AMD’s Barcelo: Zen 3 APU Refresh for 2022
by Dr. Ian Cutress on January 6, 2022 2:20 PM EST
One of the key elements to how processor portfolios will evolve moving forward involves mixing and matching current generation and previous generation parts using the benefits of (supposedly) cheaper older processors taking advantage of economies of scale. It’s been no secret, for example, that below $300, AMD recommends its previous generation hardware on the desktop. On the Notebook however, along with the launch this week of next-generation hardware, AMD also launched updates to the previous generation under the heading of ‘Barcelo’.
These new 2022 Barcelo APUs are minor updates to the 2021 Cezanne APUs. They use the same Zen 3 cores, are built on the same TSMC 7nm process, have the same PCIe 3 and DDR4/LP4X support, and use the same socket. These are just refined for voltage, frequency, and power based on customer requests.
| AMD Ryzen 5000 Mobile: U-Series | ||||||
| AnandTech | Cores Threads |
Base Freq |
Boost Freq |
GPU Core |
GPU Freq |
TDP |
| 2022 Barcelo (Zen 3 + Vega) | ||||||
| Ryzen 7 5825U | 8C / 16T | 2000 | 4500 | 8 | 1800 | 15W |
| Ryzen 5 5625U | 6C / 12T | 2300 | 4300 | 7 | 1600 | 15W |
| Ryzen 3 5425U | 4C / 8T | 2700 | 4100 | 6 | 1500 | 15W |
| 2021 Cezanne (Zen 3 + Vega) | ||||||
| Ryzen 7 5800U | 8C / 16T | 1900 | 4400 | 8 | 2000 | 15W |
| Ryzen 5 5600U | 6C / 12T | 2300 | 4200 | 7 | 1800 | 15W |
| Ryzen 3 5400U | 4C / 8T | 2600 | 4000 | 6 | 1600 | 15W |
For example, the new Ryzen 7 5825U is +100 MHz on base and turbo frequencies, but loses 200 MHz on graphics. Pretty much every processor is slightly increased on CPU, slightly regressed on GPU, and it looks like this is what AMD’s customers want.
The first laptop with a Barcelo processor that came across our inboxes is the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED. This is updated from the 2021 version, using the Ryzen 7 5825U with 16 GB of LPDDR4X-4266, 1 TB of PCIe 3.0 SSD, a 14-inch 2880x1800 display with 90 Hz and 100% DCI-P3, and HDR500 certification. It also comes with two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C ports, a Type-A port, an audio combo jack, an HDMI 2.0 output, and microSD. The touchpad doubles as a number pad as well, and it comes with a 180º hinge and a 75 Wh battery. The Zenbook 14 OLED (UM3402) is due on market in Q2.
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Farfolomew - Thursday, January 6, 2022 - link
Are all the new 5000 and 6000-series APUs Zen3 cores, or are there pesky Zen2(+?) cores thrown in as well, like with last year's mobile 5000-series debut?ikjadoon - Thursday, January 6, 2022 - link
Typo in the chart: The 5400U / 5600U / 5800U are 2021 Cezanne, not 2021 Lucienne. Don't blame ya.AMD's confusingly named lineups have only gotten worse and I think I finally understand why: AMD doesn't want people to realise how long it takes AMD to move its architectures from desktop CPUs to mobile APUs (the largest market).
It's taken 14 months after the Zen3 desktop CPU launch for AMD to finally replace all its Zen2 mobile APUs.
Intel is doing the same BS: "11th" gen = Tiger Lake mobile, Rocket Lake desktop. "10th" gen = Comet Lake mobile, Ice Lake mobile, Comet Lake desktop.
At least Alder Lake returns some sanity = 12th gen is always Alder Lake.
//
To your Q, the leaks claim Barcelo (Zen3 mobile APU refresh) is replacing Lucienne (Zen2 mobile APU refresh), so AMD should finally be Zen3-base-only in *new* mobile APUs.
I don't see anything official from AMD claiming otherwise, so unless we see "AMD Botticelli: the Zen2+ 2022 refresh!", I pray Zen2 is wrapped up.
Unfortunately, like Intel, plenty of now-ancient AMD 2000 (Zen mobile APUs, not the Zen+ desktop CPUs) and 3000 series (Zen+ mobile APUs, not Zen2 desktop CPUs) are still being sold in bargain desktops.
aminy23@gmail.com - Thursday, November 17, 2022 - link
"I pray Zen2 is wrapped up."A bit late to reply, but Ryzen 7000 now includes Zen 2 APUs called Mendocino.
Ryzen 7000 includes Zen 2, Zen 3, and Zen4 SKUs making their mobile CPUs a complete Clusterf**k as no one will know what they're actually getting unless they thoroughly research the specific chip in their product.
I'm on the cusp of boycotting AMD CPUs and Nvidia GPUs for the nonsense that both companies are up to.
I used to hate Intel, but they're now looking like angels by comparison. Though sadly there's a chance that some 13th Gen products could use existing Raptor Lake dies.
neblogai - Thursday, January 6, 2022 - link
There are still laptops being refreshed (minor chassis changes) with Lucienne, same like they are with Cezanne/Barcelo. For example- refreshed Lenovo Yoga 6 (2022) with 5500U and 5700U. For most users- there is no real difference, Zen2 or Zen3- there APUs are plenty fast, and have nice iGPU too.abufrejoval - Thursday, January 6, 2022 - link
I'd still hazard that 99.5% of Barcelo is marketing and the illusion of progress.What customers might appreciate even more would be choice. And of course there might be those who'd be overwhelmed by having to pick 100MHz here vs. 100MHz there.
Higher CPU clocks might also help close the distance to team blue, who just love to race up theirs, while the iGPU won't run beat (non-existing) dGPUs anyway.
I tend to let my 5800U laptop run at 28Watts "smart power", but I'd really like to be able to change that from within Windows and Linux, not just via the BIOS, because that's where I could automate the preferences based on the work context.
Vendors have so much choice, but they pass on so little to the ones who actually own these devices: That just really needs to change!
neblogai - Thursday, January 6, 2022 - link
Lucienne was actually better than Renoir- tested in the same chassis (notebookcheck), laptop with 5500U lasted almost an hour more in WLAN test, than the same laptop with a 4500U: https://www.notebookcheck.com/Lenovo-IdeaPad-5-14A...Though, I have not heard any official info, what benefits does Barcelo bring over Cezanne.
GeoffreyA - Friday, January 7, 2022 - link
Yes, Barcelo is quite disappointing.shabby - Thursday, January 6, 2022 - link
100mhz higher cpu clock, 200mhz lower gpu clock... nice refresh.lightningz71 - Thursday, January 6, 2022 - link
This "refresh" stinks in my opinion.The biggest selling point of these APUs is their in built graphics capabilities. Most of these are going into laptops that have no dGPU at all, so every ounce of performance from the GPU matters. Regressing the clock speeds of the iGPU to provide an ounce of thermal/power headroom for the CPU cores seems quite counterproductive as almost every benchmark that I've seen shows the CPU cores to be plenty fast for their markets and the GPU side to be trailing relative to their competition. Focusing these down to thin and lights with LPDDR4X and pushing the iGPU up to 2000+ Mhz would have helped close the gap with TigerLake products.
meacupla - Friday, January 7, 2022 - link
Well, the article does say "These are just refined for voltage, frequency, and power based on customer requests."From the looks of it, I think these are aimed at models that feature extra long battery life, while doing nothing more than play youtube on wifi.
If you wanted more GPU power, you'd get a R7 6800U anyways. So why make a big fuss about it?