AMD Unveils Next-Gen Laptop Chips Using Last-Gen Architecture

AMD has unveiled its next-generation Ryzen 8000 processors, designed specifically for gaming laptops and led by the powerhouse Ryzen 9 8945HX. While the recently released Ryzen AI 300 series chips were built on the cutting-edge Zen 5 architecture, these new processors utilize the previous Zen 4 architecture. This move by Team Red introduces four high-performance processors, with the Ryzen 9 8945HX at the top, boasting 16 cores, 32 threads, and a boost clock of up to 5.4GHz. At the other end, the Ryzen 7 8745HX offers 8 cores, 16 threads, and a boost clock reaching 5.1GHz. These new chips closely mirror the specifications of their last-generation equivalents, such as the Ryzen 9 7945HX, which also features 16 cores and a 5.4GHz boost clock alongside 80MB of cache.

These new processors are tailored to pair seamlessly with the most advanced graphics chips in high-end gaming laptops. My earlier review of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile revealed performance limitations when coupled with the lower-power AMD Ryzen AI HX 370, despite its newer Zen 5 architecture. In contrast, the Ryzen 9 8945HX can be configured to operate between 55W and 75W, promising a significant performance uplift. Although a Zen 5 chip with the same power budget would have offered even greater performance, the Ryzen 8000 series still promises robust gaming capabilities.

If you've been holding out for AMD's latest processors to upgrade your gaming laptop, you won't have to wait much longer. These chips are expected to be integrated into high-end gaming laptops in the coming months. Below, I've detailed the specifications of the new Ryzen 8000 series processors:

AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX Specs

• CPU Cores: 16
• Threads: 32
• Boost Clock: 5.4GHz
• Integrated GPU: AMD Radeon 610M
• GPU Cores: 2
• Configurable TDP: 55W – 75W
• Total Cache: 80MB

AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX Specs

• CPU Cores: 16
• Threads: 32
• Boost Clock: 5.3GHz
• Integrated GPU: AMD Radeon 610M
• GPU Cores: 2
• Configurable TDP: 55W – 75W
• Total Cache: 80MB

AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX Specs

• CPU Cores: 12
• Threads: 24
• Boost Clock: 5.1GHz
• Integrated GPU: AMD Radeon 610M
• GPU Cores: 2
• Configurable TDP: 45W – 75W
• Total Cache: 76MB

AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX Specs

• CPU Cores: 8
• Threads: 16
• Boost Clock: 5.1GHz
• Integrated GPU: AMD Radeon 610M
• GPU Cores: 2
• Configurable TDP: 45W – 75W
• Total Cache: 40MB