AMD's Zen 6 CCD is going to be similar in size to the last-gen Zen offerings but features 50% more cores on the TSMC N2 process node.
AMD 2nm Zen 6 CCD Packs More Core Density: 50% More Cores Thanks To TSMC's N2 Process Technology
AMD's next-generation Zen 6 CPUs will be introduced this year. While we have a slight glimpse of what these chips are going to offer, it looks like we finally have some information on the CCD, which is going to be produced on the TSMC N2 (2nm) process node technology.
The information comes from HXL (@9550pro), who has shared the Zen CCD die sizes starting from the 2nd Gen Zen CCD up to the upcoming Zen 6 CCD. AMD had previously confirmed that its EPYC Venice CPUs featuring Zen 6 CCDs will be the first product to be manufactured on TSMC's N2 NanoSheet tech.
Later reports suggest that AMD is going to use the TSMC N2P process node across its full Zen 6 lineup, with the IOD part being based on N3P. It was also suggested that certain entry-level products would still rely on the N3P process.
- Zen2 CCD: 2*4 Core 2*16 MB L3 TSMC N7 ~77 mm2
- Zen3 CCD: 8 Core 32MB L3 TSMC N7 ~83 mm2
- Zen4 CCD : 8 Core 32MB L3 TSMC N5 ~72 mm2
- Zen5 CCD : 8 Core 32MB L3 TSMC N4 ~71 mm2
- Zen6 CCD : 12 Core 48MB L3 TSMC N2 ~76 mm2
Now, it is reported that the die size for the Zen 6 CCD is going to be 76mm2 which is similar to the last-gen Zen offerings, such as Zen 5 and Zen 4, which measured 71mm2 and 72mm2, respectively. That's a very modest 5-7% increase in die size for a big upgrade in the number of cores and cache. Each Zen 6 CCD is going to feature 12 cores (versus 8 on last-gen), and the cores will be coupled with 48 MB of L3 cache (versus 32 MB on last-gen). That's a 50% uplift in core and cache count.
What to expect from AMD Ryzen "Zen 6" Desktop CPUs:
- Double-Digit IPC Improvement?
- More Cores & Threads (Possibly Up To 24/48)
- Higher Clock Speeds on an Improved Process Node
- Higher Cache (Possibly Up To 48 MB Per CCD)
- Up To 2x CCDs & 1x IOD
- Higher DDR5 Memory Speed Support
- Dual IMC Design (But Retains Dual-Channel Config)
- Similar TDPs
This goes on to show the impressive density of the new N2 node from TSMC and how AMD will take full advantage of that to uplift the core and cache count. Even more impressive is the Zen 6 CCD, which has a die size around 156 mm2 but packs 32 cores and 128 MB of L3 cache per CCD. That's roughly 2x the die size for Zen 6C vs Zen 6 with double the core counts and 2.66x cache capacity increase.
AMD looks to be going all out with the core and cache count upgrades with its Zen 6 architecture. These will play a major role in bringing higher performance to servers, desktops, and mobile platforms. We can also expect decent IPC gains, clock speed bumps, and more improvements, especially in the realm of X3D 3D V-Cache, which should see a 3rd Gen upgrade when those chips hit the market. The first Zen 6 CPUs are expected to roll out in the second half of this year, including the EPYC Venice and next-gen Ryzen CPU family, so stay tuned.
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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