- AMD is reportedly removing the iGPU from Zen 6 processors.
- The space will instead be used for an integrated NPU (neural processing unit).
- Zen 6 “Olympic Ridge” processors will also gain CUDIMM support.
More details are emerging about AMD’s next-gen Ryzen architecture, codenamed “Olympic Ridge”. This will be the desktop Zen 6 architecture that will power the upcoming Ryzen 10000 series of processors, unless AMD decides to switch the nomenclature around. According to a new report, AMD is changing the chip’s internal layout to integrate an NPU rather than an iGPU.
The report comes courtesy of leaker @Gotou_kai3 on X and has since been corroborated by Wccftech. According to the leak, Zen 6 CPUs will no longer feature an integrated GPU and instead use that space for an NPU (neural processing unit). This is a strange decision, as AMD only just began putting iGPUs in desktop Ryzen CPUs with the Ryzen 7000 series.
Moreover, the integration of an NPU is doubly questionable. AMD already offers an NPU in AM5 desktop APUs and the AI Halo Mini-PC, but these seem to be the first standalone AMD CPUs to feature one. That said, the use of an NPU is fairly limited as of right now. Theoretically, they can be used to streamline AI processing at the chip level, but substituting an iGPU for this specific capability is a bit baffling.
The lack of an iGPU limits the CPU’s versatility, and it will now be much harder to diagnose video-related issues. Nevertheless, most Zen 6 users will most likely pair the CPU with a dedicated graphics card, but an iGPU is good to have as a backup regardless.
The leak also states that Olympic Ridge CPUs will gain CUDIMM support, a newer standard for even faster memory. Alongside that, the new architecture supports the full EXPO 1.2 feature stack, WiFi 7, improved I/O, and faster DDR5 memory.
The Zen 6 architecture and its resulting AMD Ryzen CPUs are currently planned for 2027. They are reportedly being manufactured on TSMC’s 2nm “N2P” process node, and will likely feature major improvements in both performance and efficiency. Per previous leaks, the Zen 6 “Olympic Ridge” CCD will feature up to 12 cores and 48 MB of L3 cache, and AMD can pair two of these CCDs together to create a 24-core flagship model.
We can also expect 3D V-Cache implementation further down the line. With the launch of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 recently, it wouldn’t be out of the question for AMD to dual-stack the cache on the top-end Zen 6 model as well. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how Zen 6 lines up against Intel’s Nova Lake-S, coming early next year.
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[PC Hardware Specialist]
Usman Saleem brings 8+ years of comprehensive PC hardware expertise to the table. His journey in the tech world has involved in-depth tech analysis and insightful PC hardware reviews, perfecting over 6+ years of dedicated work. Usman’s commitment to staying authentic and relevant in the field is underscored by many professional certifications, including a recent one in Google IT Support Specialization.
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