One rumor says that AMD will wait for Zen 6 to introduce one of the most important changes to its desktop processors, which is an increase in the number of cores and maximum threads. Since AMD launched the Ryzen 3000, it has, as the top of the range, maintained a 16-core, 32-thread configuration.
This configuration doesn’t change even with the Ryzen 7000, because the Ryzen 9 7950X has 16 cores and 32 threads, and it won’t change with the Ryzen 9000, which will still have a maximum of 16 cores and 32 threads. AMD did not increase the number of cores and threads because for the average user, and even for demanding home users and small professionals, 16 cores and 32 threads are enough.
This will change with Zen 6, according to some rumors claiming that Zen 6 will use up to four microchips for the CPU. Each chip will have 8 Zen 6 cores, so the total will be 32 cores and 64 threads. The Ryzen 9 10950X can have 32 cores and 64 threads, and from there AMD can play with the number of chipsets and active cores to launch Zen 6 processors with fewer cores.
Zen 6 will be the successor to Zen 5. It will have a higher IPC, operate at higher operating frequencies and will arrive between the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026. It will be compatible with AM5 motherboards, although it may have some limitations with older models due to the power supply or due to RAM frequency.
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