Fresh details have surfaced about AMD’s upcoming Magnus APU, the chip reportedly set to power Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox console. The information comes via the YouTube channel Moore’s Law is Dead, which shared what appear to be early specifications of the hardware.
Leaked Specs: AMD Magnus APU
According to the leak, the Magnus APU is built using a dual-chiplet design featuring:
- A 144mm² SoC die manufactured on TSMC’s N3P process.
- A 264mm² GPU die produced on either TSMC’s N3C or N3P node.
The integrated GPU (iGPU) reportedly includes 68 Compute Units (CUs) based on the RDNA 5 architecture—sometimes referred to as UDNA. The full GPU configuration features 70 CUs, though 2 CUs are expected to be disabled.
On the CPU side, the chip combines up to 3 Zen 6 cores and 8 Zen 6c cores, both built on TSMC’s N3P process. However, depending on yields and final design, some cores may be deactivated in the retail model.
Memory and AI Capabilities
Magnus is said to support GDDR7 memory across a 192-bit bus, with theoretical support for up to 48GB of VRAM. The final retail configuration will likely include less, though the exact amount remains uncertain.
The APU will also feature a built-in NPU (Neural Processing Unit) capable of 110 TOPS at 6W and 46 TOPS at 1.2W, highlighting Microsoft’s growing emphasis on AI-accelerated features within its hardware ecosystem.
Expected Power and Performance
While AMD hasn’t officially confirmed any thermal data, Moore’s Law is Dead estimates the Magnus APU’s TDP to fall between 250 and 300 watts—though this remains speculation.
The standout detail is the 68-CU GPU, which actually surpasses the 64 CUs found in AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT. Combined with the next-generation RDNA 5 architecture, this suggests the upcoming Xbox could deliver a substantial leap in graphics performance over current consoles.
Clock speeds have not yet been revealed, but if these numbers prove accurate, Magnus could be one of the most powerful console APUs ever designed.
According to reports, Microsoft is targeting a 2027 release for its next-generation Xbox, giving both AMD and Microsoft time to refine and optimise the Magnus APU for mass production.
