AMD has unveiled its latest Ryzen AI 300 series ‘Strix Point’ APUs, designed to power the next generation of AI-driven laptops. These chips represent a significant leap forward in processing power, combining the strength of Zen 5 CPU cores, RDNA 3.5 GPU cores, and an XDNA 2 NPU for AI workloads. AMD first introduced the concept of an ‘AI PC’ processor with its Phoenix APUs in 2023, and has been steadily refining its technology. The Hawk Point APUs saw a boost in NPU performance, and now the Strix Point APUs take things to a whole new level, establishing themselves as the most powerful Copilot+ PC processors available.
AMD is taking a different approach with the Ryzen AI 300 series ‘Strix Point’ APUs, offering more flexibility for OEMs. Instead of relying on fixed TDPs for specific SKUs, AMD is allowing OEMs to customize the TDP of Strix Point APUs based on their needs, ranging from 15W to 54W. The ‘HX’ branding now signifies the best performing Strix Point APUs, while non-HX versions prioritize power efficiency.
The Ryzen AI 300 series ‘Strix Point’ APUs mark the debut of AMD’s new Zen 5 architecture, paired with RDNA 3.5 GPU cores and the XDNA 2 architecture for AI workloads. Zen 5 will also be featured in the upcoming Ryzen 9000 series ‘Granite Ridge’ desktop CPUs, slated for release in August. AMD has opted for a monolithic die for its Strix Point APU, built on TSMC’s 4nm process node. Each APU packs up to 12 cores and 24 threads, consisting of a mix of Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. Zen 5 cores are designed for maximum performance, while Zen 5c cores prioritize efficiency. These APUs boast impressive specifications, including up to 5.1GHz boost clock, 36MB of cache, a 50 TOPS NPU, and 16 CUs of RDNA 3.5 GPU.
The RDNA 3.5 GPU architecture has been enhanced with optimizations for performance per watt, perf/bit, and power management, extending the battery life of Strix Point APU-powered laptops. AMD emphasizes the growing importance of AI, and with the Ryzen AI 300 series ‘Strix Point’ APUs, AMD claims ownership of the Copilot+ PC ecosystem. This is largely due to the upgraded XDNA 2 NPU, capable of delivering an impressive 50 TOPS performance. This surpasses the performance of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series processors and is expected to outperform what Intel is projected to deliver with its upcoming Core Ultra 200V series ‘Lunar Lake’ processors, which are estimated to reach 45 TOPS.
AMD has initially launched two Strix Point SKUs: the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and the Ryzen AI 9 365. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 features a powerful combination of 4 x Zen 5 cores and 8 x Zen 5c cores, reaching up to 5.1GHz boost clocks, equipped with 36MB of cache (24MB L3 + 12MB L2) and a Radeon 890M GPU with 16 compute units or 1024 cores. This chip also boasts an industry-leading 50 TOPS NPU for AI workloads.
Compared to the previous generation flagship Ryzen 9 8945HS, the new Ryzen AI 300 series ‘Strix Point’ APUs demonstrate a significant improvement. They feature a 50% increase in cores and threads, a 33.3% increase in compute units, and a 3.12x increase in NPU performance. AMD highlights that its new XDNA 2 NPU features enhanced AI tiles, delivering a 2x improvement in multitasking capabilities for increased compute. Additionally, the new NPU is twice as efficient, specifically enhanced for GenAI workloads. These advancements lead to a 5x performance boost in LLMs compared to the previous generation.
While the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is impressive, there is an even higher-end model, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, featuring a slightly more powerful NPU with 55 TOPS for AI workloads. This model has been spotted inside the upcoming HP OmniBook Ultra laptop.
The second Strix Point SKU launched is the Ryzen AI 9 365 (non-HX), equipped with 10 cores and 20 threads that can boost up to 5.0GHz, boasting 34MB of cache and a Radeon 880M GPU with 12 compute units or 768 cores.
This chip combines 4 x Zen 5 cores and 6 x Zen 5c cores and delivers the same NPU performance at 50 TOPS from the XDNA 2-based NPU for AI workloads.
The launch of AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 series ‘Strix Point’ APUs marks a significant step forward in the development of AI-powered laptops, offering exceptional performance and paving the way for a new era of AI-driven computing.
