AMD Ryzen 5 7545U laptop processor with a Zen 4c plus Zen 4 hybrid architecture announced

Highlights
  • AMD Ryzen 5 7545U revealed with Zen 4c cores.
  • Well, it consists of Zen 4 + Zen 4c core layout.
  • AMD Zen 4c allows a higher density of core layout and more efficiency.

AMD has unveiled the Ryzen 5 7545U processor for laptops under the Ryzen 7040U family. This is based on AMD’s Zen 4c architecture which is a fork of the Zen 4 design. The new architecture is similar to Zen 4 but is density-optimized, meaning it consumes less space on the die. So, it allows stuffing more cores and also enables higher power efficiency. The chipmaker has laid out its goals with this Zen 4c design. 

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Zen 4c design

  • A Zen 4 core takes up 3.84mm2 on the die but a Zen 4c core is only about 2.48mm2 in size. That is about 35 percent less area.
  • Zen 4c uses half the L3 cache compared to Zen 4. However, this doesn’t seem to be the reason behind its smaller space consumption.
  • Apparently, the reason behind a smaller size is the lower max clock speed of Zen 4c. Lower frequency means fewer chances of interference and power leakages. This in turn lets the chipmaker optimise the core layout for density. 
AMD Ryzen 7545U with Zen 4c
  • Increased density endows better latency and more power efficiency. 
  • AMD aims for Zen 4c with the same IPC and instruction set as Zen 4 to use less power and to give more performance below 15W.

AMD Ryzen 5 7545U specs

  • AMD Ryzen 5 7545U is manufactured on TSMC’s 5nm node.
  • It consists of 2x Zen 4 cores and 4x Zen 4c cores. AMD expects a combination of performance and efficiency from this setup.
  • The Zen 4 cores are prioritized in the OS scheduler for a higher absolute frequency.
AMD Ryzen 7545U with Zen 4c
  • The combined 6-core layout is backed by 12 threads.
  • The chip can run up to a max clock speed of 4.9GHz and a base clock speed of 3.2GHz.
  • It works in a 15-30 TDP (Thermal Design Power). 
  • For graphics, the chip comes with a Radeon 740M integrated GPU.

The company plans to use the smaller Zen 4c cores in premium laptops (with increased core count) as well as entry-level laptops (as it offers the same IPC with smaller cores).

AMD is yet to reveal the availability, price, and other details about the new chip. We shall keep you posted once we have them.