AMD is gearing up to launch its next-generation Ryzen 10000 series processors later this year, building upon the foundation laid by the Ryzen 9000 series. Codenamed “Olympic Ridge,” these upcoming CPUs will utilize AMD’s new Zen 6 microarchitecture and are expected to offer a significant expansion in core counts and performance capabilities.
A recent leak from tipster HXL indicates that AMD plans to release seven distinct configurations within the Ryzen 10000 lineup. These configurations will span both single- and dual-chiplet designs, offering a wide range of options to cater to diverse user needs, from entry-level systems to high-end workstations and servers.
The single-CCD (Core Complex Die) designs are expected to feature 6, 8, 10, and 12 cores. The dual-CCD designs will effectively double these core counts, resulting in 16-core (8+8), 20-core (10+10), and a flagship 24-core (12+12) configuration. This marks a departure from AMD’s historical reliance on 8-core CCDs, signaling a move towards greater flexibility in chiplet design and core scaling.
This shift to 12-core CCDs is a key architectural change for AMD. Each of these new CCDs is rumored to include 48MB of L3 cache, which would translate to a substantial 96MB of L3 cache for the flagship Ryzen 10000 SKU. This increased cache capacity is expected to improve performance in a variety of workloads, particularly those sensitive to memory latency.
The introduction of a 24-core Ryzen processor represents a significant leap forward for AMD’s desktop CPU offerings. Previously, the highest core count available in a Ryzen desktop processor was 16 cores. The increased core count will likely appeal to professionals and power users involved in demanding tasks such as video editing, 3D rendering, scientific simulations, and software development.
While AMD is expanding core counts, Intel is taking a different approach with its upcoming Nova Lake processors. Rumors suggest Intel’s top-end Nova Lake chip could feature a massive 52 cores, paired with 288MB of bLLC (buffered Last Level Cache) across two tiles. This represents a substantial increase in core count compared to AMD’s offerings, but also potentially a significant increase in power consumption – with some estimates reaching up to 700W.
A key advantage for AMD is its commitment to maintaining compatibility with the existing AM5 platform. This means that users upgrading from Ryzen 7000 or 8000 series processors will likely be able to use their existing motherboards, reducing the overall cost of upgrading. In contrast, Intel’s Nova Lake processors are expected to require a new platform, including a new motherboard socket (LGA1954) and chipset (900 series).
Beyond core counts, the Zen 6 architecture is expected to deliver improvements in instructions per clock (IPC) and overall efficiency. These improvements, combined with the potential use of more advanced process nodes (likely TSMC 3nm or 2nm), should result in noticeable performance gains compared to the current Zen 5 architecture. However, the timeline for Zen 6’s release has faced some uncertainty due to potential delays in TSMC’s N2X node production.
The competitive landscape between AMD and Intel is heating up. While AMD is focusing on core scaling and platform compatibility, Intel appears to be prioritizing raw core count and performance, even at the expense of power efficiency. The ultimate winner will likely depend on a combination of factors, including performance, price, power consumption, and software optimization.
The release of the Ryzen 10000 series is anticipated to occur in late 2026 or early 2027. As the launch date approaches, more details about the specific features, performance, and pricing of these processors are expected to emerge. The current state of RAM pricing, which has been fluctuating, will also likely play a role in the overall cost of building a system based on the Ryzen 10000 series.
