Summary
- AMD confirms Zen 6 Ryzen “Medusa” as the next consumer CPU family.
- Up to 24 cores via two 12-core chiplets; L3 per CCD rises from 32MB to 48MB.
- openSIL replaces AGESA as open-source firmware, shipping on 2026 EPYC “Venice” then Ryzen 2027.
Zen 5 chips have been out for a while, but the next big thing is already in development, as you might have been able to tell by the countless leaks and rumors. We know some things already, but nothing official. That is, at least, until now.
At the Open Compute Project Global Summit, AMD officially confirmed the existence of its next-generation Zen 6 Ryzen processors, as well as their codename. The new consumer CPU line will be known internally as “Medusa,” a name that validates long-standing leaks and discussions within the hardware enthusiast community.
Sadly, we don’t know a lot about these just yet. Officially, that is. Thanks to leaks, we know that “Medusa” processors may feature up to 24 CPU cores. This would be achieved by utilizing two 12-core CCX/CCD chiplets. This marks a notable increase from the 8-core chiplets used in previous generations and might mean that the top-tier Ryzen chip will feature a whopping 24 cores instead of 16.
This change in core density per chiplet is also reportedly tied to an increase in on-die L3 cache. The leaks point to the L3 cache per CCX/CCD increasing from 32 MB to 48 MB, a 50% jump. This would also mean a significant jump in performance even if you don’t have a 3D V-Cache-equipped chip.
AMD also detailed a significant strategic shift in its firmware, announcing a transition to an open-source platform set to debut with its 2026 server chips. In a major move away from its current proprietary system, AMD announced it will replace its AGESA (AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture) firmware. The replacement is “openSIL,” an open-source firmware stack.
AMD stated the goal of this transition is to deliver “improved transparency, security, and customisation” for its future processor lines. This new firmware will not debut on consumer chips, at least immediately. Instead, AMD’s 6th Generation Zen 6 EPYC server CPUs, codenamed “Venice,” will be the first to ship with openSIL in 2026. Then, we’ll see it when Zen 6 “Medusa” Ryzen CPUs debut in early 2027, following the server-side rollout.
That brings us to the last bit of news: these chips are coming in early 2027, so you’ll still need to wait a bit over a year before you can actually check these out.
Source: Overclock3D