Give it up for Ryzen AI Max+: AMD's Strix Halo uber-APU model list and preliminary specs have leaked out

Ryzen AI
(Image credit: AMD)

AMD has apparently gone full-on generic tech word salad for its upcoming Strix Halo uber-APU. We give you the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, not a new joint venture with Apple but the top chip in a range of unprecedentedly powerful APUs for laptops and hopefully desktops, too.

According to a Weibo post by the ever leaky Golden Pig Upgrade Pack account, we can initially expect three models of AMD's new high-performance APU. The aforementioned AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 rocks 16 Zen 5 cores and 40 RDNA 3.5 spec GPU compute units.

Next up is the Ryzen AI Max 390 sporting 12 cores and 40 compute units, with the Ryzen AI Max 385 bringing up the rear with eight cores and 32 compute units. For now, there's no information on clockspeeds and pricing. In fact, these chips are thought to be quite a while from launch and aren't expected to roll out until 2025.

However, it's thought that Strix Halo will be something of a departure from previous AMD APUs in taking a chiplet approach as opposed to being a single monolithic slice of silicon.

Previous Strix Halo rumours suggest it will be composed of a large main chiplet or SoC tile containing the graphics hardware, plus I/O, memory controller and perhaps an AI-accelerating NPU. AMD will then add to then one or two CPU core chiplets, which some sources say will be the very same Zen CPU chiplets seen in the new desktop Ryzen 9000 CPUs.

Another key feature is Strix Halo's 256-bit memory bus and roughly 500GB/s of memory bandwidth, shared between the CPU and graphics. In many ways, that's as big a deal as the relatively massive GPU. Previous AMD APUs have topped out with 128-bit busses, putting quite a cap on bandwidth.

For context, AMD's new monolithic APU for laptops, codenamed Strix Point and brand Ryzen AI minus the "Max" bit, has up to 16 graphics compute units. So, Strix Halo is on a completely different level. Arguably the big remaining question is the new uber-APU's power footprint and, in turn, what kind of devices it will be seen in.

Gaming-capable laptops seem like one obvious remit. But will it be efficient enough for thinner and lighter laptops? And what about handhelds? The CPU and graphics specs certainly look like the makings of an epic handheld. But are they actually too much in power consumption terms?

Your next upgrade

Nvidia RTX 4070 and RTX 3080 Founders Edition graphics cards

(Image credit: Future)

Best CPU for gaming: The top chips from Intel and AMD.
Best gaming motherboard: The right boards.
Best graphics card: Your perfect pixel-pusher awaits.
Best SSD for gaming: Get into the game ahead of the rest.

Might we also hope for a desktop version? Strix Halo in a small NUC-like box would be quite the thing, wouldn't it? Whatever, it's a slight pity that Strix Halo isn't expected until into 2025. Originally, rumours had it launching around about now, which would have made for quite the impact.

But a launch later in 2025 will mean that a new generation of discrete graphics cards will likely have appeared, moving expectations over graphics performance on at least some extent and perhaps compromising the value proposition of the new APU.

New discrete GPUs from AMD and Nvidia will also make that RDNA 3.5-spec graphics architecture look that little bit more dated. Still, a much more powerful—you might say games console-style—APU is certainly an intriguing prospect. We can't wait to see how the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 turns out. Even if it sounds like AMD ran out of ideas and raided the Apple parts bin of tech product naming schemes.

Jeremy Laird
Hardware writer

Jeremy has been writing about technology and PCs since the 90nm Netburst era (Google it!) and enjoys nothing more than a serious dissertation on the finer points of monitor input lag and overshoot followed by a forensic examination of advanced lithography. Or maybe he just likes machines that go “ping!” He also has a thing for tennis and cars.

Read more
AMD Strix Point APU chip, held in a hand, with the reflected light showing the various processing blocks in the chip die
AMD Ryzen AI Max is finally here: 'the most advanced mobile x86 processor ever created' with 40 RDNA 3.5 CUs and 16 Zen 5 cores
The 2025 revised release of the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 tablet floats in a mint green gradient void. It sits in a landscape orientation, propped up by a stand attached to its back. A lightweight tablet-style keyboard is also attached at the front of the device.
The new ROG Flow Z13 is ditching dedicated graphics but making up for it with AMD's next-gen Ryzen AI Max APU
Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 gaming laptop
AMD's throwing the considerably hefty Ryzen 9 9950X3D at gaming laptops and calling it a Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
AMD Strix Halo
3DMark benchmarks show off AMD's big daddy Strix Halo laptop chip in action and I'm a little underwhelmed
AMD Strix Point APU chip, held in a hand, with the reflected light showing the various processing blocks in the chip die
AMD's next-gen 'Gorgon Point' APU outted and seemingly sticks with RDNA 3.5 graphics which is disappointing for handheld gaming PCs if accurate
AMD Strix Halo
AMD says it took four goes to get its new Strix Halo uber APU right and that included designing new CPU dies that 'put Threadripper in the palm of your hands'
Latest in Hardware
A woman wearing a VR headset with dramatic, colourful lighting across the background
'World’s smallest LEDs' could lead to accurately lit screens with 127,000 pixels per inch and much more immersive VR
The NES themed 8BitDo Retro mechanical gaming keyboard on a blue background
I love the 8BitDo Retro C64 keyboard but I'd pick its cheaper NES-themed model near its lowest price ever during Amazon's Big Spring Sale
The snazzy red and black HyperX Cloud Alpha wireless headphones float in a teal void. The microphone is attached to the headset.
The best wireless gaming headset is now even better in the Amazon Big Spring Sale, boasting a more than $50 discount
A chip being held up in an Intel fab
Intel is reportedly 'working to finalize commitments from Nvidia' as a foundry partner, suggesting gaming potential for the 18A node
Amazon box
Don't panic! The 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings' option Amazon just removed was only used by 0.03% of customers and they can still have it
Digital generated image of people surrounded by interactive transparent and glowing panels with data. Visualising smart technology, blockchain and artificial intelligence
Now I shall demand the cookies! Proposed new browsing agreement turns the tables and lets users dictate terms to websites
Latest in News
A gigantic terracotta sentinel made of living armor
Total War: Warhammer 3's army of Cathay has broken containment and is making its way to tabletop Warhammer at last
Two brightly colored stormtroopers dressed like Run-DMC stand in front of PAX Australia's WELCOME HOME banner.
Tickets for PAX Australia 2025 are on sale now
An Enshrouded player in a recreation of Erebor from The Lord of the Rings
Kings under the Mountain! 33 Enshrouded players spent 10,000 hours to recreate this iconic location from The Lord of the Rings
A mech awakens.
Mecha Break developer is considering unlocking all mechs following open beta feedback
Lara Croft Unified Art
Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics lays off 17 employees 'to better align our current business needs and the studio's future success'
A long bendy arm stealing money from people in a subway car
'You're a very long arm. You steal things. It's a comedy game,' explains developer of comedy game where you steal things with a very long arm