AMD's Zen 6 Architecture: EPYC Server Chips First, Ryzen Benefits Later

AMD detailed its new Zen 6 microarchitecture, which will debut in upcoming EPYC server chips, enabling up to 256 cores and 1GB of L3 cache on the SP7 platform. Zen 6 uses a 2nm process and increases cores per chiplet from eight to twelve, potentially leading to 24-core Ryzen desktop processors. It also adds PCI Express 6.0 support and a new AI-powered memory paging technology called MEXT. AMD is prioritizing enterprise customers for the initial limited supply of 2nm chips, with consumer Ryzen adoption expected later, possibly by mid-2027.