Thursday, May 15th 2025
AMD "Zen 7" Rumors: Three Core Classes, 2 MB L2, 7 MB V‑Cache, and TSMC A14 Node
AMD is already looking ahead to its Zen 7 generation and is planning the final details for its next generation of Zen IP. The first hints come from YouTuber "Moore's Law Is Dead," which points to a few interesting decisions. AMD plans to extend its multi‑class core strategy that began with Zen 4c and continued into Zen 5. Zen 7 will reportedly include three types of cores: the familiar performance cores, dense cores built for maximum throughput, and a new low‑power variant aimed at energy‑efficient tasks, just like Intel and its LP/E-Cores. There is even an unspecified "PT" and "3D" core. By swapping out pipeline modules and tweaking their internal libraries, AMD can fine‑tune each core so it performs best in its intended role, from running virtual machines in the cloud to handling AI workloads at the network edge.
On the manufacturing front, Zen 7 compute chiplets (CCDs) are expected to be made on TSMC's A14 process, which will now include a backside power delivery network. This was initially slated for the N2 node but got shifted to the A16/A14 line. The 3D V‑Cache SRAM chiplets underneath the CCDs will remain on TSMC's N4 node. It is a conservative choice, since TSMC has talked up using N2‑based chiplets for stacked memory in advanced packaging, but AMD appears to be playing it safe. Cache sizes should grow, too. Each core will get 2 MB of L2 cache instead of the current 1 MB, and L3 cache per core could expand to 7 MB through stacked V‑Cache slices. Standard CCDs without V‑Cache will still have around 32 MB of shared L3. A bold rumor suggests an EPYC model could feature 33 cores per CCD, totaling 264 cores across eight CCDs. Zen 7 tape‑out is planned for late 2026 or early 2027, and we probably won't see products on shelves until 2028 or later. As always with early-stage plans, take these details with a healthy dose of skepticism. The final Zen 7 lineup could look quite different once AMD locks down its roadmap.
Sources:
Moore's Law Is Dead, via HardwareLuxx
On the manufacturing front, Zen 7 compute chiplets (CCDs) are expected to be made on TSMC's A14 process, which will now include a backside power delivery network. This was initially slated for the N2 node but got shifted to the A16/A14 line. The 3D V‑Cache SRAM chiplets underneath the CCDs will remain on TSMC's N4 node. It is a conservative choice, since TSMC has talked up using N2‑based chiplets for stacked memory in advanced packaging, but AMD appears to be playing it safe. Cache sizes should grow, too. Each core will get 2 MB of L2 cache instead of the current 1 MB, and L3 cache per core could expand to 7 MB through stacked V‑Cache slices. Standard CCDs without V‑Cache will still have around 32 MB of shared L3. A bold rumor suggests an EPYC model could feature 33 cores per CCD, totaling 264 cores across eight CCDs. Zen 7 tape‑out is planned for late 2026 or early 2027, and we probably won't see products on shelves until 2028 or later. As always with early-stage plans, take these details with a healthy dose of skepticism. The final Zen 7 lineup could look quite different once AMD locks down its roadmap.
111 Comments on AMD "Zen 7" Rumors: Three Core Classes, 2 MB L2, 7 MB V‑Cache, and TSMC A14 Node
It seems like AMD likes to give their non-X3D a quarter or two to sell well before throwing gamers a bone with the good processors.
I would guess they want to fix any issues found with the base chips, before getting reviews on their HALO chips...
AMD tends to leave an Architecture for 2 years before the successor appears recently
Zen 5 X3D Nov 7, 2024
Zen 6 X3D Nov 7, 2026
Zen 7 X3D Nov 7, 2028
Zen 8 X3D Nov 7, 2030
And so on.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D was officially released on April 20, 2022
7800x3d launched April 6, 2023
9800x3d Nov 7, 2024
not sure where you got your numbers from bruh, just sayin lol
My bet is Q2 2026. June 18 is 680 days after the 9700X, Computex 26 fits.
It could also be a bit earlier like March-April, but I wouldn't guess later than July.
Sure, it all depends on a million factors I don't know anything about.
Edit: Oh, you said 3D.. well that's probably Q3.
This might be the first time AMD launches 3D models on first launch day, at least the single CCD, it really wouldn't surprise me. That's another good thing about not rushing it.
Also, remember that Ryzen 9000 was rushed, even if nobody talks about it anymore. No reason to repeat that.. does anyone remember this 800 post thread lol
www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/why-everyone-say-zen-5-is-bad.325345/Yeah, but I also don't think even some substantial competition makes a difference, the importance is that AMD is selling.
I don't think there's really that much headroom for rushing it anyway, it messes up so many things for them, and they need their shiny, pricey EPYCs, first and foremost.
Two low power cores may be pointless, but it also doesn't take up much space.
32 economy cores on the other hand.. :rolleyes: (yes, I know they're much better than ReRaptor)
7800X3D did seem to take quite a while after Zen 4 was released but that was due to them favouring 7950 and 7900 X3D parts where as they flipped it on the Zen 5 generation with the 9800X3d being released first, I mean we only just got the 9950X3D 2 months ago.
What you should of queried was when was the first X3D part released after its respective generation and you would notice its usually a few months AFTER the release of the Non X3D parts bar the 5xxx series and currently the Non X3D parts are on a 2 year cycle. So July-Sept 2026 for Non X3D, October - December 2026 for X3D depending on release times
Relying on just ChatGPT without any other investigation is where AI is going to be the downfall of General Intelligence.
The ideal has always been to develop cores with very high IPC to they perform tasks as quickly as possible and then enter a low power consumption state.
yeah, like having more than 512kb of ram.
love how you know what billions of ppl on this planet need on their computer..
A cpu with zenc cores mixed in with the big cores will perform every single threaded task as fast as a cpu without it, but it will be faster and more power efficient in multithreaded tasks.
*Edit
This also sounds like a scheduling nightmare, they better design a hw scheduler to go alongside this…
Isn't 16 cores enough? 32 threads is already difficult to fully utilize.
Also, AMD can easily introduce two forks of Zen7 CPUs on desktop platforms, one new and premium on a new socket, and another one for legacy mainstream whereby AM5 platform can still continue for another generation with new cores only.