platforms being readied for Threadripper 3000 processors. The first is the sTRX4 which is aimed at enthusiast HEDT processors.
Previously, AMD had segmented their enthusiast and workstations line into 'X' series and 'WX' series processors. Both lines were based on the same Zen+ cores but the X series featured up to 16 cores while the WX series featured up to 32 cores. This time, AMD is not only going to segment their processors but also their platforms. There are some differences to talk about so let's start with the enthusiast line.
AMD TRX4 'Enthusiast' Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Processors
The TRX4 HEDT platform would feature quad-channel memory, UDIMM memory support with 2 DIMMs per channel and up to 256 GB of capacity per channel. This means that the platform will support up to 1 TB of memory. There would also be support for 64 Gen 4 PCIe lanes with 16 lanes switchable with the SATA interface. There also seems to be info regarding TDPs and we can also notice the segmentation here too. The Group 'A' series processors which are the HEDT lineup for TRX4 platform with 280W TDP, Tcase Max temperature of 60C and Tctl Max of 100C.
AMD WRX8 'Workstation' Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Processors
Now coming to the WRX8 series, we are looking at a pure workstation lineup. Even the processors built around this platform are spec'd similar to the EPYC 7002 variants, featuring 8-channel DDR4-3200 support in UDIMM, RDIMM, LRDIMM flavors. The platform would support 1 DIMM/channel featuring support for up to 2 TB of memory. There wouldn't be any OC support like the TRX4 series but you get 96-128 Gen4 PCIe lanes with 32 switchable lanes to SATA. The Group 'B' series processors which are the workstation lineup for WRX8 platform will also feature a 280W TDP but different temperature range of Tcase Max temperature of 81C and Tctl Max of 100C.
Since the previous leak, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 series processors have also received official PCI-SIG certification, confirming PCIe 4.0 support and also the 'Castle Peak' codename for the lineup itself. There are chances that AMD might introduce TRX series processors with octal-channel memory too as indicated in previous leaks but that remains to be seen.
AMD CPU Roadmap (2017-2022)
| Year | 2024 | 2023 | 2021-2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Zen (4) / Zen (5) | Zen (4) / Zen (4C) | Zen (4) / Zen 3 (+) | Zen (3) / Zen 3 (+) | Zen (3) / Zen 2 | Zen (2) / Zen+ | Zen (1) / Zen+ | Zen (1) |
| Process Node | 5nm / 3nm? | 5nm | 5nm / 6nm | 7nm | 7nm | 7nm | 14nm / 12nm | 14nm |
| Server | EPYC Turin | EPYC Bergamo | EPYC 'Genoa' | EPYC 'Milan' | EPYC 'Rome' | EPYC 'Rome' | EPYC 'Naples' | EPYC 'Naples' |
| Max Server Cores / Threads | 256/512 | 128/256 | 96/192 | 64/128 | 64/128 | 64/128 | 32/64 | 32/64 |
| High End Desktop | Ryzen Threadripper 8000 Series | Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Series | Ryzen Threadripper 6000 Series (TBD) | Ryzen Threadripper 5000 Series (Chagall) | Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Series (Castle Peak) | Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Series (Castle Peak) | Ryzen Threadripper 2000 Series (Coflax) | Ryzen Threadripper 1000 Series (White Haven) |
| Ryzen Family | Ryzen 8000 Series | Ryzen 7000 Series | Ryzen 6000 Series | Ryzen 5000 Series | Ryzen 4000/5000 Series | Ryzen 3000 Series | Ryzen 2000 Series | Ryzen 1000 Series |
| Max HEDT Cores / Threads | TBD | TBD | TBD | 64/128 | 64/128 | 64/128 | 32/64 | 16/32 |
| Mainstream Desktop | Ryzen 8000 Series (Granite Ridge) | TBD | Ryzen 7000 Series (Raphael) | Ryzen 5000 Series (Vermeer-X) | Ryzen 5000 Series (Vermeer) | Ryzen 3000 Series (Matisse) | Ryzen 2000 Series (Pinnacle Ridge) | Ryzen 1000 Series (Summit Ridge) |
| Max Mainstream Cores / Threads | TBD | TBD | 16/32 | 16/32 | 16/32 | 16/32 | 8/16 | 8/16 |
| Budget APU | Ryzen 8000 (Strix Point Zen 5) | Ryzen 7000 Series (Phoenix Zen 4) | Ryzen 6000 Series (Rembrandt Zen 3+) | Ryzen 5000 Series (Cezanne Zen 3) | Ryzen 4000 Series (Renoir Zen 2) | Ryzen 3000 Series (Picasso Zen+) | Ryzen 2000 Series (Raven Ridge) | N/A |
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Series CPUs - Here's What To Expect In Terms of Price, Specs, and Performance
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 series family is expected to debut in the second half of 2019. This family will be internally known as “Castle Peak” and is stated to bring dominant leadership in the HEDT market. The family will prove to be a new watermark in performance and overall efficiency while new platform features will be introduced on the TR4 socketed motherboards to take them to the next level.
Considering that AMD would want to remain in a dominant position with the Threadripper 3000 series, we will be looking at some spectacular amounts of multi-threaded performance numbers which will only get better with the added clock speeds thanks to the 7nm process node. The CPUs will also be getting major core bumps, but AMD would like to keep prices close to current levels.
AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su:
“You know. it’s very interesting, some of the things that circulate on the Internet—I don’t think we ever said that Threadripper was not going to continue—it somehow took on a life of its own on the Internet,” Su said, speaking to a small group of reporters following her keynote. “You will see more [Threadripper] from us; you will definitely see more.
If mainstream is moving up, then Threadripper will have to move up, up—and that’s what we’re working on.”
AMD's CEO, Lisa Su, also confirmed within a tweet that we can expect more information on the next-gen Ryzen Threadripper CPUs later this year so expect to hear something soon. Following is the tweet:
Good to see you in the crowd @IanCutress 😀 and yes we promise more on next-gen Threadripper later this year!
— Lisa Su (@LisaSu) August 20, 2019
If we look at the trend with AMD's jump from Ryzen Threadripper 1000 to Ryzen Threadripper 2000, we saw that the new processors with core parity of the previous generation were priced around the same with a $200-$300 shaved off from their previous price tag. The 1950X became 2950X and cost $200 US less. The higher core count parts were at a different market tier entirely, costing north of $1200 US but at the same time, much cheaper than their Core-X competitors.
In terms of raw performance output, the new die layout remains to be tested, but since it is more refined over the previous two generations with a stronger interconnect between them, the cache and latency performance may end up giving a bigger boost to total system responsiveness. AMD will definitely be aiming for both LGA 2066 and LGA 3647 lines with their new chips. Intel has said that their upcoming Core-X series would offer a much better value proposition with 2x better perf per dollar compared to Skylake-X but that remains to be seen.
