AMD's MacBook Moment.

Summary

AMD launches the Ryzen AI HX series processors, aiming to compete with top brands in the laptop market. The new Zen 5 architecture features three processors with impressive specs, including a powerful NPU and configurable TDP. The Ryzen AI series shows efficiency and performance gains in multi-core tests, excelling in apps like Photoshop and Lightroom. However, gaming performance on integrated graphics needs improvement, and the 'AI' branding seems more of a marketing move. The processors show promise for future AI capabilities but currently have limited real-world applications.

Takeaways

• 🚀 AMD is launching a new series of laptops headlined by the Zen 5 architecture, aiming to compete with top brands like Intel, Apple, and Qualcomm.
• 🔋 Three processors are being launched: Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with 12 cores and 24 threads, HX 375 with a faster CPU, and Ryzen AI 9365 with two fewer cores and threads.
• 🌟 All processors share a more powerful Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and a configurable TDP of 15-54 Watts with a 28 Watts default setting, focusing on efficiency.
• 💻 The Ryzen AI series is designed to be power-efficient, which could make it a strong contender against Apple's M-series processors in the ultra-portable market.
• 📈 In performance tests, the Ryzen AI processors showed impressive efficiency and power consumption, outperforming the Intel Core Ultra 915h and other competitors.
• 🔧 The Ryzen AI 9365 consistently outperformed the technically faster HX 370 in certain tests, suggesting that not all performance metrics scale linearly with clock speed.
• 🎨 For applications like Photoshop and Lightroom, the new Zenbook laptops with Ryzen AI processors demonstrated significant performance improvements over other thin and light Windows laptops.
• 📊 Cinebench tests showed the Ryzen AI processors leading in multi-core performance, with the HX 370 and 365 significantly outperforming Intel CPUs.
• 🔧 The integrated video coding engine (VDC) in AMD's processors has been improved, now capable of outperforming Intel's Quick Sync for the first time.
• 🔋 While the Ryzen AI processors showed good performance on battery, there's room for improvement in power allocation to the integrated graphics during gaming scenarios.
• 🎮 In gaming tests, the Ryzen AI processors' performance varied, suggesting that power management strategies could impact their gaming capabilities.

Q & A

What is the main focus of AMD's new series of laptops?

The main focus of AMD's new series of laptops is to compete with the best from Intel, Apple, and Qualcomm in the light market, featuring the new Zen5 architecture.

What are the key features of the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor?

The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor features 12 cores and 24 threads, with clock speeds ranging from 2 GHz to 5.1 GHz.

How does the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 differ from the HX 370?

The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is essentially the same as the HX 370 but with a faster processing unit.

What are the similarities between the new Ryzen AI processors?

All new Ryzen AI processors share a vastly more powerful NPU than the previous generation and have a configurable TDP ranging from 15 to 54 watts, with a nominal default power setting of 28 watts.

How do the new Ryzen AI processors compare to Intel's Core Ultra 915h?

The Ryzen AI processors are intended to compete against Intel's Core Ultra 915h, but a better parallel would be the Core Ultra 165 and 155h due to similar power envelopes.

What is the significance of efficiency in the new Ryzen AI processors?

Efficiency is critical for ultra-portable laptops because low power leads to less heat production, making these laptops cooler and quieter.

How do the Ryzen AI processors perform in lightly threaded applications?

The Ryzen AI processors show a significant uplift in lightly threaded performance, matching or surpassing many other processors, except for Apple's highly tuned M3 processor.

How do the Ryzen AI processors fare in multi-core tests like Cinebench R23?

In multi-core tests like Cinebench R23, the Ryzen AI 9365 can match the 8840 HS while consuming less power, and the HX 370 achieves a significant lead.

What are the new integrated GPU features in the Ryzen AI series?

The new integrated GPU features in the Ryzen AI series include the revised RDNA 3.5 architecture, allowing these processors to beat Intel's Quick Sync in video encoding and decoding.

What are the implications of the new NPU in Ryzen AI processors?

The new NPU in Ryzen AI processors is powerful on paper but has little real-world use for most buyers at present, making it mostly a marketing feature.