AMD wasn't messing around when it claimed that its next-generation, 12nm Ryzen CPUs would be releasing early in 2018. Following their unveiling during a recent showing at the GlobalFounderies Technology Conference, we've now learned that the so-called "Pinnacle" CPUs will make their debut in February next year.
The new 12nm parts should bring with them some nice performance improvements for the Ryzen line, possibly even edging into double digits in some scenarios. They will also be more efficient, offering reduced energy requirements.
The roll out is expected to be somewhat similar to how Ryzen was in 2017. We'll see the first chips show up in February, followed by the more mid-range parts in April/May and then the low-end CPUs by the middle of the year (thanks Hexus).
What could be especially exciting is a couple of different versions of Pinnacle showing up around the middle of the year. There are rumors of a low-powered version, which could end up being perfect for portable and mobile devices, while the enterprise version could offer even greater competition for Intel's typically dominant Xeon CPUs.
To support all of these new CPUs though, we're going to need new chipsets too. That means the 400 series will make its debut, supposedly in March, though we may see some developers get out there a little early to support the February CPU roll out.
Next year should also usher in some 12nm Vega graphics processors, though it's not clear how much of an effect that will have on their, somewhat disappointing, performance.
