Ryzen 9000 samples: missing in action

Less than a week for testing.

AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X processor, Source: Antony Leather/Forbes

AMD is currently facing issues with distributing Ryzen 9000 series samples to reviewers. Several reviewers have confirmed off the record that they have not received any information on sampling or have been told samples will arrive “soon”. With the Ryzen 9000 series launch expected next week, most reviewers will likely be unable to complete their reviews on time.

The issue affects media outlets in Europe and Asia, with several accounts indicating no samples have been received yet. At least two U.S. reviewers have also confirmed that no Zen5 desktop samples have been distributed. We have at least 8 confirmations from all around the world at this point.

Additionally, some media have been informed that there are no 9950X samples available, and initial coverage will focus on the 12, 8, and 6-core variants. However, this does not mean there won’t be any 9950X reviews, as many reviewers obtain engineering samples directly from board partners.

Retail Ryzen 9 9900X, Source: Saddy Tech

Historically, the challenge with AMD CPU testing has been late firmware updates rather than a lack of samples. AMD often provides last-minute BIOS updates, which can invalidate completed tests or require retesting to check for changes.

One reviewer mentioned that it takes 18 hours to fully test a single CPU under various scenarios, even with heavily automated processes. Testing all SKUs on a single platform would take at least three days.

ComputerBase seems to corroborate on the story:

And the tests for Zen 5? Still nothing. There is almost nothing to report about AMD Strix Point or the new Ryzen AI 300 for notebooks, although the last notebook launch date mentioned by shops is July 28th. The same applies to AMD Ryzen 9000 in the desktop. Here too, apart from small leaks, there is nothing comprehensive to report. The lack of major leaks for all models indicates that hardly any samples are in circulation or products have arrived at retailers, which are otherwise always diverted for extensive advance reports. AMD has officially given July 31st as the launch date.

— ComputerBase

Reviewers are expressing frustration, especially since some retail samples have been sold to third parties even before AMD has officially confirmed pricing. Some expect samples to still arrive later this week, but this means testing will be on a tight schedule.