AMD is gearing up for the launch of its Zen 5-based desktop and mobile processors later this month. But even before these processors hit the market, whispers about their successor, codenamed ‘Medusa,’ have started circulating. According to leaked information, Medusa will be part of the Zen 6 lineup and is expected to make its debut in late 2025. This contradicts earlier speculation that placed the launch in 2026. Sources, cited by the well-known tech YouTuber Moore’s Law Is Dead, indicate AMD plans to finalize the Zen 6 architecture by the second quarter of 2025, with production potentially commencing later that year.
Another source has corroborated the claim that Medusa is a Zen 6 product, suggesting it will be targeted towards both laptops and the AM5 platform for desktops. Intriguingly, both Strix Halo and Medusa Halo, based on the Zen 5 and Zen 6 architectures respectively, are expected to leverage TSMC’s N3E (enhanced 3nm process). AMD has a well-established pattern for naming its products, employing ‘Ridge’ for desktop offerings, ‘Point’ for mobile components, and ‘Halo’ for extreme mobile variants. Following this naming convention, Granite Ridge is for desktops under the Zen 5 architecture, while Strix Point is for mobile devices. However, the Strix Halo product hasn’t officially surfaced yet, likely due to challenges associated with TSMC’s 3nm process.
Initially, AMD’s roadmap envisioned launching Zen 5 on the 3nm node for both Strix Point and Strix Halo. However, issues encountered with chiplets and TSMC’s production delays forced AMD to shift Strix Point to a 4nm process. Despite this setback, Strix Halo is anticipated to launch later this year with a 3nm design, aiming to compete head-on with Intel’s Lunar Lake processor, which boasts an enhanced Neural Processing Unit (NPU). Given Moore’s Law Is Dead’s track record of accurate leaks, these rumors carry some weight, though they should be treated with caution. Major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are expected to start shipping new notebooks featuring AMD’s Ryzen 300 AI Strix Point processors later this month. Concurrently, Ryzen 9000 desktop parts are also expected to hit the market soon, with a leaked starting price of $310.
