AMD‘s Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU features the 3D V-Cache technology, which has shown improved gaming performance for its integrated graphics processing unit (iGPU).
While the iGPU in the AMD Ryzen 7000 Desktop CPUs is significant, it has a limited capacity. The 3D V-Cache technology is considered a game-changer for APUs and has caused excitement in the tech community.
Recently, PCMag conducted tests on the iGPU of these newly released chips, and the results are fascinating. The 3D V-Cache technology adds a layer of cache memory to the CPU die. This enables the chip to access data faster, resulting in faster and smoother performance.
The iGPU of the Ryzen 7000X3D CPUs boasts 2 compute units or 128 stream processors and operates at a graphics frequency of 2200 MHz and a base clock speed of 400 MHz, delivering up to 563 GFLOPs or 0.563 TFLOPs of compute power.
The performance gains were up to 4.3 times at 720p and up to 4 times at 1080p, highlighting the potential benefits of 3D V-Cache for APUs. The Ryzen 7000X3D CPUs offer a budget-friendly option for gamers who want to build a gaming PC without investing in a separate graphics card. Although it may not match Intel’s iGPUs, it offers an affordable and efficient solution for gamers. The addition of 3D V-Cache technology is expected to lead to further advancements in APU technology.
AMD’s APUs, which feature strong integrated graphics, have become popular in the technology industry. The Ryzen 7040 “Phoenix” APU lineup for laptops, capable of supporting up to 12 RDNA 3 compute units, is set to be released soon. Although there is no immediate plan for a desktop version, AMD may explore the possibility of integrating an improved GPU subsection on the same monolithic die.
An issue with iGPUs is their limited performance capabilities due to bandwidth starvation. However, AMD’s latest Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPUs solve this problem with a single stack of 3D V-Cache, offering significant performance increases.
The Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU’s iGPU boasts 4 compute units or 256 stream processors, running at a base clock speed of 600 MHz and a graphics frequency of 2400 MHz. It provides up to 1.806 TFLOPs or 1806 GFLOPs of computing power.
In benchmark tests by PCMag, the iGPU performed exceptionally well, delivering an average of 58 FPS in F1 2021 at 1080p and high settings. It also maintained a steady 60 FPS in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p and high settings.
While this performance improvement is exciting, it may not be helpful for the average consumer not to buy a high-end processor like the Ryzen 9 7950X for gaming purposes. Nonetheless, the potential for future desktop APUs with RDNA 3 or enhanced GPU sub-sections on the same monolithic die is intriguing.
AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology has been shown to significantly boost gaming performance in chiplet processors and could revolutionize the laptop gaming industry if integrated into monolithic APUs.
While AMD has brought the same desktop-to-die to laptops, the Dragon Range “Ryzen 7045 series” lacks 3D V-Cache implementation. The possibility of integrating this technology in APUs is being considered, especially with Intel’s plan to introduce its own powerful iGPU architecture, tGPU, in next-gen chips. AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology could be a response to Intel’s tGPU design, but its integration in future APUs remains to be seen.
Nevertheless, integrating 3D V-Cache technology in APUs would significantly benefit gamers and other graphics-intensive tasks on laptops.