Skip to main content

How this potential CPU might embarrass the PS5

AMD CEO Lisa Su holding an APU chip.
AMD

AMD’s rumored Zen 5 laptop chips look very powerful, at least if you believe a recent post on the Chiphell forums (via VideoCardz). The APUs, code-named Strix Halo, are said to come with 40 Compute Units (CUs) of AMD’s RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, which is more than what you’ll find in the PlayStation 5.

According to the post, AMD is prepping two variants. One is supposedly a 16-core model packing 40 CUs for the GPU, while the other is a 12-core model with 32 CUs. The poster also shared performance estimates for these chips, showing the chip with 40 CUs performing about as well as an RTX 4060 Ti desktop GPU in 3DMark Time Spy.

If that all sounds a little too good to be true, it very well may be. These aren’t leaked specs — this is just a rumor posted on a forum. AMD has inadvertently confirmed the existence of Strix Halo through commitments to its open-source ROCm platform, but as for the specs or performance of these chips, we’re dealing in rumors.

Rumored performance for Strix Halo APUs.
Chiphell

Outside of core counts, the post also claims the GPU will be able to boost up to 3GHz, which is a higher clock speed than the PS5 boasts. There are other factors that influence the performance of the graphics on an APU — shared memory capacity and bandwidth chief among them — but it’s an impressive spec, if true.

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!

An alleged chip layout shared on the Chiphell forums shows that the GPU is more than twice the size of the two dies AMD is using for the CPU. It’s said to measure around 200m2, while the two CPU dies are said to measure around 80mm2 to 85mmeach. The post also claims the 16-core version will use two CPU dies and sport a maximum clock speed of 5.8GHz.

Given that this is an APU, the memory will be shared across the CPU and GPU, similar to the APUs inside consoles like the PS5 or Xbox Series X. The post claims these chips will sport a 256-bit memory interface utilizing LPDDR5X-8533, which would enable bandwidth of around 500GB per second. That’s an awfully similar configuration to what we find in current-gen consoles.

Rose-tinted specs?

Rumored layout of AMD's Strix Halo APU.
Chiphell

AMD is no stranger to powerful APUs, designing the chips inside not only current-gen consoles, but also handhelds like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally. These devices have different performance targets for different power ranges, but AMD certainly has the capacity to design a high-performance APU with strong integrated graphics.

If the specs hold up, the main issue facing these APUs would be thermals. The PS5 and Xbox Series X have exotic cooling solutions and much more room than a typical laptop. With more limited space, these rumored Strix Halo chips may not be able to reach their full potential in a portable PC. However, they are rumored to target high-end gaming laptops, which are typically larger and feature more aggressive cooling.

It will be a while before we know more about the specs. Rumor has it that AMD will launch Strix Halo in 2025, so there’s still a lot of time before we see how the chips shape up. This roundup of rumors on Chiphell could hold up, as various YouTube and X leakers have suggested, or it could be a bunch of hogwash. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Jacob Roach
Lead Reporter, PC Hardware
Jacob Roach is the lead reporter for PC hardware at Digital Trends. In addition to covering the latest PC components, from…
AMD Zen 5: everything we know about Ryzen 9000 and Ryzen AI 300
A hand holding AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X.

AMD Zen 5 is the next-generation Ryzen CPU architecture for Team Red, and its gunning for a spot among the best processors. After a major showing in June, the first Ryzen 9000 and Ryzen AI 300 CPUs are already here. AMD promises significant performance advantages for the new architecture that will give it a big leap in gaming and productivity tasks, and the company also claims it will have major leads over Intel's top 14th-generation alternatives, allowing it to compete among the best gaming processors.

Now that we've had the chips in hand for a while, here's everything you need to know about Zen 5, Ryzen 9000, and Ryzen AI 300.
Zen 5 release date, availability, and price
AMD originally confirmed that the Ryzen 9000 desktop processors will launch on July 31, 2024, two weeks after the launch date of the Ryzen AI 300. The initial lineup includes the Ryzen 9 9950X, the Ryzen 9 9900X, the Ryzen 7 9700X, and the Ryzen 5 9600X. However, AMD delayed the CPUs at the last minute, with the Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 showing up on August 8, and the Ryzen 9s showing up on August 15.

Read more
AMD might miss the big upgrade for next-gen gaming laptops
The AMD Ryzen CPU and Radeon GPU stickers on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 2022 laptop.

AMD's upcoming Zen 5-based Fire Range CPUs have finally broken cover, and we learned an interesting detail about the upcoming CPUs designed for gaming laptops. The CPUs are said to use the same FL1 packaging as Ryzen 7040HX CPUs, known as Dragon Range, according to a reputable leaker on the Weibo forums.

Pin-to-pin compatibility has been a big deal for AMD, not only for wider adoption in desktops, but also for easier upgrades in laptops. Although this is just a rumor, it certainly fits within AMD's strategy for gaming laptops. The problem is that AMD can ship these CPUs too quickly, and potentially miss out on the big GPU upgrade we expect to see in gaming laptops next year with RTX 50-series GPUs.

Read more
AMD is uncharacteristically restricting its awesome new CPU feature
AMD Zen 5 Tech Day.

AMD "Zen 5" Tech Day in Los Angeles, California, Wednesday July 10, 2024. (Photo by PaulSakuma.com Photography) AMD

AMD is introducing an exciting new feature for Ryzen 9000 CPUs called Curve Shaper -- and only to Ryzen 9000 CPUs. Curve Shaper is an additional layer of control over AMD’s Curve Optimizer, which can help you quickly dial in an undervolt or overclock on AMD’s Ryzen 5000 CPUs and newer. Curve Shaper is a new cutoff point.

Read more