AMD to release its next-gen x86 CPU in 2016

A brand new PC processor will be released by AMD in 2016, the component company has revealed.

The x86 Zen architecture will boast something called Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT), which is very similar to Intel’s existing Hyperthreading tech that allows the CPU’s cores to split tasks. In AMD’s case, this apparently opens the door to performance increases of around 40 per cent.

AMD will hope that the fresh CPU design will allow it to recapture some of the ground lost to Intel, which has in recent years run away with the CPU market thanks to significant performance advantages which have clearly appealed to consumers – despite the higher RRP of Intel’s chips.

Some had predicted that AMD’s current Bulldozer chips would prosper following the release of PS4 and Xbox One, both of which share an AMD multi-core architecture that mirrored their design. In nearly all cases, however, Intel’s range continues to outperform its rivals.

The release of x86 will be preceded by the launch of AMD’s 7000 series Carrizo chips at some point later this year, although these are aimed primarily at notebooks.

Also announced by AMD is a range of OEM graphics cards that are effectively repackaged versions of its existing Radeon 200 GPU range that will be supplied to PC manufacturers. Top of the range is the Radeon R9 380, a more compact version of the R9 285 with a VRAM bump from 2GB to 4GB.

Both the R9 380 and R9 360 will support FreeSync and CrossFire whereas the other models in the range are still based on the older GCN 1.0 architecture.