AMD Zen 5 chips are still a little ways off from launch, but the first reports on Zen 6 client CPUs have already started to show up. It seems Zen 6 processors will pack RDNA 5 iGPUs and feature 2.5D interconnects, moving away from the multi-die design of the current Zen 4 chips.
The much-awaited Zen 5 architecture is expected to debut this year with the release of two product families: Granite Ridge (CPU) and Strix Point (APU). The Granite Ridge CPU is said to feature the same RDNA 2 iGPU as Raphael, as both series are said to feature the same IO die. In contrast, the Strix Point APU is designed to incorporate Navi 3.5 (RDNA 3.5) iGPUs.
Memes aside, Medusa has RDNA 5 iGPU, skipping RDNA 4 https://t.co/NBgY6tUenR
— Everest (@Olrak29_) February 19, 2024
After Zen 5 comes Zen 6, which, according to Everest, will bring quite a few improvements over its predecessor. Codenamed “Medusa”, it's set to be a significant departure from AMD's standard multi-die design. Instead, the company plans to use 2.5 interconnects, which should increase the bandwidth speed between the chiplets.
Moreover, the report also claims AMD is currently developing RDNA 5 iGPUs for Zen 6 client CPUs. This suggests that one of the chiplets would have an RDNA 5 tile, skipping RDNA 4 from its APUs. AMD RDNA 5 (Navi 5) has not received much attention yet, but it has been referenced in official Microsoft papers as a potential contender for the next-generation Xbox. As for Zen 6, rumours suggest that AMD may use a lower process node, possibly a combination of 3nm and 2nm, with a release date no earlier than 2025.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
Kitguru says: Seeing how far we are from the release of the Zen 6 client CPUs, a lot can still change between now and then. However, seeing how far AMD RDNA iGPUs have come with the RDNA 3-based Radeon 780M, we are curious about what an equivalent RDNA 5-based iGPU would be capable of.