AMD introduced its chiplet-based Ryzen processors in 2017, disrupting the market by offering twice as many cores at existing price points. Back then, the Zen CCD consisted of two 4-core modules glued together using the Infinity Fabric. Being the basic structural unit of all Zen-based processors, the CCD or chiplet was employed across Ryzen client and Epyc server designs. Zen 3 simplified the CCD by unifying the two 4-core modules into a larger 8-core layout sharing 32 MB of L3 cache.
Strix Point features the Zen 5 hybrid CCDs for mobility SoCs. It subdivides the L3 cache into 16 MB and 8 MB chunks for the 4x Zen 5 “P-core” and the 8x Zen 5c “E-core” clusters, respectively. According to the latest rumors, the next-generation Zen 6 core will, once again, alter the CCD layout, packing up to 12x Zen 6 “P-cores.”
According to YouTuber “Moore’s Law is Dead,” the Zen 6 CCD will leverage TSMC’s 3nm node to squeeze up to 12 cores on a 75mm2 CCD. Seeing as the 4nm Strix Point die already manages to fit 4P+8E cores on a single monolithic die, 12 cores on a slightly larger 3nm SoC should be pretty doable.
Medusa Point, the successor to Strix Point, is expected to feature a 200mm2 IOD, featuring a 128-bit bus paired with a 16 CU iGPU. The IOD and the Zen 6 CCD are connected using a 325mm2 interposer which sits underneath the two. Medusa Point is expected to feature a single IOD and a CCD, with a relatively large NPU.
It’s unclear whether the AM5 desktop variant of Zen 6 will feature the 12-core CCD, but if it does, the two will be paired with their own unique IODs. The same can be said for Medusa Halo, AMD’s large APU design for the enthusiast market.
Epyc “Venice,” the successor to Turin will feature up to 256 cores spread across 8x 175mm2 CCDs. These are allegedly 2nm CCDs which makes sense considering that the 192-core Turin lineup is based on TSMC’s 3mn node. From 16x Zen 4c/Zen5c dies on Bergamo/Turin, Venice will leverage 32 core chiplets (up to 9?) alongside one or two large IODs using the same interposers as Medusa.
AMD’s Zen 6 core is expected to tape out in the second quarter of 2025, with production planned in the latter half of the year, and an early 2026/late 2025 release. Following the chipmaker’s renewed mobile-first approach, we should see the “Medusa Ridge” desktop and “Medusa Point” mobility lineups launch around the same time.
