I’m excited to dive into the details around AMD’s next generation Ryzen 7000 desktop processors based on the Zen 4 architecture. Specifically, I want to focus on how the massive L2 cache amounts in these new chips can translate to better gaming performance. As an avid PC gamer and hardware enthusiast, understanding the cache hierarchy and how it impacts real-world gaming workloads is important.
An Overview of AMD Ryzen 7000 Series and Zen 4
The Ryzen 7000 series is AMD’s upcoming generation of desktop processors that will succeed the current Ryzen 5000 chips. Ryzen 7000 adopts the new Zen 4 architecture which is expected to be fabricated on an enhanced 5nm manufacturing process.
Some key highlights of what we know about Ryzen 7000 so far:
- Brand new 5nm Zen 4 CPU cores that promise major IPC gains
- Support for fast DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity
- A redesigned AM5 CPU socket and chipset platform
- Around 15% higher clock speeds compared to Zen 3
The increased performance, efficiency and features will be a welcomed upgrade for high-end desktops. Now let’s look at why the Zen 4 cores are coming with so much L2 cache.
Huge L2 Cache Size – Up to 1MB Per Core
One of the biggest changes in the Zen 4 architecture is the substantial increase in L2 cache allocation per core.
- Zen 3 cores had 512KB of L2
- Zen 4 cores will now have 1MB of L2, double the amount
So an 8-core Ryzen 7000 chip could have up to 8MB of total L2 cache, versus 4MB in the predecessor. This is a very meaningful enhancement for a couple reasons:
Larger L2 Reduces Latency
The L2 cache sits between the fast L1 and slower L3 cache in the hierarchy. It essentially acts as a buffer, storing frequently used data as close to the core as possible.
More L2 capacity means the processor can keep more data readily available for fast access. This directly reduces latency and memory requests further out to RAM.
L2 is Faster Than L3 Cache
While Zen 3 increased L3 cache substantially, the L2 cache is still faster in terms of access latency and bandwidth. Having more data consolidated into the low latency L2 is a big advantage.
Why L2 Cache Matters for Gaming
Now you may be wondering, why does extra L2 cache really matter for gaming performance? Here are some key reasons:
Reduced Latency Helps Average FPS
Games tend to be very sensitive to memory latency due to the real-time nature of graphics and gameplay. Lower latency from the beefy L2 directly translates to higher average FPS.
Smoother Frame Times and Stutter Reduction
By reducing spikes in memory access latency, the 1MB L2 will help smooth out frame time inconsistencies and stutters that can occur occasionally. This leads to an overall smoother gaming experience.
Better Min FPS in CPU Limited Scenarios
In CPU bound gaming scenarios, having massive L2 serves as a buffer for minimum FPS. Even when the main L3 cache is flooded, the fast L2 can help maintain stronger minimums and reduce drops.
Benefits Multi-threaded Games Too
Modern games are using more threads, so larger L2 benefits threaded scaling and inter-core communication. This applies to various engines and APIs like Vulkan, DX12, and DX Ultimate.
Real-World Gaming Tests Confirm the Gains
Synthetic benchmarks have already demonstrated the low-level latency improvements from Zen 4’s extra L2 capacity. But more importantly, early gaming tests paint the same picture:
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In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive at 1080p Very High settings, a Ryzen 7000 chip was 21% faster than the Ryzen 9 5950X, largely attributed to the L2 gains.
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An unidentified Ryzen 7000 CPU scored 17% higher in PassMark’s PerformanceTest 10 CPU test versus the 5950X. L2 and core optimizations helped drive this strong multi-threaded result.
While full reviews aren’t out yet, these measurable gaming performance uplifts confirm the real-world benefits of doubling the L2 cache size in Zen 4. I’m glad AMD has focused on improving latency and gaming performance in their next generation Ryzen designs. The Ryzen 7000 series promises to be an exceptional gaming platform when it launches later this year.
