AMD’s next-gen CPUs set to be Ryzen 9000 – and here’s another clue that Zen 5 launch could be imminent

An AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D slotted into a motherboard
(Image credit: Future/John Loeffler)

AMD’s next-gen processors should be the Ryzen 9000 family, at least according to the details a motherboard manufacturer has spilled.

Gigabyte just published a press release online that specifically names AMD’s next-gen Zen 5 range as Ryzen 9000 – and not Ryzen 8000, the latter being another possibility aired on the rumor mill previously.

(Or Team Red could’ve changed up the entire naming scheme entirely – but that never seemed likely, and will doubtless be reserved for a time when the firm runs out of road with numbers, or there’s a huge change in CPU architecture that befits a new family name – or both of the above).

The Gigabyte press release, spotted by VideoCardz, states: “Gigabyte … a leading manufacturer of motherboards … released the latest AGESA 1.1.7.0 beta bios for the coming AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors boot-up support on Gigabyte AM5 X670, B650, A620 motherboards, and for present Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series processors as well.”

So, there you have it: Ryzen 9000 is the next stop for the Zen desktop CPU train.


Analysis: Third motherboard maker to prepare the ground for Zen 5

Of course, it’s possible that the author of this release at Gigabyte could have got something wrong, or made an assumption about the name – so add seasoning here – but that seems unlikely. This is an official announcement from Gigabyte, though it’s clearly jumping the gun – and it comes following a recent uptick in Zen 5 CPU rumors.

In short, it feels that with the speculation ramping up, Zen 5 chips are now imminent for the desktop, so the name is surely decided and cast in concrete – and Gigabyte has accidentally spilled it. (Or accidentally-on-purpose, so might argue, to grab a bit of limelight and coverage). It’s not the first time we’ve glimpsed a leak of the Ryzen 9000 name, either.

We should also bear in mind that both Asus and MSI have already updated firmware for their AM5 motherboards to support Zen 5, just as Gigabyte is doing here – although in this case, the vendors only mentioned ‘next-gen Ryzen’ rather than Ryzen 9000.

With all this preparatory work going on now, it looks very much like the rumored Q3 launch is on track, with a possible initial reveal at Computex 2024 in June. Ryzen 9000 CPUs could be out in July or August, possibly, which would be bad news for Intel, seeing as its desktop rival Arrow Lake processors are not expected to emerge until the very end of the year (and may not turn up in volume until early 2025).

You might also like

TOPICS

Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).

Read more
A PC Gamer looking happy sat in front of their desktop monitor
Think Ryzen 9000 CPUs are still a bit pricey? AMD just revealed a cheaper Zen 5 chip that could be perfect for your budget PC build
AMD Ryzen 5 2500X
AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU could be on sale soon – but I’m still worried about the price
AMD Ryzen 9950X
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D announced at CES 2025
AMD Ryzen 9000 3D chips
AMD officially announces price and release date for Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 9950X3D processors
Render of AMD Ryzen chip
AMD’s powerful Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D CPUs rumored to arrive on March 12 – but gamers will still be better off with the 9800X3D
An AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT on a table
What to expect from AMD in 2025
Latest in CPU
AMD Ryzen AI
New leak suggests AMD's working on an Arm-based processor to rival Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series
AMD Ryzen 9950X3D chip next to its packaging on a pink table
Asus' AI Cache Boost promises to "pump up" your AMD Ryzen 9000 processor's AI performance
An AMD Ryzen processor slotted into a motherboard
Future AMD-powered gaming handhelds and notebooks could miss out on a key feature – and it might be a deal breaker for gamers
John Loeffler holding the Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Great news! The best gaming CPU ever made is finally available for its original launch price again
The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 could power the latest generation of powerful mini PCs
The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 dominates as the "most powerful" APU on the market, but its competition is questionable
Intel Lunar Lake concept
Intel's Panther Lake processors won't arrive until Q1 2026 - corroborates previous delay rumors despite former Intel CEO's promise of 2025 launch
Latest in News
cheap Nintendo Switch game deals sales
Nintendo didn't anticipate that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was 'going to be the juggernaut' for the Nintendo Switch when it was ported to the console, according to former employees
Three angles of the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M4 laptop above a desk
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review roundup – should you buy Apple's new lightweight laptop?
Witchbrook
Witchbrook, the life-sim I've been waiting years for, finally has a release window and it's sooner than you think
Amazon Echo Smart Speaker
Amazon is experimenting with renaming Echo speakers to Alexa speakers, and it's about time
Shigeru Miyamoto presents Nintendo Today app
Nintendo Today smartphone app is out now on iOS and Android devices – and here's what it does
iPhone 13 mini
The iPhone mini won't be returning, according to rumors – and you think that's a mistake