AMD's next-gen Zen 5 'Granite Ridge' CPU spotted in the flesh: 8 cores, 16 threads of Zen 5

Here we go folks: AMD's next-gen Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop CPUs based on the new Zen 5 architecture are closer than ever before... an actual shot of the Zen 5 chip.

The photo of AMD's new Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" Zen 5 processors comes from X user @ExperteVallah, who posted a picture of an ES (engineering sample) of an 8-core, 16-thread Zen 5-powered CPU. The OPN ID on this processor is "100-000001290-11," and it could be an 8C/16T Zen 5 processor in ES form, which is tasty.

It looks like AMD is using the same IHS (integrated heat spreader) on the new Zen 5 "Granite Ridge" processors as the company did on current Ryzen 7000 series CPUs and Ryzen 8000G APUs. AMD uses an octopus-style IHS that puts all of the capacitors on the outside of the IHS.

• Read more: AMD's next-gen Zen 5: 15-25% average IPC uplift, 'NOT be close to 40%' rumors
• Read more: ASUS AM5 mobos get next-gen Zen 5 CPU support with new BIOS
• Read more: AMD's new Ryzen 'Granite Ridge' CPUs with Zen 5 appear in shipping manifesto
• Read more: TSMC gets 3nm orders from Apple, Intel and AMD: ready for next-gen Zen 5 CPUs

Underneath, we don't know if this ES sample uses a solder of TIM-based interface between the IHS and the die, but we know that high-end Ryzen CPUs have used gold-plating underneath the IHS for improved thermal transfers, so I'm sure for a new high-end Zen 5 processor that the company would be doing the same thing as before.

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AMD's next-gen Zen 5 ES processor (source: Einstein@Home)

The alleged AMD Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" Zen 5 processor was previously spotted inside of the Einstein@Home and LHC@home databases, with both entries on those respective databases being an 8-core, 16-thread engineering sample (ES) and this particular sample SKU has the OPN of "AuthenticAMD AMD Eng Sample: 100-000001290-11_N [Family 26 Model 64 Stepping 0]".

• Read more: AMD reconfirms Zen 5 Strix Point APUs launch in 2024 with RDNA 3+ and XDNA 2
• Read more: AMD's next-gen Zen 5 + X870E mobo leaked, expected in second half 2024
• Read more: AMD confirms next-gen Strix Halo APU: up to 16-core Zen 5, 40 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores

AMD should unveil its next-gen Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" Zen 5 desktop processors at Computex 2024, which is not even two months away now. We've seen motherboard makes like ASUS updating their higher-end AM5 motherboards recently, with new AGESA BIOS updates that add early support for Zen 5 processors.

We're not too far away now, folks; Zen 5 is getting closer with each day that passes... and I'm sure Intel is shaking in their boots, because if Arrow Lake (the new Core Ultra 200 series CPUs coming later this year) can't beat Zen 5... well, the battle is well and truly on at that point.