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AMD Hardware

AMD Blows Up Its Laptop CPU Numbering System (arstechnica.com) 19

Posted by BeauHD from the ctrl-z dept.
AMD is reverting to a simpler, more traditional numbering scheme for its laptop processors, abandoning its recent complex "decoder ring" system. The new system for Ryzen AI laptop processors will use a three-digit model number to denote generation and SKU, aligning more closely with industry norms. Ars Technica reports: For its new Ryzen AI laptop processors, codenamed "Strix Point," AMD is still using the same broad Ryzen 3/5/7/9 number to communicate general performance level plus a one- or two-letter suffix to denote general performance and power level (U for ultraportables, HX for higher-performance chips, and so on). A new three-digit processor number will inform buyers of the chip's generation in the first digit and denote the specific SKU using the last two digits. In other words, the company is essentially hitting the undo button.

Like Intel, AMD is shifting from four-digit numbers to three digits. The Strix Point processor numbers will start with the 300 series, which AMD says is because this is the third generation of Ryzen laptop processors with a neural processing unit (NPU) included. Current 7040-series and 8040-series processors with NPUs are not being renamed retroactively, and AMD plans to stop using the 7000- and 8000-series numbering for processor introductions going forward. AMD wouldn't describe exactly how it would approach CPU model numbers for new products that used older architectures but did say that new processors that didn't meet the 40+ TOPS requirement for Microsoft's Copilot+ program would simply use the "Ryzen" name instead of the new "Ryzen AI" branding. That would include older architectures with slower NPUs, like the current 7040 and 8040-series chips.

Desktop CPUs are, once again, totally unaffected by this change. Desktop processors' four-digit model numbers and alphabetic suffixes generally tell you all you need to know about their underlying architecture; the new Ryzen 9000 desktop CPUs and the Zen 5 architecture were also announced today. It seems like a lot of work to do to end up basically where we started, especially when the people at AMD who make and market the desktop chips have been getting by just fine with older model numbers for newly released products when appropriate. But to be fair to AMD, there just isn't a great way to do processor model numbers in a simple and consistent way, at least not given current market realities [...].
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AMD Blows Up Its Laptop CPU Numbering System More

AMD Blows Up Its Laptop CPU Numbering System

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  • I would be happy (Score:3)

    by rsilvergun ( 571051 ) on Monday June 03, 2024 @06:57PM (#64521329)
    If they could just make it easy to figure out what GPU is on the damn thing. It can be surprisingly difficult to figure out what integrated GPU you're getting with a given laptop
    • You could always ask AI or use a search engine, but Intel and AMD usually show the specs on their respective sites... And have done that for ages (going to the source is still a valid research method).

      https://www.amd.com/en/product... [amd.com]

      https://ark.intel.com/content/... [intel.com]

      Granted, you may actually have to click on a product to see exactly which model iGPU you have.

      And... If going to the source eludes someone, there is always wikipedia.. But you have to know it exists to use it as a reference.......
    • You mean "with Radeon Graphics" isnt informative enough?

      These are laptop CPU's. What you care about is what the laptop maker is saying about the GPU inside their laptop. If they havent made things clear, find a different brand to buy. In gaming laptops, the GPU integrated into the CPU (if any) is the slow one and isnt even advertised.

      Regardless there is going to be a wide performance variance among equals because memory configurations matters. AMD's best integrated is actually surprisingly good when you

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

        You mean "with Radeon Graphics" isnt informative enough?

        These are laptop CPU's. What you care about is what the laptop maker is saying about the GPU inside their laptop. If they havent made things clear, find a different brand to buy. In gaming laptops, the GPU integrated into the CPU (if any) is the slow one and isnt even advertised.

        Depends on the chip.

        My old work laptop had an AMD chip and it said "With Radeon Graphics". My new work laptop has an AMD Ryzen 7 Pro in it, and it now says "w/ Radeon 780M Grap

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Dwedit ( 232252 )

        Oddly, the integrated GPU on gaming laptops tends to be much better than other kinds of laptops. Then you don't even need it because you have a real GPU.

    • If they could just make it easy to figure out what GPU is on the damn thing. It can be surprisingly difficult to figure out what integrated GPU you're getting with a given laptop

      I know, it's very difficult to go to the AMD website, hover over processors, click laptop, then scroll down. It's hard to read an alphabetically sorted table showing you which features (including iGPU model) are on which CPU.

      How much easier do you expect them to make something than literally pasting a lookup table for you listing every product right on the generalised laptop page? Although I guess having to scroll down may be difficult. Oh wait. with one simply click, the website will take you straight ther

      • Sidenote: This was so easy to find I didn't even realise the damn website was in French. I don't even speak that weird arse language (damn VPN).

  • Or will we get a fifth digit within the next decade?

  • If you want to sell your product, don't put AI in the name. It has got to have the most negative connotation out of any term I can think of this year, especially after Microsoft's "Recall" fiasco. Was "AMD Ryzen Microplastics Edition" not available?
    Even from a tech standpoint, knowing nearly nothing about it, I'm thinking "Okay, so we don't do AI. What should I buy instead so I'm not paying for an entire chip die or something that I won't use? I don't pay for onboard GPUs in a chip if I'm using a dedicated

  • The value of model names and numbers is that they encapsulate a set of functionality. It's basically a brand within the brand. People know what they're getting. There are models that suit your needs and models that don't. Everybody's happy, or at least happier than they would be buying the wrong thing.

    When there get to be too many models, though, the model numbers cease to be very useful. You can't just walk into a store, or a virtual one, and ask for the thing you need. You have to carefully study the

  • In 2030, they will release the M10, M10 Pro, M10 Max and M10 Ultra processors. All will run at the same clock speed. All support the RAM you buy them with, no more, no less. All come with a fixed number of ports for each of the four models, supporting a fixed number of monitors. And in 2032, it will be M12 processors.

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