Rumors Suggest AMD’s Medusa Point “Zen 6” APUs Will Replace RDNA 4/RDNA 5 Architecture With RDNA 3.X

AMD is set to introduce its next-generation Zen 6 “Medusa Point”Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) for mobile platforms, which will leverage a refined version of the RDNA 3. X architecture for integrated graphics.

The Future of AMD’s Medusa Point APUs: Emphasis on RDNA 3. X, Not RDNA 4

Information surrounding AMD’s upcoming Zen 6 processors has been relatively scarce. Our last update, approximately three months ago, primarily focused on desktop variants. As for mobile offerings, AMD is gearing up to launch the “Medusa Point”series of processors, which will update the existing Strix Point, Strix Halo, and Krackan Point lines.

Earlier reports indicated that the Medusa series would incorporate the RDNA 5 architecture for its integrated GPU, bypassing RDNA 4 altogether. However, recent insights from the reliable leaker Golden Pig Upgrade on Weibo suggest that the Medusa Point APU lineup will instead utilize a variant of the RDNA 3. X architecture.

Per Golden Pig Upgrade, while the Medusa Point processors will adopt the Zen 6 architecture for their CPU components, the GPU cores are slated to remain rooted in the RDNA 3. X family. While the specific iteration, be it RDNA 3.5 or an enhanced version, is yet to be clarified, it appears that a leap to RDNA 4 is off the table for now.

Moreover, some reports indicate AMD’s commitment to the RDNA 3.5 architecture for the foreseeable future. This architecture is already in use in several mobile products, including the newly launched Strix Point series from 2024, as well as the Krackan Point and Strix Halo models. RDNA 3.5 has demonstrated considerable capability in modern laptops, reducing the necessity for entry-level discrete GPUs.

AMD Strix APUs — AMD’s Strix APUs combine Zen 5, RDNA 3.5, and XDNA 2 technologies.(Image Source: AMD)

With configurations including up to 40 Compute Units in Strix Halo chips, the RDNA 3.5 architecture effectively competes with NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 and 4070 laptop graphics in gaming performance. That said, RDNA 4 promises to offer a more sophisticated architecture, potentially elevating the capabilities of future processors.

Ultimately, the performance of the Zen 6 series will be the deciding factor in its success, particularly with Intel’s Panther Lake set to debut in the latter half of the year, featuring the new Xe3 architecture. AMD must fortify its position and enhance its competitive edge over RDNA 3.5. It is worth noting that official information regarding the iGPU architecture for Medusa Point has yet to be announced, and further developments may not surface until the latter part of 2025.

Source: Weibo

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