The future of Zen architecture is uncertain

After the K10 era, AMD dug a huge pit for itself, and ended up being mocked by Intel standing on top. However, AMD, who had endured hardships and endured hardships, finally had a breakthrough. The Zen architecture, which was rebuilt after breaking through, was hailed as the savior in its infancy. However, it is said that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. This high probability event accumulates over time. Coupled with a recent sudden incident, the future of Zen and AMD is even more confusing...

●The ups and downs are too exciting

Since 2011, AMD has experienced years of slump in the CPU market.

In 2011, AMD launched the "Bulldozer" modular multi-core CMT architecture, hoping that it could become a powerful weapon to compete with Intel's SNB architecture. Unfortunately, AMD's CMT architecture failed. Although AMD upgraded four generations of modular architectures, including Piledriver, Steamroller, and Excavator, the inherent insufficiency of the architecture performance and the poor wafer foundry made the FX series processors unable to recover.

Exciting Zen architecture

The current reality is that Intel is the only dominant player. Although it has successfully forced its competitors to put up the sign of a toothpaste factory, AMD's X86 is no longer as powerful as it used to be, and this has ultimately harmed the entire PC industry.

In 2012, AMD welcomed back Jim Keller, the architect of the K7 and K8 eras. Under his leadership, the Zen architecture showed its savior talent from the R&D stage. It completely abandoned the modular multi-core concept of the bulldozer architecture, returned to the SMT synchronous multi-threading design, and designed a new cache system. The key point is that the Zen architecture will directly move from the current FX processor's 32nm SOI process to the 14nm FinFET process, which is a leap forward in the process.

Jim Keller: Don't be obsessed with me, I'm just a legend (design dialogue)

Just when the Zen architecture was in the process of being taped out, on September 18, 2015, shocking news broke out from within AMD. Jim Keller, AMD's brilliant contributor and chief designer of the Zen architecture, suddenly resigned. Note that he resigned. This was a blow to AMD and AMD fans. He was not only the head of Zen, but also participated in the development of AMD's ARM independent architecture K12. As the hope of AMD's future CPU, his retreat at the height of his career brought about many conspiracy theories.

The savior has retired, what will happen to AMD’s product line?

For example, AMD didn't have enough money to give him research and development, AMD focused on HSA fusion, Zen was really just a temporary savior, and the confident Jim Keller didn't want to lose to Intel and AMD... Of course, he chose to come back when AMD needed him the most, and suddenly left after saving AMD from danger, which was quite legendary. At the same time, he seemed to be saying: Don't be obsessed with me, I'm a legend.

●The mysterious savior

AMD is confident that its CPU strategy will not be shaken by any external factors

We know that the chip development cycle is generally about four years. From the return to AMD in 2012 to the launch in 2016, the Zen architecture is believed to be in the tape-out stage in the second half of 2015. In the later stage, it only needs to fix bugs, optimize the process and improve the details. Jim Keller's departure will not have much impact on AMD in the short term, because after Keller left, AMD said that the company's roadmap is unshakable, and Zen architecture products will be released as scheduled in the second half of 2016 and will be fully popularized in 2017.

GF once again betrays teammates

We will not consider the long-term, after all, we are tired of the unbalanced CPU competition. The performance of the sixth generation Skylake did not satisfy us. Intel's CPU development strategy depends on AMD's face. Of course, we all want to see the smile of AMD's female boss "lisa SU". Unfortunately, the launch of Zen CPU is obviously lagging behind GF's 14nm FinFET, and the large-scale release of Zen, which was originally expected to be released at the end of 2015, will be postponed to the end of 2016. A year of waiting is enough for Intel to use its own secret weapon, so the fate of Zen is still confusing.

What kind of master-level paperwork will Papermaster (second from left) bring?

At present, the leadership of AMD CPU research and development will be temporarily handed over to AMD CTO Mark Papermaster. Next, we can see the PPT masterpiece that lives up to his name! But returning to reason, HBM and Zen, for AMD, can be said to be a matter of one general's success and a thousand men's sacrifice. After Zen, what will AMD do without Keller? Foresighted AMD fans will definitely worry about this.

●There will be a time to ride the wind and waves

Be cautiously optimistic

Of course, no one wants AMD to fall, including Intel itself. We have mentioned the reason many times, that is, antitrust monopoly law. The annual ring of history is moving forward. We don’t need to worry about the fate of AMD or Intel’s squeezing of toothpaste, because the invisible hand of the market has always led the development of the x86 CPU industry. There are always unexpected things that determine the direction of history (such as the previously hyped rumors that AMD was acquired by Samsung and Microsoft). Let us wait and see!

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.