AMD is set to release a potential rival CPU of Intel's high-end processors. The new line of Zen-based Summit Ridge CPUs will reportedly arrive early in 2017. The company has also confirmed that it will have limited shipment of the processors before this year ends.
During the company's recent earnings call, CEO Lisa Su said that the company has been very focused on the server launch for the first half of 2017." A big volume of the AMD Summit Ridge processors should be ready by Q1 2017. The aforementioned limited shipment will be used by company partners for testing purposes. The consumer launch will begin early in 2017 and will cater to enthusiasts and high-end desktops. AMD is expected to make up for the loss in this field as consumers preferred to use Intel chips.
AMD is expected to launch three variants of the Summit Ridge family of processors. While the company hasn't confirmed exact performance details of the CPUs, it is expected to rival the performance of Intel Core i7-6850K CPU. The first variant is believed to be an SR7 that has eight cores and 16 threads and a TDP of 95W, which targets high-end computing. The mid-tier is believed to be SR5 with the same core count as SR7. The difference between SR7 and SR5 is the clock speed, in which the former has a core speed of 3.2GHz and a turbo clock speed of 3.56GHz while the latter clocks are recorded at 3.0 GHz and 3.2 GHz for core and turbo speed, respectively.
The entry-level Summit Ridge processor, on the other hand, is said to have four cores and eight threads and will be priced around $149, according to Tweaktown. This means that the entry-level has the same performance as Core i7-6700 but will be offered at a price similar to Core i3.
AMD has yet to announce full details, specs and pricing for the new Zen-based Summit Ridge processors, but the high-end SR7 is expected to be priced at $499, which is wonderful news for enthusiasts since the processor can beat the $999 high-end CPU from Intel. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more news and updates!