Zen 6 in AIDA64: The Vanguard of the Medusa – AMD’s silent declaration of war for 2026

When a name like “Medusa Ridge” sneaks into software like AIDA64, it’s not a typo or a marketing test balloon, but a harbinger. Beta version 7.99.7801 of the popular monitoring tool has included AMD’s upcoming Zen 6 processors. This is more than just an update – it’s an unofficial confirmation that AMD’s development engine is running like a tuned V8 just before the drag strip. Of course, nothing is said officially, but AMD has never been any different. Instead of a big press conference, there’s a line in the changelog. Subtle as a sledgehammer. The “Medusa” series, named after a mythological figure with a snake’s head and a gaze that kills, is apparently the program. Because Zen 6 could turn the competition in Silicon to stone. Desktop (Medusa Ridge), mobile (Medusa Point) and server (EPYC Venice) – AMD covers the entire food chain. And this time they are breaking with several traditions.

The technical spear: 12 cores per CCD and a departure from the 8-core galaxy

Firstly: The 8-core limit per CCD, which AMD has sold us as a sacred cow since Zen 2, is being sacrificed. Zen 6 brings 12 cores per CCD. This results in 24 cores in a dual CCD setup – without sacrificing the compactness and scalability of the chiplet design. In addition, there is up to 128 MB L3 cache. No wonder the first leaks refer to Zen 6 internally as a “mini Genoa”. Secondly, the AM5 socket is retained. This is AMD’s silent pact with the hobbyist community, who looked after their motherboards like bonsais in the AM4 era. Anyone who has now opted for a high-end AM5 board will probably get a big performance upgrade in 2026 without having to throw the whole system in the garbage can. Respect for that.

https://t.co/hYg8NXF0F8 pic.twitter.com/qPvxav0GBs

— HXL (@9550pro) June 3, 2025

Mobile with a catch: Medusa Point brings many cores, but a weaker iGPU

AMD is breaking new ground in the mobile sector, but with a stale aftertaste. Medusa Point brings up to 22 cores based on a hybrid design: Zen 6, Zen 6c and energy-efficient LP cores. Sounds exciting, if it weren’t for the downgrade to just 8 RDNA 3.5 CPUs in the iGPU. Sure, efficiency first. But in view of the GPU expansion stages in Apple’s M series, this seems like a compromise from an Excel spreadsheet, not from the engineering department. The FP10 socket is larger than the previous FP8 – logically, the additional cores have to go somewhere. Does this mean that OEMs will have to design completely new motherboards again? Probably. Welcome to the world of the planned obsolescence cycle.

EPYC Venice: 256 cores as a demonstration of power

On the server side, things will get really martial. EPYC Venice is to feature up to 256 Zen 6c cores, distributed across 8 CCDs with 32 cores each, each with 128 MB L3 cache. All in all: 1 GB L3. And anyone who thinks this is only interesting for data centers is mistaken. As in the past, this architecture will gradually spill over into the smaller series. This is not a top-down, but a strategic domino effect. AMD is relying on SP7 sockets and advanced packaging technologies such as CoWoS-S and InFO_LSI. In other words: more performance per mm², less communication latency, greater scalability. Intel can dress warmly.

A look behind the scenes: AIDA64 as a leak vehicle

The fact that AIDA64 already lists the new Zen 6 family is no coincidence. Such entries do not happen by accident. They are usually microcode documentation leaked in advance to software manufacturers via third parties. So you don’t have to be a prophet to say that the Zen 6 family is sufficiently developed to be launched on the market next year. A launch at Computex 2026 is likely.

Medusa is coming, and it’s coming with an announcement

Zen 6 is not an evolutionary update – it is AMD’s attempt to rewrite the rules of the game. With 12 cores per CCD, new sockets, hybrid designs and massive server scaling, AMD is making it clear that it doesn’t just want to catch up with Intel, it wants to overtake it. Will they succeed? 2026 will show. But one thing is certain: the ball is rolling – and Medusa is already keeping a very close eye on who is standing in the way.

Source: 9550pro via X