As AMD builds its new Zen 4-based architecture, IT sleuths are keeping an eye on the company. Some eagle-eyed individuals have discovered facts regarding the next-gen parts on Linux and other platforms as AMD prepares its next-gen CPU.
According to Phoronix, AMD has secretly published temperature sensor driver functionality for Zen 4 and Zen 4C cores. Although these two cores have the same microarchitecture, they are distinct and will power AMD’s 96-core Genoa and 128-core Bergamo processors, therefore separate drivers are expected. AMD Family 19h Models 10h-1Fh and A0h-AFh are the CPUs’ names.
A new Scalable Machine Check Architecture (SMCA) of some future AMD platforms, which might use several sorts of SMCA and therefore cores, is perhaps a more exciting advance.
“Future AMD systems will have different bank type layouts between logical CPUs,” wrote Yazen Ghannam, an AMD engineer. “So having a single system-wide cache of the layout won’t be correct. […] Patch 1 adds new bank types and error descriptions used in future AMD systems. Patch 2 adjusts how SMCA bank information is cached.”
AMD has yet to reveal a single hybrid CPU that combines multiple types of cores, while the company has never ruled out the potential. Given that AMD will be releasing Zen 4 and Zen 4C cores next year, this could be the right time for the business to consider a CPU with both large and compact cores. A new SMCA, on the other hand, could signal that Zen 4C would have a different machine check architecture than other Zen cores, necessitating AMD’s Linux support.
In any event, AMD’s Zen 4-series cores are nearing completion, as seen by the new temperature sensor drivers and SMCA implementation.
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