The big picture: Microsoft is betting big on the so-called AI PC to initiate a new upgrade cycle among consumers, and most of its hardware partners seem to be on board. AMD, for one, has already unveiled its Zen 4-based Ryzen Pro 8000 and Ryzen Pro 8040 processors for AI PCs, and is now reportedly prepping an entirely new naming scheme for its Zen 5-based mobile CPUs meant for the next-gen computers.
The leak comes from tipster @harukaze5719, who spotted online listings by Asus that seem to reveal a new naming convention for AMD’s next-gen AI processors. According to the listings, Asus’ upcoming VivoBook S16 laptops could be powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 170, which is shown as a 12-core, 24-thread chip with max clock speeds of up to 5.1GHz. The listings also reveal up to 36MB of cache and up to 77 TOPS of Ryzen AI performance.
If the leak is accurate, the Zen 5-based Strix Point mobile processors will include the letters “AI” in their name for the first time, most likely to differentiate them from older lineups. The new naming convention is meant to indicate that the next-gen chips come with enhanced AI capabilities, including an integrated NPU and more. The name also denotes the processor class (U, H, or HX) and includes a numerical component to indicate the product grade.
Seriously? AMD?
AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 170https://t.co/FpAOLnG62h pic.twitter.com/fjHk53MeGC
– í¬ìÂÂí¬ì (@harukaze5719) May 7, 2024
The listings do not reveal the names or details about any other SKUs, but they suggest that AMD is likely to use the AI branding across most of its next-gen mobile processor lineup. If that’s the case, we could see Ryzen AI 5, Ryzen AI 7, and Ryzen AI 9 series CPUs in “AI PCs” from various manufacturers in the future. AMD and its OEM partners will hope that the new nomenclature will help move more PCs, but its effect on end consumers remains to be seen.
It is worth noting that neither AMD nor Asus has officially confirmed the new “AI” branding for AMD’s next-gen mobile processors but that’s likely to happen at next month’s Computex 2024 event in Taiwan, where Asus is expected to unveil its VivoBook S16 laptops.
