Performance Core / Efficiency Core chez AMD
Will AMD take inspiration from Intel’s hybrid approach for its next generation of Phoenix APUs. A recent leak hints at the use of “Performance” cores and “Efficient” cores.
For the moment the details are missing and the file is unclear. The information has been unearthed in AMD’s latest processor programming guide. It identifies two types of hearts without disclosing too much information. It is possible that these are classic “Zen 4” cores and “Zen 4c” cores oriented “energy saving”.
These two sets of cores will have different functionalities, which explains the need to clearly distinguish them in this programming guide. This type of hybrid design, similar to ARM’s BIG.little architecture, should allow AMD to be more suited to the P-Cores and E-Cores approach of its historical competitor Intel.
A few days ago a mysterious Phoenix 2 APU was spotted with such a hybrid design. Interestingly, the most recent leaks suggest that this hybrid architecture might actually land this year through Phoenix APUs.
