AMD's next generation of desktop CPUs, the Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge", based on the new Zen 5 architecture, is closer than ever before. An image of the Zen 5 chip has been shared. The image of AMD's new Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" Zen 5 processors comes from user @ExperteVallah, who shared a photo of an ES (engineering sample) of an 8-core, 16-thread Zen 5-powered CPU.
The OPN ID of this processor is "100-000001290-11". It appears that 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 IHS that places all the capacitors on the outside of the IHS. Under the IHS, we don't know if this ES sample uses a solder or TIM-based connection between the IHS and the die, but we do know that high-end Ryzen CPUs have used gold plating under the IHS for improved heat transfer.
It is more likely that AMD will do the same with a new high-end Zen 5 processor. The alleged AMD Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" Zen 5 processor was previously spotted in the Einstein@Home and LHC@home databases. Both databases showed an 8-core, 16-thread engineering sample (ES) with the SKU "AuthenticAMD AMD Eng Sample: 100-000001290-11_N [Family 26 Model 64 Stepping 0]".
AMD is expected to unveil its next-generation Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" Zen 5 desktop processors at Computex 2024, which is less than two months away now. We've seen motherboard manufacturers like ASUS update their AM5 motherboards recently, with new AGESA BIOS updates adding early support for Zen 5 processors.