AMD launches AI PC processors

AMD has launched its new AMD Ryzen PRO 8040 Series and AMD Ryzen PRO 8000 Series AI PC processors for business laptops and mobile workstations.

AMD said the x86 processes provide more AI processing power than previous generations, with up to 16 dedicated NPU TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second) and up to 39 total system TOPS. 

“AMD delivers the broadest portfolio of AI technologies to address the needs of the modern business. As we continue to expand our AI PC leadership, we are bringing more power and efficiency to a wide array of desktops and mobile PCs,” said Jack Huynh, senior vice president and general manager, computing and graphics group at AMD.

“Our latest PRO series processors set a new standard for premium computing experiences and help businesses deploy AI capabilities across their PCs with leadership performance and security.” 

Ryzen PRO 8040 Series for laptops and mobile workstations

The Ryzen PRO 8040 Series for mobile devices feature eight cores, 4nm technology, and “Zen 4” architecture that AMD claimed offers up to a combined 30 per cent greater performance than Intel's Core Ultra 7 165U processer.

Select Ryzen PRO 8040 Series models featuring AMD Ryzen AI and AMD RDNA 3 graphics integrated on the chip deliver up to 72 percent faster performance and use 84 percent less power, AMD claimed.

The company also said PCs featuring the processor will be among the first to incorporate WiFi-7 technology.

The series includes the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS, which features eight cores, 16 threads, 24MB of cache, and Radeon 780M graphics.

"Designed with heavy processing power for resource-intensive applications, in technical computing, multimedia content creation, and discrete graphics, these processors can take on graphically demanding workloads like 3D rendering, video encoding and photo editing," AMD said in a statement.

The new Ryzen PRO 8040 Series mobile processors are expected to be available from OEM partners including HP and Lenovo starting in Q2, 2024.

Ryzen PRO 8000 Series for business desktops

The Ryzen PRO 8000 Series for desktops feature the world's first dedicated AI engine on select models, AMD claimed, and feature up to eight “Zen 4” cores on a 4nm process.

In select tests compared to the Intel Core i7 14700 processor, desktops featuring Ryzen 7 PRO 8700G processors provided an up to 47 percent increase in performance and three-fold better graphics performance, AMD said.

Desktops equipped with Ryzen PRO 8000 Series processors support DDR5 and PCIe 4, while Wi-Fi 7 connectivity is available on select models.

The Ryzen 8700G processor features eight cores and 16 threads, 24MB of cache and integrated AMD Radeon 780M graphics.

In competitive testing, AMD claimed the Ryzen 8700G offered up to 19 percent better performance and less power consumption than the Intel Core i7 14700.

The new Ryzen PRO 8000 Series Desktop processors are expected to be available in platforms from OEM partners HP and Lenovo, as well as from select channel partners starting in Q2, 2024.

OEM partners launch additional Ryzen PRO 8040 Series PCs

AMD said its OEM partners including Lenovo and HP are introducing more AMD Ryzen PRO 8040 and 8000 Series-powered laptops, mobile workstations and desktops.

At this year’s HP Amplify Partner Conference, HP announced a variety of devices featuring the new processors, including the EliteBook 805 Series G11 notebook, Elite Small Form Factor 805 G9 Desktop, and ZBook Power G11, among others.

“At HP, we’re continuing to spearhead a new era of personalized computing, working hand-in-hand with industry leaders like AMD to shape the future of technology,” said Guayente Sanmartin, SVP and division president of commercial systems and display solutions at HP

“With our continued collaboration, we’re excited to deliver the latest HP Elite and Pro PCs, and Z by HP mobile workstations, that equip our customers with high-performance computing solutions designed to tackle AI workflows.”

Earlier this year, Lenovo announced the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 with AMD Ryzen PRO 8040 Series processors.

In April, the company expanded its desktop portfolio to include the ThinkCentre M75s Gen 5, the ThinkCentre M75q Gen 5 and the ThinkCentre M75t Gen 5, all equipped with Ryzen PRO 8000 Series processors.

“The strong partnership between AMD and Lenovo enables us to deliver incredible cutting-edge technology to our customers,” said Sanjeev Menon, vice president and general manager, worldwide desktop nusiness in intelligent devices group at Lenovo.

“Our latest Lenovo ThinkCentre commercial desktop PCs powered by AMD Ryzen PRO 8000 Series Desktop Processors leverage AI to provide a superior level of performance and agility, while giving business users more choices to fit their needs. In fact, a recent Lenovo survey showed that nearly half of CIO respondents have a pressing need to integrate AI into their business operations, and these new ThinkCentre desktops will make AI for all possible.”