Rumors regarding AMD's next-gen Ryzen "Zen 6" CPU & Radeon "UDNA" GPUs have been shared along with next-gen 3D stacking updates.
AMD Rumored To Utilize N3E Process Technology For Its Next-Gen Ryzen "Zen 6" Desktop CPUs & Radeon "UDNA" GPUs, 3D Stacking Comes To Halo & Console APUs
A new set of rumored information has been shared by Chiphell Forum member, Zhanzhonghao, who has shared some accurate tidbits in the past few months related to AMD's next-gen families. The latest information is tagged as a rumor for now, but it gives us an idea of what we can expect from the red team in the future.
First up, we have details regarding the next-generation CPU and GPU families. It is stated that the next-generation Ryzen family, codenamed Medusa Ridge, will be featuring the Zen 6 CCD and will utilize the N3E process technology. The CPUs will also feature an upgraded IO die that will utilize the N4C process node, a cost-effective version of the N4P process technology. AMD uses the same IOD as the Zen 4 chips on its Zen 5 offerings, so an upgraded IO die will lead to better I/O & iGPU capabilities.
Previous reports suggest that the AMD "Medusa" range of Ryzen Desktop CPUs will retain AM5 socket compatibility and feature a singular CCD with up to 32 cores, a doubling of the core count versus previous Zen 4 CCDs. The CPUs are expected to launch sometime in late 2026 or early 2027.
AMD Zen CPU / APU Roadmap:
| Zen Architecture | Zen 7 | Zen 6C | Zen 6 | Zen 5 (C) | Zen 4 (C) | Zen 3+ | Zen 3 | Zen 2 | Zen+ | Zen 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Codename | TBA | Monarch | Morpheus | Nirvana (Zen 5) Prometheus (Zen 5C) | Persphone (Zen 4) Dionysus (Zen 4C) | Warhol | Cerebrus | Valhalla | Zen+ | Zen |
| CCD Codename | TBA | TBA | TBA | Eldora | Durango | TBC | Brekenridge | Aspen Highlands | N/A | N/A |
| Process Node | TBA | 3nm/2nm? | 3nm/2nm? | 3nm | 4nm | 6nm | 7nm | 7nm | 12nm | 14nm |
| Server | TBA | TBA | EPYC Venice (6th Gen) | EPYC Turin (5th Gen) | EPYC Genoa (4th Gen) EPYC Siena (4th Gen) EPYC Bergamo (4th Gen) | N/A | EPYC Milan (3rd Gen) | EPYC Rome (2nd Gen) | N/A | EPYC Naples (1st Gen) |
| High-End Desktop | TBA | TBA | TBA | Ryzen Threadripper 9000 (Shamida Peak) | Ryzen Threadripper 7000 (Storm Peak) | N/A | Ryzen Threadripper 5000 (Chagal) | Ryzen Threadripper 3000 (Castle Peak) | Ryzen Threadripper 2000 (Coflax) | Ryzen Threadripper 1000 (White Haven) |
| Mainstream Desktop CPUs | TBA | TBA | Ryzen **** (Medusa Ridge) | Ryzen 9000 (Granite Ridge) | Ryzen 7000 (Raphael) | Ryzen 6000 (Warhol / Cancelled) | Ryzen 5000 (Vermeer) | Ryzen 3000 (Matisse) | Ryzen 2000 (Pinnacle Ridge) | Ryzen 1000 (Summit Ridge) |
| Mainstream Desktop . Notebook APU | Ryzen AI 500 (Sound Wave)? | Ryzen AI 500 (Sound Wave)? | Ryzen AI 400 (Medusa) | Ryzen AI 300 (Strix Point) Ryzen *** (Krackan Point) | Ryzen 7000 (Phoenix) | Ryzen 6000 (Rembrandt) | Ryzen 5000 (Cezanne) Ryzen 6000 (Barcelo) | Ryzen 4000 (Renoir) Ryzen 5000 (Lucienne) | Ryzen 3000 (Picasso) | Ryzen 2000 (Raven Ridge) |
| Low-Power Mobile | TBA | TBA | TBA | Ryzen *** (Escher) | Ryzen 7000 (Mendocino) | TBA | TBA | Ryzen 5000 (Van Gogh) Ryzen 6000 (Dragon Crest) | N/A | N/A |
On the GPU front, AMD is expected to launch its next-generation UDNA lineup which will formally replace the existing RDNA and CDNA families. This unified architecture will be based on the N3E process technology from TSMC, at least for gaming products as per the rumor.
It is also stated that the UDNA lineup will be the return of the enthusiast-grade options in the Radeon stack, which will be a good follow-up to the RDNA 4 "Radeon RX 9000" family which covers the mainstream segment. AMD's UDNA GPUs are expected to enter mass production by Q2 2026 and will feature a brand-new architecture design & will also be integrated into next-gen consoles such as the PS6.
Besides the next-generation Ryzen & Radeon families, AMD will also be updating its 3D Stacking portfolio with new options available for both its next-gen Halo APU family, and Sony is expected to go onboard with 3D stacking with consoles too. It is stated that the specific packaging technology is not yet known. It is also unclear if the 3D stacking here means the different Core IP stacks or the 3D V-Cache technology, but we can expect a mix of both.
AMD has a very strong portfolio of products coming out this year, especially on the mobility front, so next year, we will see the move to the next-generation Zen 6 and UDNA architectures, which are going to redefine the PC segment.
News Source: HXL (@9550pro)
