In context: AMD’s 3D V-Cache know-how has considerably enhanced gaming efficiency within the firm’s final three generations of processors, with rival Intel but to reply. In a current interview, Intel revealed that whereas it has comparable know-how in improvement, gaming efficiency will not be its main focus.
Intel apparently has no plans to provide shopper desktop CPUs that includes 3D-stacked cache to compete with AMD’s know-how. As an alternative, the corporate is specializing in enhancing the cache configuration for its next-generation server CPUs, which it considers a extra crucial market section.
Over the previous few years, stacking die configurations to develop L3 cache has turn into a key benefit for AMD. The addition of 3D V-Cache to the Ryzen 5 5800X3D made it arguably the best-value gaming CPU upon its launch in 2022. Its newly launched successor, the 9800X3D, has undisputedly claimed the title of one of the best total gaming CPU, as confirmed in our evaluate.
Nonetheless, Intel Tech Communications Supervisor Florian Mailslinger just lately advised YouTubers der8auer and Bens {Hardware} that the corporate’s equal to 3D V-cache will not debut in desktops. Across the 1-hour and 19-minute mark within the interview beneath, he confirmed that Clearwater Forest, a lineup of Xeon server CPUs set to reach in 2025, will function a know-how referred to as Native Cache, which makes use of vertically stacked tiles.
Proof of the know-how first surfaced in an ICEP 2024 presentation slide from Intel final June. The slide described how Clearwater Forest will make use of 3D stacking to extend total cache capability and scale back latency between compute and reminiscence – much like how AMD’s X3D chips enhance gaming efficiency.
Mailslinger defended Intel’s choice by acknowledging that gaming will not be a big mass-market focus for the corporate. Whereas AMD’s 3D V-Cache provides its processors a transparent edge over Intel’s in gaming eventualities, Mailslinger identified that this benefit doesn’t lengthen to productiveness purposes – a sentiment echoed in our evaluate of the 9800X3D.
Moreover, Mailslinger downplayed the impression of Intel’s gaming efficiency hole. Prior testing by TechSpot confirmed that enhanced cache wouldn’t yield a considerable enchancment in gaming efficiency for Intel’s 14th-gen Core CPUs.
The success of Clearwater Forest might play a pivotal function in Intel’s future. Manufacturing challenges and up to date monetary struggles have put CEO Pat Gelsinger’s efforts to revitalize the corporate underneath intense scrutiny. The brand new server CPUs will introduce Intel’s 18A course of node, which is able to decide whether or not Intel’s foundry enterprise can return to competitiveness with trade chief TSMC.
In the meantime, AMD continues to vow additional efficiency positive aspects with future X3D processors, doubtlessly together with the 9900X3D and 9950X3D. Whereas particulars stay scarce, potential enhancements might contain various SRAM stack sizes or rising cache capability on high-end fashions.
