In the realm of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) processors, new information is surfacing regarding their upcoming 'Strix Point' mobile Zen 5 Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) and the 'Mega-APU' known as 'Strix Halo.'
These components are expected to incorporate a blend of Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. Notably, the 'Strix Halo' APU, intended for the AM5 platform, is rumored to boast up to 16 cores, aiming to elevate the APU segment by 2024 and present a challenge to existing discrete graphics cards. It is worth mentioning that the 'Strix Halo' will function as a standalone desktop processor rather than a successor to the AMD's Ryzen 7045 Dragon Range.
Moving on, the 'Strix Point' Ryzen 8000 APUs are projected to succeed the 'Phoenix' Ryzen 7000 series. These APUs are anticipated to feature four large Zen 5 processor cores along with up to eight Zen 5c cores. Informants Olrak29_ and kopite7kimi have initially disseminated these rumors, adding that a 'Strix Point' variant with 12 cores and 24 threads may also be in the works.
Additionally, AMD is expected to introduce a 'Strix Halo' series for laptops, potentially including up to sixteen Zen 5 cores, divided between two chiplets of eight cores each. This fuels speculations about AMD's interest in developing hybrid architectures for its CPUs, following the CTO's previous confirmation of intentions to launch processors with two types of cores. Beyond the 'Strix Point' and 'Strix Halo' APUs, AMD is reportedly working on Phoenix 2 APUs, which will combine Zen 4 cores with smaller, more power-efficient Zen 4c cores. These cores are expected to operate at lower clock speeds and consume less power. Previously AMD has shared some details about its Strix Point chips, stating that they will be based on the Zen 5 architecture and will include an integrated 'RDNA 3.5' GPU and a refined Ryzen AI engine. The chips are slated to be produced on an 'advanced node,' likely TSMC 3nm, with an anticipated release in 2024.
Regarding power consumption, one of the proposed Ryzen 8000 'Strix Point' APUs is rumored to have Thermal Design Power (TDP) values of 35 to 54 watts in the H-series and 15 to 30 watts in the U-series. With the efficiency of the Zen 5 and Zen 5c architecture, these TDP values could potentially be even lower. Precise specifications and release dates for these new processors remain uncertain, the continuous flow of rumors and reports from credible sources offers insight into AMD's future innovation and technology.
