AMD Zen 6 leak hints at a major leap in gaming performance

AMD Zen 6 leak hints at a major leap in gaming performance
HARDWARE NEWS  manhkbrady - 12-May-2025, 10:00 am

A recent leak from @9550pro on X has disclosed information regarding AMD’s forthcoming Zen 6 CPU architecture. This leak confirms earlier rumors that AMD is expanding its L3 cache sizes with the Zen 6 CPUs. AMD is said to be developing Zen 6 CCDs (Core Complex Dies) featuring 12 CPU cores alongside 48MB of L3 cache. Currently, Zen 5 CCD models have just eight cores and 32MB of L3 cache. The increased L3 cache capacities for AMD Zen 6 are expected to significantly benefit PC gaming workloads.

AMD’s 12-core Zen 6 CCDs are reported to utilize TSMC’s 2nm fabrication technology. This technology is anticipated to enhance both power efficiency and density for AMD’s new processors. With a 50% increase in cores and a 50% boost in L3 cache, AMD’s Zen 6 CCDs should outperform their last-generation counterparts. However, this advancement in technology will likely come with a higher price tag, as 2nm manufacturing is costly.

One notable trend in AMD’s Ryzen series CPUs is that any increase in per-CCX (Core CompleX) L3 cache tends to lead to enhanced gaming performance. With the transition from Zen 1 to Zen 2, AMD doubled the L3 cache size. Then, with Zen 3, it developed larger CCXs with eight cores instead of four, which allowed each core to directly access a 32MB pool of L3 cache, resulting in a doubled cache size for each core. Since then, L3 cache sizes have remained stable across Ryzen models. Nevertheless, the launch of AMD’s X3D technology has resulted in increased L3 cache sizes for specific chips, achieving notable improvements in gaming performance.

 

Close-up of an AMD Ryzen processor. The AMD logo and Ryzen text are clearly visible on the top of the chip.

 

AMD has consistently seen its most significant gains in gaming performance align with increases in per-CCX cache sizes. The transitions from Zen 1 to Zen 2 and from Zen 2 to Zen 3 were game-changing for AMD. Moreover, the introduction of X3D CPUs propelled the company to a leading position in the PC gaming segment.

With a 50% increase in L3 cache per CCX, we anticipate that AMD’s Zen 6 CPUs will provide outstanding gaming performance. Coupled with its expected X3D-enhanced variant, further improvements in gaming performance are anticipated.

While the latest CPU generation is generating excitement with its innovative architecture and AI-centric functions, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D remains the leader in raw gaming power and practical performance. Use our comparison tool to find the best offers on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU today.

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