AMD’s Next-Gen Ryzen 8000 APU Spotted With 12 Zen 5 Cores
In a significant development that promises to reshape the landscape of the CPU market, AMD’s latest offering, the Ryzen 8000 series, codenamed “Strix Point,” has been sighted. This new Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) is armed with 12 Zen 5 cores, indicating a substantial leap in processing power and performance. Let’s delve deeper into the specifics of this groundbreaking discovery.
AMD Ryzen 8000 “Strix Point” APU: Rumored Specs
The Ryzen 8000 Strix Point APU was recently spotted in the scientific database of MilkyWay@home, a project for distributed computing at the Computer Science Department of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. This sighting provides us with our first glimpse into the capabilities of this new APU.
The test processor, an engineering sample with the ID 100-000000994-03N, boasts 12 Zen 5 processor cores and 16 compute units based on RDNA 3.5. This could potentially be the top model of the Strix Point series, which is set to succeed the Ryzen 7040H Phoenix in notebooks.
Just like selected Phoenix chips, Strix Point APUs also possess a dedicated AI engine based on the xDNA architecture. The RDNA 3.5 iGPU has been upgraded, thanks to its 16 compute units, from 768 to 1024 shader units, while the structure remains monolithic.
Strix Halo: The Next Level
Above Strix Point, AMD is reportedly planning an even more powerful APU based on Zen 5, codenamed Strix Halo. This beast is expected to compete directly with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q, featuring up to 16 Zen 5 processor cores and a graphics unit with 40 compute units or 2560 shader units.
The graphics unit for this purpose is expected to rely on a revised RDNA 3.5 architecture and is also expected to appear with 32, 24, and 20 compute units. However, all this information should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are still rumors at this point.
A Look at the Numbers
Here’s a quick comparison between Strix Halo and Strix Point:
| Strix Halo | Strix Point | |
|---|---|---|
| Fabrication | TSMC N4 | TSMC N4 |
| Structure | Multichiplet module | Monolithic |
| CPU | Zen 5 (up to 16C/32T) | Zen 5 (up to 12C/24T) |
| GPU | RDNA 3.5 (up to 40 CUs, 2560 shaders) | RDNA 3.5 (up to 16 CUs, 1024 shaders) |
| L3 Cache | 64 MiByte | 24 MiByte |
| Memory | 256-bit LPDDR5X | 128-bit LPDDR5X |
| AI Engine | xDNA (up to 40 TOPS) | xDNA (up to 20 TOPS) |
| TDP | 25 to 120 watts | 15 to 45 watts |
AMD has officially confirmed Zen 5 and RDNA 3.5 (or RDNA 3+) on its notebook roadmap, but has yet to comment on individual series or their specifications. The new APUs are expected to be announced starting in the second half of 2024 and should continue into the fourth quarter. However, nothing is official in this regard yet.
I remember when I first started tinkering with CPUs, the idea of an APU was just a dream. Now, we’re looking at APUs that can compete with dedicated graphics cards. It’s an exciting time to be a tech enthusiast!
AMD Ryzen 8000 Series Zen 5 APU: Final Words
The Ryzen 8000 Strix Point APU is shaping up to be a game-changer in the world of processors. With its 12 Zen 5 cores and RDNA 3.5 graphics, it’s set to bring a new level of performance to notebooks. And with Strix Halo on the horizon, the future looks bright for AMD.
As always, I’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available. Until then, keep building, keep innovating, and most importantly, keep having fun with tech!
Note: This article is based on rumors and leaked information. The specifications and details mentioned are not officially confirmed by AMD.
News Source: Benchleaks
