AMD has started to prep for its next-gen "Zen 6" CPUs, as the firm has pushed the very first patch on Linux based on the architecture.
AMD Starts Preparing For Zen 6 Products At Linux, Indicating That We Will See More Information About Next-Gen CPUs Soon
Team Red has been pretty active on Linux regarding releasing enablement for its CPUs on the platform, way earlier than other operating systems. The tradition seems to continue with Zen 6 as well, and as spotted by Phoronix, the firm has queued the first Zen 6 patch for the Linux kernel, suggesting that AMD has now shifted its focus towards the next-gen architecture. While the patch hasn't revealed anything interesting yet, it is seen as a baseline for all the future work on Zen 6 CPUs, which will provide us with more information about the architecture.
The patch has brought in the "X86_FEATURE_ZEN6" flag feature, which marks or identifies the presence of Zen 6 CPU cores in the system. Interestingly, other future patches in the kernel can then use this flag to mark Zen 6 functionalities in the system, informing the OS that there's "Zen 6 inside". According to Phoronix, the patch confirms that Zen 6 CPUs will debut under the Family 1Ah code, like the Zen 5 CPUs, with model IDs being the only difference. Maybe that indicates Zen 5 and Zen 6 will have similar features/performance?
The Zen 6 patch is queued up as "urgent", so it is likely to be included in the current Linux 6.15 cycle soon. As for what to expect with Zen 6 CPUs, we know that AMD plans to introduce "Medusa Ridge" desktop CPUs on the architecture, which will come in 12, 24, and 32 core parts. Similarly, on the server side, Team Red plans to introduce EPYC "Venice" CPUs featuring Zen 6c and Zen 6 cores, so there's a lot more ahead to see from the architecture.
The appearance of Linux patches for Zen architectures usually points to enablement having already been initiated, which means that we'll likely get to see more information on Zen 6-based products soon.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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