AMD is reportedly targeting well above 6GHz frequency with its upcoming Zen 6-based processors. Slated to launch sometime in 2026, these chips could mark a new speed milestone for AMD, as the fastest out-of-the-box solution currently tops at 5.7GHz. This should help AMD maintain its gaming performance lead, but Intel may convince professionals thanks to Nova Lake’s higher core count.
According to YouTuber Moore’s Law Is Dead, the previously rumoured ‘above’ 6GHz for Zen 6 chips was very conservative, claiming that it’s so much higher, many wouldn’t believe it. Though plans could change, he indicated that for now, the target is above 6.2GHz. He also added that the team behind Zen 6 is the same one that made Zen 4. This team is apparently sandbagging expectations, as it did with Ryzen 7000, which reached 5.7GHz even though rumours talked about 5GHz+.
That said, it seems that AMD still has a small roadblock to surpass to hit these extreme frequencies. The good news is that even in its current state, Zen 6 is above 6GHz. To achieve this, AMD combines its architectural design improvements with TSMC’s N2X manufacturing node, which is over two node jumps from the N4X powering Zen 5.
Frequency aside, AMD is seemingly targeting between 10% and 15% IPC gains, compared to Intel’s Nova Lake’s 9% to 18%. So, based on the above, MLID estimates that Intel could be about 11% faster than AMD in multi-threaded performance, particularly as Nova Lake-S chips boast many more cores in total.
However, when it comes to gaming, AMD may maintain its lead over Intel, especially as games tend to be less multi-threaded while favouring 3D V-Cache CPUs. In other words, professionals will likely opt for Nova Lake’s 52 cores, whereas gamers will once more choose Zen 6 for its potential single-core uplift.
In the end, only reviews can tell you which one is best for your needs, so until then, take the above with a grain of salt, and stay tuned for these potentially promising chips.
