AMD Zen 6 desktop processors rumored to integrate RDNA 5 GPU and faster 2.5D interconnect
While AMD is now preparing to launch the Zen 5 processor architecture codenamed Nirvana later this year, the company is also reportedly finalizing the design stage for its future Zen 6 architecture codenamed Morpheus. Team Red already made the transition from CPU to APU for the desktop models with the launch of the Zen 4 processors, as it introduced an iGPU component. However, unlike the Phoenix mobile APUs and desktop APUs derived from mobile models such as the G-series, the current desktop processors feature a very modest iGPU with only two RDNA 2 cores. The situation is not expected to improve with the Zen 5 models, since these too are most likely getting the same RDNA 2 treatment, but AMD might finally include decent desktop iGPUs with the Zen 6 architecture.
According to X (Twitter) user Everest (@Olrak29_), the Zen 6 desktop processors have been assigned the Medusa codename and AMD has some major modifications planned for that generation, which might get released in 2026 or even late 2025. Everest first mentions that AMD will skip the RDNA 3 and even RDNA 4 architecture for the Zen 6 iGPUs, going straight for RDNA 5. It looks like RDNA 4 is not going to bring radical performance boosts and may only focus on the mid-range class with high efficiency improvements. Seeing that RDNA 5 was chosen for the next gen Xbox console, it most likely should include powerful high-end GPUs, but even the lower-end models like the iGPUs on Zen 6 could surprise.
Of course, AMD could just slap another 2-core iGPU, yet this does not seem likely, as Everest reveals that the Medusa processor package will use a 2.5D interconnect with much higher bandwidth. Corroborated with the rumored 3 nm / 2 nm production process mix, this most likely means that AMD is planning to adopt a tile-based approach, similar to Intel’s Meteor Lake architecture, and so a faster iGPU seems more plausible.
If AMD is generous with the iGPU core count on the Zen 6 desktop models, the G-series might become obsolete, and a portfolio restructuring could happen at least for the desktop side.
Source(s)
via Videocardz
