Key Takeaways
1. AMD is testing desktop CPUs, known as Olympic Ridge, that aim for speeds of 6.4 GHz, with a goal to exceed 7 GHz using the advanced N2X node technology.
2. The transition to N2X represents a major upgrade from the current Zen 4 series, which is based on N4P, showcasing AMD’s commitment to progress in efficiency and clock speed.
3. Most Zen 6 products, including APUs and EPYC processors, will likely use N2P or N3P processes, offering improved performance without reaching the same peak frequencies as Olympic Ridge.
4. Laptop-class APUs like Medusa Halo are expected to achieve speeds of 6.2 to 6.5 GHz, indicating a 20% increase over current mobile processors.
5. Achieving a 7 GHz Zen 6 desktop CPU would set a record for AMD and significantly impact the desktop performance competition.
While this isn’t exactly breaking news, this article brings together trustworthy information from Moore’s Law Is Dead, a leaker known for its accuracy, and much of it aligns with what we have discussed earlier.
AMD’s Bold Leap Forward
Zen 6 represents one of AMD’s most daring advancements in recent times. Reports from Moore’s Law Is Dead indicate that the company is currently testing desktop CPUs that can reach speeds of 6.4 GHz, with the ultimate aim of exceeding “7 GHz.” These processors, known as Olympic Ridge, will utilize the N2X node, an upgraded version of TSMC’s 2 nm technology, signaling a major enhancement from the ongoing Zen 4 series based on N4P. The transition from N4P to N3P, then to N2P, and ultimately to N2X involves three complete node changes. To put this into perspective, AMD progressed from Zen+ (12 nm) to Zen 2 (7 nm) and subsequently to Zen 4 (5 nm), with each transition providing significant increases in efficiency and clock speed. If all goes as planned, Olympic Ridge could surpass the peak of 5.7 GHz seen in Zen 4 and might outperform Intel’s top Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs in single-threaded tasks.
Variations in Product Lines
Nonetheless, it’s crucial to understand that the 7 GHz target is specific to the desktop-class N2X variants. The majority of Zen 6 products—including the Medusa Point APU platform and Venice-class EPYC processors—will likely use the more established N2P or N3P processes. Although these components may not reach the same raw frequency as Olympic Ridge, they are still predicted to offer significant gains in efficiency and performance-per-watt. According to Moore’s Law Is Dead, AMD seems to be focusing its highest clock speeds on AM5 desktop SKUs, and might include a few select server variants. Meanwhile, laptop-class APUs like Medusa Halo are anticipated to reach speeds around 6.2 to 6.5 GHz, which would still represent a 20% increase over the current generation of mobile processors. Even though clock speed isn’t the sole factor in defining overall performance, AMD’s goal to surpass the 7 GHz threshold demonstrates its ambitious roadmap and readiness to embrace cutting-edge manufacturing techniques.
Implications of Achieving 7 GHz
Should AMD succeed, a 7 GHz Zen 6 desktop CPU would stand as the highest clocked x86 processor ever released by the company and could mark a significant milestone in the desktop performance race. While the final shipping frequencies remain uncertain, internal tests and sourcing imply that AMD is on course to achieve a substantial advancement with Olympic Ridge.