AMD unveils Ryzen Pro 8000 series chips with built in NPUs
These processors feature Zen 4 CPU cores and RDNA 3 graphics architecture, although it's worth noting that some entry-level models may lack the Ryzen AI feature.
AMD continues to expand its processor portfolio with the introduction of the Ryzen Pro 8000 series, which includes models equipped with AI acceleration hardware. Building upon the foundation laid by the Ryzen 8000G series launched in January, these new processors are designed to meet the needs of both desktop and mobile users.
The Ryzen Pro 8000 series includes desktop chips and the Ryzen Pro 8040 for mobile devices, alongside Pro variants of the previously released 8000G chips. What sets the Pro chips apart is their additional functionality tailored for professional use.
This includes features such as Microsoft Pluton for encryption, enhanced memory protection, improved ECC support, Secure Encrypted Virtualization, and remote management capabilities.
One of the standout features of the new Pro 8000 series is its AI processing power, with desktop variants offering up to 39 TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second) and mobile variants offering up to 16 TOPS.
These figures surpass the AI processing capabilities of Intel’s 14th Gen processors, especially considering the lower power consumption of AMD’s chips, which have Thermal Design Power (TDP) ratings ranging from 45 to 65 watts.
Manufactured using TSMC’s 4nm node, the Ryzen Pro 8000 series benefits from improved efficiency compared to its predecessors, which were based on the older 5nm node. These processors feature Zen 4 CPU cores and RDNA 3 graphics architecture, although it’s worth noting that some entry-level models may lack the Ryzen AI feature.
The inclusion of NPUs (Neural Processing Units) in the Ryzen Pro 8000 series enables efficient acceleration of various tasks, including email summarization, response composition, voice assistant functionality, and image/video enhancement. NPUs offer superior power efficiency compared to GPUs for these types of workloads.
Leading PC manufacturers such as Lenovo and HP are set to introduce laptops powered by Ryzen Pro 8040 and 8000 series processors, as well as mobile workstations and desktop systems.
Microsoft plans to leverage the NPU capabilities for its Copilot feature, further highlighting the potential of AMD’s new processors in enhancing productivity and performance across a range of computing tasks.
