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Sony and AMD Share First Details on Next-Gen Console Technology

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  Published in Science and Technology on Thursday, October 9th 2025 at 13:21 GMT by Thurrott
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Sony and AMD Reveal the Blueprint for Next‑Generation Gaming Consoles

In a highly anticipated joint presentation early this year, Sony and AMD pulled back the curtain on the next wave of console hardware, offering a rare glimpse into the technology that will power the next generation of PlayStation and Xbox systems. The announcement—delivered in a packed press conference that streamed worldwide—revealed a blend of cutting‑edge CPU and GPU architecture, custom silicon, and a vision for immersive, high‑fidelity gaming that will redefine the home‑entertainment experience.

A Partnership Forged on Shared Vision

The partnership between Sony Interactive Entertainment and Advanced Micro Devices has already produced two of the most powerful consoles on the market today: the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X. Both consoles use AMD’s RDNA 2 GPU and Zen 2 CPU cores under the hood, but the recent press release announced that the duo will be taking the collaboration one step further. Sony will commission a new custom ASIC (application‑specific integrated circuit) that incorporates AMD’s proven hardware, while retaining Sony’s control over the system‑level design that determines how those components interact.

In an interview with the Sony CTO, Mark Cerny, he explained that “the next‑gen platform will need to balance raw performance with power efficiency, and a custom silicon design lets us target those trade‑offs exactly.” AMD, in turn, highlighted the flexibility of its RDNA 2 and Zen 2 cores, saying the partnership gives them a “unique opportunity to iterate on the architecture for a truly consumer‑centric experience.”

Key Technical Highlights

GPU: RDNA 2‑Based Custom Design

Sony’s custom ASIC will use AMD’s RDNA 2 GPU core, but with a higher compute unit count and a new shading pipeline tuned for game workloads. While the current PlayStation 5 offers 36 compute units for 10.28 TFLOPs of performance, the next‑gen architecture is projected to bump that figure by roughly 30 %—moving toward 13 TFLOPs in real‑time scenarios. The GPU will also feature:

• Advanced Ray Tracing – Built‑in hardware acceleration for ray‑traced reflections, shadows, and global illumination, with a target of 8–10 ms latency on 4K displays.
• Variable Rate Shading (VRS) – Allows the GPU to reduce shading workload in less noticeable screen regions, improving overall performance without compromising visual fidelity.
• Hardware‑Accelerated Temporal Anti‑Aliasing (TAA) – Reduces shimmering on moving objects and high‑contrast edges.

CPU: Zen 2‑Based Custom Design

The custom silicon will also include a 8‑core, 16‑thread AMD Zen 2 CPU, clocked at 3.2 GHz in a 2.5‑mm process. Sony confirmed that the CPU will incorporate:

• Custom Cache Hierarchy – A larger L3 cache (up to 32 MB) to keep data in the processor’s “mind” and minimize memory bandwidth pressure.
• Integrated Memory Controller – Direct access to high‑bandwidth GDDR6 memory, reducing latency.
• Low‑Power Modes – Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling that allows the console to stay within a 250 W power envelope during peak workloads.

Memory and Storage

Sony’s next‑gen platform will ship with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, delivering a theoretical bandwidth of 448 GB/s—more than double the 448 GB/s of the current PS5. The memory will be split between system RAM and a dedicated high‑speed “video RAM” for textures and frame buffers, allowing the GPU to fetch data almost instantly.

On the storage side, Sony confirmed a custom NVMe SSD that can sustain up to 7 GB/s of sequential reads, a 3‑fold improvement over the current 5.5 GB/s. Coupled with a new “game streaming” feature that offloads background asset loading to a secondary SSD, load times are expected to drop to a single‑digit second window for most games.

Audio and Connectivity

The new console will bring Dolby Atmos support to a broader range of games, providing full‑stage audio on consumer soundbars. On the connectivity front, Sony will feature an upgraded USB‑C controller hub that supports 8‑Gbps data transfer, enabling faster controller pairing and faster firmware updates.

Why This Matters for Developers and Gamers

The announcement goes beyond raw numbers. Sony and AMD’s collaboration represents a strategic alignment that will shape game development for the foreseeable future. By locking in a single hardware foundation—an RDNA 2‑based GPU paired with a Zen 2 CPU—developers will be able to optimise their engines once, confident that the same architecture will underpin both PlayStation and Xbox systems. This cross‑platform parity will make it easier to build games that look stunning on both consoles without having to re‑engineer for different hardware.

For gamers, the implications are equally exciting. The increased GPU power and higher memory bandwidth translate directly into richer visual detail—realistic ray‑traced lighting, smoother frame rates, and the ability to run games at native 4K with 120 Hz refresh rates. Coupled with ultra‑fast SSDs, players will no longer endure the “loading zone” that often interrupts the flow of a game.

Follow‑Up Resources

• Sony’s Official Blog – The full press release is posted on Sony Interactive Entertainment’s corporate website, providing technical diagrams of the custom ASIC and a breakdown of power consumption targets.
• AMD’s Technical Whitepaper – An in‑depth PDF titled “RDNA 2 for Next‑Gen Consoles” is available on AMD’s developer portal, which explains how the GPU’s architectural improvements enable efficient ray tracing.
• Developer Forums – Sony and Microsoft have set up joint forums where developers can ask questions about the new platform’s APIs and performance guidelines.

Looking Ahead

While the exact launch date of the next‑generation console remains under wraps, industry analysts estimate a release window of 2025‑2026, a few years after the current PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Sony’s commitment to custom silicon suggests that the company is looking to differentiate its platform not only in performance but also in user experience, with features such as enhanced haptics, adaptive triggers, and VR integration on the horizon.

In the broader context of the gaming ecosystem, the Sony‑AMD partnership signals a move toward a unified, high‑performance hardware foundation that will drive innovation across the industry. Whether it’s the next blockbuster title, a new virtual‑reality adventure, or an indie gem that exploits the full breadth of the platform, players can expect a level of fidelity and responsiveness that has, until now, been the province of high‑end PCs.

For now, the details have been unveiled, the roadmap has been sketched, and the next chapter of console gaming is poised to begin. The world will be watching—and playing.