AMD's Zen 6 "Medusa Point" APUs for the mobile platform will reportedly utilize an updated RDNA 3.X architecture for its iGPU.
AMD's Medusa Point APUs Might Not Upgrade to RDNA 4 Architecture But Will Instead Feature Updated RDNA 3.X iGPUs
There isn't much info available regarding AMD's upcoming Zen 6 processors. The last time we reported about Zen 6 was roughly three months ago, and it was mostly about the desktop SKUs. As far as the laptop series is concerned, AMD is expected to debut the "Medusa Point" processors, and it is going to be in the APU lineup, succeeding the current Strix Point/Strix Halo/Krackan Point series.
If you remember, last year, the Medusa was reported to feature RDNA 5-based iGPU, skipping even the RDNA 4. While that was about the desktop lineup, which is codenamed Medusa Ridge, a new report suggests that the laptop lineup, Medusa Point, is going to stick with the RDNA 3.X architecture. The report comes from the prominent leaker, Golden Pig Upgrade on Weibo.
According to his statement, it looks like while Medusa Point will feature Zen 6 architecture for its CPU cores, the GPU cores will be based on the RDNA 3.X architecture. We don't know if it's RDNA 3.5 or an upgraded version, but, likely, Medusa Point won't even switch to RDNA 4.
Some reports did indicate that AMD would be continuing the RDNA 3.5 architecture for a long time. Currently, the RDNA 3.5 architecture is deployed on multiple mobile Zen 5 series, including the Strix Point, which debuted in 2024, and then in both Krackan Point and Strix Halo. RDNA 3.5 architecture has proved itself to be quite competent for modern laptops, eliminating the need for an entry-level or budget discrete GPU.
With up to 40 Compute Units on Strix Halo chips, RDNA 3.5 is quite successful in competing with RTX 4060/4070 laptop GPUs in gaming, but RDNA 4 is surely a much more advanced and powerful architecture that could make an even bigger difference to the upcoming chips.
Regardless of what AMD decides for the Zen 6 series, performance is what dictates the success of the lineup at the end of the day. With Panther Lake arriving in the second half, bringing the Xe3 architecture, AMD will need to ensure that it can take a bigger lead than it did with the RDNA 3.5. Meanwhile, do keep in mind that Medusa Point's iGPU architecture information is yet to be announced officially, and we might not see much regarding it before the second half of 2025.
News Source: Weibo
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
