AMD Addresses MSI’s Lower 13% IPC Uplift Claim for 3rd Gen Ryzen CPUs

[Tsing]

Dr. Lisa Su proudly proclaimed that her team managed a 15% IPC uplift for Zen 2-based Ryzen processors during her Computex keynote. Slides from MSI, however, indicate only a 13% uplift. Naturally, that sparked a little bit of controversy as to what the truth was.

"The slide that was presented to MSI showcased a 13% IPC improvement, which is still a decent uptick and nothing to complain about. But was it a disconnect? Was it planned in case of a leak so that if it had leaked then people would anticipate a 13% IPC uplift then have their expectations subverted when the 15% slide was shown publically? It is always possible that the 13% slide shown to MSI was a much earlier revision prior to final performance tuning and nothing to panic over.

Senior Technical Marketing Manager Robert Hallock has addressed this inconsistency in a tweet. Hallock explains that AMD’s original plan was to use a Cinebench 1T-derived IPC figure, which was 13%. The company later decided to go with the SPECint-derived figure of 15%.

 

[Dan_D]

That's interesting if true, that tells us that the 15% figure is a best case scenario, and that it really isn't going to be across all applications.

 

[alxlwson]

That's interesting if true, that tells us that the 15% figure is a best case scenario, and that it really isn't going to be across all applications.

Is it ever, though?

 

[Phasenoise]

I'm expecting closer to 10 in aggregate, which is still very good at this point in CPU development.

 

[Dan_D]

Is it ever, though?

No, it isn't.

 

[Chimpee]

I'm expecting closer to 10 in aggregate, which is still very good at this point in CPU development.

10% will be good from Ryzen 2000 series to 3000 series, but like everything in computer hardware, always wait for reviews.

 

[Dan_D]

10% will be good from Ryzen 2000 series to 3000 series, but like everything in computer hardware, always wait for reviews.

If AMD's confident in the numbers, they'll widely sample the 3000 series to reviewers. If they aren't, they won't. I'd be interested to see what the review guides for it will be like. Generally, companies like AMD and Intel will send you a review guide to tell you how to benchmark the item to show it in the best possible light. (I tend to ignore such documents.)