The AMD Zen and Ryzen 7 Review: A Deep Dive on 1800X, 1700X and 1700
by Ian Cutress on March 2, 2017 9:00 AM ESTBenchmarking Suite 2017
2017 CPU
For our Ryzen review, we are implementing our new CPU testing benchmark suite, fully scripted as of 2/17. This means that with a fresh OS install, we can configure the OS to be more consistent, install the new benchmarks, maintain version consistency without random updates and start running the tests in under 5 minutes. After that it's a one button press to start an 8-10hr test (with a high-performance core) with nearly 100 relevant data points in the benchmarks given below. The tests cover a wide range of segments, some of which will be familiar but some of the tests are new to benchmarking in general, but still highly relevant for the markets they come from.
Our new CPU tests go through six main areas. We cover the Web (we've got an un-updateable version of Chrome 56), general system tests (opening tricky PDFs, emulation, brain simulation, AI, 2D image to 3D model conversion), rendering (ray tracing, modeling), encoding (compression, AES, h264 and HEVC), office based tests (PCMark and others), and our legacy tests, throwbacks from another generation of bad code but interesting to compare.
A side note on OS preparation. As we're using Windows 10, there's a large opportunity for something to come in and disrupt our testing. So our default strategy is multiple: disable the ability to update as much as possible, disable Windows Defender, uninstall OneDrive, disable Cortana as much as possible, implement the high performance mode in the power options, and disable the internal platform clock which can drift away from being accurate if the base frequency drifts (and thus the timing ends up inaccurate).
Web on Chrome 56
Sunspider
Kraken
Octane
Web13
Web15
PDF Opening
FCAT
3DPM v21
Dolphin
DigiCortex
Civilization 6
Agisoft PS v1.0
Corona
Blender
LuxMark CPU C++
LuxMark CPU OpenCL
POV-Ray
CB15 ST
CB15 MT
7-Zip
WinRAR
TrueCrypt
HandBrake 264-LQ
HandBrake 264-HQ
HandBrake 265-4K
PCMark8
SYSmark 2014 / SE
Legacy
3DPM v1 ST / MT
x264 HD 3 Pass 1, Pass 2
CB 11.5 ST / MT
CB 10 ST / MT
A side note - a couple of benchmarks (Dolphin, Civ 6) weren't fully 100% giving good data during testing. Need to go back and re-work this part of our testing.
2017 GPU
The bad news for our Ryzen review is that our new 2017 GPU testing stack not yet complete. We recieved our Ryzen CPU samples on February 21st, and tested in the hotel at the event for 6hr before flying back to Europe.
Doing CPUs plus helping our mobile team @ MWC means a busy three weeks. I started running @AMDRyzen in the hotel before early AM flight home pic.twitter.com/q5inczTzy2
— Ian Cutress (@IanCutress) February 23, 2017
I spent two days back in London, where ~12 CPUs relevant to the review today were testing on our new CPU benchmarks. This was before I had to fly to Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, and I brought 30kg of kit with me to help with the review. I have had Ryzen set up in our shared flat for the past few days, and had Ryzen benchmarks running while attending meetings. As a result, our CPU data is good, but we lack any substantial GPU comparison data, power numbers (some idiot senior editor forgot his power meter...) or overclocking numbers. Based on a few Twitter polls conducted over at @IanCutress, people seemed more interested in CPU performance anyway, so we'll do a Pt 2 with more GPU data in the next couple of weeks.
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nt300 - Saturday, March 11, 2017 - link
The Ryzen 7 1700 is definitely the gaming choice IMO. The CPU that does well in gaming and amazing at everything else. Windows 10 hasn't been properly optimized for ZEN, so any Benchmarks and Gaming Benchmarks are not set in stone.A2Ple98 - Monday, May 22, 2017 - link
Actually Ryzen isn't for only gamers, is mostly for streamers and professionals. The cores that aren't used for gaming, they are used to encode the video you are stream. As for pro people, they get almost a i7-6900K for half the price.Sweeprshill - Thursday, March 2, 2017 - link
Does not seem to be proper English here ?Sweeprshill - Thursday, March 2, 2017 - link
n/m can't edit comments I supposent300 - Saturday, March 11, 2017 - link
Wrong, ZEN is a new design and quite innovative. Just like the past, AMD has let this industry for many years. More so when they launched the Athlon 64 with the IMC which Intel claimed was useless and a waste of die space. That Athlon 64 at 1000 MHz less clock speed smoked any Intel chip you put it against.My point, ZEN is new, and both ZEN and Intel chips are unique in there own way, might share some similarities, but nevertheless they are different.
nos024 - Thursday, March 2, 2017 - link
Nope. Ryzen will need to drop in price. $500 1800x is still too expensive. According to this even a 7700k @ $300 -$350 is still a good choice for gamers.2011-v3 still offers a platform with more PCIe3 lanes and quad memory channel. I thought about an 1800x and 370 mobo combo, but that costs similar to a 6850k with x99.
Sorry, ill stick to intel this time around. Good that ryzen caused a ripple in price war though.
Gothmoth - Thursday, March 2, 2017 - link
gamer... as if the world is only full with idiotic people who waste their lives playing shooter or RPG´s.nos024 - Thursday, March 2, 2017 - link
Ikr? Whatever makes your world go round man.brushrop03 - Thursday, March 2, 2017 - link
Well playedAndrewJacksonZA - Thursday, March 2, 2017 - link
lol