Next-gen Ryzen could be a monster: 5 clues from AMD’s Zen 6 reveal
So what do data center monsters have to do with the Ryzen chips found in everyday computers? Easy: AMD has traditionally used the same Zen core and chiplets in Ryzen that it’s used in Eypc. Assuming that rich history continues, there’s a lot to be learned about Ryzen from the Zen 6 architecture powering Venice-X — even if Venice-X itself matters nothing to everyday gamers and grinders.
Giddy up. Here are five key clues that AMD’s Epyc launch gives us about next-gen “Olympic Ridge” Ryzen CPUs.
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Even more cores
Ryzen and Epyc processors are comprised of “chiplets.” Basically, AMD groups processor cores into core complexes, and combines one or more compute dies with an I/O die in its chiplet-based designs.
The first two Ryzen generations maxed out at four cores per CCX, or eight cores per dual-CCX chip. Zen 3 through 5 upped that total to eight cores per CCX, pushing overall core counts to a new high of 16. Zen 6 goes even further, with Venice-X upping the tally to a whopping 12 cores per CCX.
That means AMD’s Olympic Ridge Ryzen processors could push all the way up to 24 cores in a CPU for consumers. Absolutely wild. The Intel-dominated days of “4 cores and deal with it” are ancient history now.
Will Ryzen break the 6GHz barrier?
AMD
Zen 6 also provides a speed boost over its predecessor. It’s hard to get a direct read here, because server chips like Epyc have tighter power restrictions for increased durability and stability. But if you compare Epyc 5 to Epyc 6 specs, they’re around 3 to 4 percent faster in raw clock speeds.
