AMD’s next set of Ryzen processors based on the new Zen architecture are designed for enterprise users. Called Ryzen Pro, these are basically tweaked versions of existing Ryzen desktop chips with added security features.
In other words, Ryzen Pro is AMD’s answer to processors with Intel’s vPro technology.
The new Ryzen Pro chips are roughly equivalent to the company’s recently released Ryzen desktop chips for consumers, with processors ranging from the 65 watt, quad-core Ryzen 3 Pro 1200 to the 95 watt Ryzen 7 Pro 1700 X octa-core processor.
Ryzen Pro chips include hardware-based cryptographic features, firmware Trust Platform module, and other features to offer corporate customers enhanced security. And AMD promises “commercial-grade quality and reliability.”
AMD backs that up by offering a 3-year warranty on these processors, which is 3 times longer than the warranties on consumer-grade Ryzen chips. And the company promises that each Ryzen Pro chip will be available for at least 24 months, which should help institutions make long-term plans when updating a large number of computers.
The chip maker says desktop computers with Ryzen Pro processors are expected to ship in the second half of 2017 (which starts in a few days). Mobile Ryzen Pro chips are coming in the first half of 2018.
I really hate this trend of moving the TPM into software / firmware tied to the CPU. With a TPM module you can toss a $25 TPM if everything goes sideways. Now you get to toss a much more expensive CPU. Plus we all KNOW that anything running on the main CPU can be cracked, that there will be exploits, etc. If they can get to the supervisor mode, get to ACPI, etc. they will get a soft TPM.