CPU Architecture DEEP DIVE

New AMD and Intel processors take center stage

- Jarred Walton

AMD AND INTEL have traditionally released new processors every year, often with the biggest updates arriving for the fall season. 2024 continues that trend, but there are new processors, and there are new processors. In what has become mostly a two-year cadence, both AMD and Intel have major architectural overhauls going on, promising bigger changes than the off-year refreshes.

It’s not just about desktop CPUs, either. As another sign of the current state of affairs, where mobile solutions continue to outsell desktop parts, both companies have laptop-centric designs coming out. Intel even leads off with its mobile-focused Lunar Lake architecture, which has some important differences from the upcoming desktop-centric Arrow Lake designs that we’ll cover here. AMD likewise has its Granite Ridge line of CPUs that target desktops, with Strix Point processors going after the mobile market. Both use AMD’s latest Zen 5 architecture, but there are plenty of under-the-hood differences to discuss. There are server designs from both companies happening as well, but we won’t get into those.

All told, we have a collection of CPU architectures to discuss, with numerous changes from the traditional approach we’ve seen in the past. Intel is moving away from being the sole or even primary manufacturer of the silicon used for many elements of its latest CPUs (see last month’s Tech Talk, MPC233), turning to rival TSMC for many aspects of its multi-tile solutions. AMD has used TSMC for years, and will continue to do so for this round of updates, but there’s news to discuss there as well.

There’s a lot to cover, so turn the page to join us as we seek AMD’s Zen for the fifth time while swimming in some Intel lakes.

AMD Zen 5 Architecture