Rumour has it that AMD’s jumping to 5nm for Zen 3

If Digitimes is to be believed, AMD’s going off-roadmap for its Ryzen 4000 series of Zen 3 processors by opting to use TSMC’s 5nm process technology instead of their 7nm node. 

This move would see AMD use a more advanced process technology than the company previously announced, granting the company smaller transistors, increased power efficiency and the potential to achieve higher CPU clock speeds. These advantages could push AMD’s technology another leap ahead of Intel, who are already behind AMD when it comes to process tech. 

AMD’s Zen 3 processors are due to release before the end of 2020, though at this time it is unknown when these chips will reach the desktop processor market. 

Digitimes has also reported that AMD is now considered a “tier one” customer for TSMC, granting the company priority access to TSMC’s latest technologies. Following the cessation of all business with Huawei/HiSilicon, TSMC needs to fill any and all gaps within its production lines, and AMD appears to be ready to utilise any spare manufacturing capacity that TSMC has available. 

What needs to be stressed here is that AMD’s official roadmap marks Zen 3 as a 7nm architecture, but given today’s circumstances, AMD may be prepared to take a risk with Zen 3 to push its advantages against Intel to new heights. Roadmaps are always subject to change, and we don’t see AMD making a decision like this public before they are ready to launch processors. Why give Intel time to react? 

It is also possible that 5nm will be reserved for specific Zen 3 CPU designs, such as future Ryzen Mobile products or other market niches where the benefits of 5nm manufacturing are strongest. 

If AMD is manufacturing Zen 3 on 5nm, they will be able to push their power advantages against Intel to new heights, delivering industry-leading performance/watt characteristics within the x86 CPU market.