Part 8/12:
Starting with Zen architecture in 2017, AMD launched a seismic shift. The Zen design boasted a 40% IPC (instructions per clock) uplift—an incredible feat that allowed AMD to leapfrog Intel in performance. The new architecture was modular: it used chiplets (small, interconnected cores built with TSMC’s 7nm process) connected via AMD’s high-speed Infinity Fabric, enabling higher yields, scalability, and easier future upgrades.