AMD Demonstrates Stacked 3D V-Cache at 2TB/s Speed on Ryzen 5900X
AMD is working on stacking memory chips on top of the core complex that of its processors. The SRAM is used as an extra L3 cache and according to AMD this is good for a throughput of 2TB/s. This results in performance gains in games, among other things.
AMD is working with chip manufacturer TSMC on the stacked chips. CEO Lisa Su showed a prototype of a Ryzen 9 5900X processor at the Computex fair, with one of the CCDs equipped with 64MB of SRAM. The two 7nm chips are connected to each other using through silicon via technology. AMD calls the stacked memory 3D V-Cache.
The stacked memory is extra L3 cache, in addition to the already available 32MB per CCD. Processors with two CCDs, such as the Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen 9 5950X, would get a total of 192MB of L3 cache. Each chiplet is therefore equipped with the 64MB extra SRAM. The memory die is 6x6mm in size.
According to AMD, stacking the chips ensures, among other things, performance gains in games. A prototype Ryzen 9 5900X equipped with V-Cache is on average 15 percent faster than the regular chip in AMD benchmarks. That has been tested at an equal clock speed of 4GHz.
At the end of this year, the first AMD chips with 3D V-Cache will go into production. The technology comes first to the “highest positioned products,” Su says. This may mean the tech is coming to Epyc server processors first. Details on that have not yet been disclosed.
Video starts with presentation 3D V-Cache