Off Topic Discussions

[BigAl01]

Zen 6 should be a great CPU architecture for gamers

A new leak from @9550pro on X has revealed details about AMD’s upcoming Zen 6 CPU architecture. This leak supports prior reports that AMD is increasing its L3 cache sizes with its Zen 6 CPUs. AMD is reportedly creating Zen 6 CCDs (Core Complex Dies) with 12 CPU cores and 48MB of L3 cache. Today’s Zen 5 CCD features only eight cores and 32MB of L3 cache. These increased L3 cache sizes for AMD Zen 6 will be great for PC gaming workloads.

AMD are also reportedly making a 32-core CCD with 128MB of L3 cache. These CCDs will likely use AMD’s Zen 6c CPU cores, focusing on silicon density rather than maximized per-core performance.

AMD’s 12-core Zen 6 CCDs are known to use TSMC’s 2nm technology. This tech should give AMD’s new CPUs a power efficiency and density boost. With 50% more cores and 50% more L3 cache, AMD’s Zen 6 CCDs will be much more performant than last-generation CCDs. However, they will also be more expensive. 2nm won’t be cheap…

This is the Zen5 Ryzen design. What will Zen6 look like?

One trend with AMD’s Ryzen series CPUs is that every increase in per-CCX (Core CompleX) L3 cache delivers increased gaming performance. With Zen 2, AMD doubled its L3 cache size over Zen 1. With Zen 3, AMD created larger CCXs with eight cores instead of four. This gave each core direct access to a 32MB pool of L3 cache, doubling the size of each core’s accessible L3 cache. Since then, L3 cache sizes have remained consistent for Ryzen. However, the introduction of AMD’s X3D technology has boosted the L3 cache sizes of certain chips, delivering breakthrough gaming performance.

AMD’s largest generational leaps in gaming performance have always coincided with increases in per-CCX cache sizes. The jumps from Zen 1 to Zen 2 and Zen 2 to Zen 3 were transformative for AMD. Furthermore, the introduction of X3D CPUs pushed the company to the top of the PC gaming market.

With 50% more L3 cache per CCX, we expect AMD’s Zen 6 CPUs to deliver excellent gaming performance. Add on its inevitable X3D-enhanced incarnation, and we expect gaming performance to improve further.

[Qoojo]

For the first time, since amd first release 64-bit CPUs, I was thinking of switching back and getting a 9950x3d for my personal desktop. I have owned amd CPUs for my laptops over the years as they provide the best bang for buck. I was thinking of building a new one mid to late summer waiting on availability and normal pricing.

The multi-CCD thing has scared me off in the past, as being too much hassle. But it sounds like process lasso has really simplified things.

Oh right, point of the post 🙂 I might wait till next summer given the zen 6 news, but new techs have a lot of teething pains. There are even reports of 6 ghz.

[BigAl01]

I might consider building a Zen 6 computer later this year if the prices aren't too high.  I still want an RX 9070 XT video card too.

[ajlueke]

It was one of the reasons it was hard to upgrade this generation.  The performance jump of the 9000 series was relatively small over the 7000, and with the potential for 12 core single CCD chips or 24 cores with two CCDs there was little reason not to wait.

Video cards were similar.  With NVidia also going to a smaller process node for the RTX 6000 series and UDNA potentially also having higher end performance, might was well stand pat as see what 2026 holds. 

[BigAl01]

What, and save your money?  With our current leader, it seems we lose more money every day.  At least they announced a temporary suspension of the high tariffs with China today.  

[Qoojo]

It will probably continue that way every 90 days for 3.5 more years. It's more about attention and being the focus. Then when people stop paying enough attention, bam! tariffs

[cpurpe91]

I'm interested to see what kind of uplift the initial wave of the new Ryzen Gen compares to the 7000X3D and 9000X3D lineup.