AMD Ryzen AI Software Update: A Deep Dive into Strix Halo and Kraken Point Chips

In the ever-evolving landscape of computer hardware, AMD continues to push the boundaries with its latest advancements. The recent release of Ryzen AI software version 1.2 heralds the arrival of five new central processing units (CPUs), including the highly anticipated Strix Halo and Kraken Point chips. These new processors are set to compete against the best CPUs in the market, showcasing AMD’s commitment to innovation and performance. The patch notes for this update reveal that one of the chips is based on AMD’s older Phoenix silicon, while the other four are all-new Zen 5 offerings. This article delves deep into the specifications, potential applications, and market implications of these groundbreaking processors.

Among the new chips, two stand out due to their new steppings: Strix Point A0 and B0. However, the real excitement surrounds the completely new designs codenamed Strix Halo and Kraken. Strix Halo is an upcoming Zen 5 Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) that aims to compete directly with Apple’s M-series silicon. Leaks have shown that this chip is incredibly powerful, boasting up to 16 Zen 5 cores and an integrated GPU (iGPU) that can rival the PlayStation 5. Initially, it was believed that Strix Halo would offer 45-50 tops of NPU performance, but a new leak suggests it will have at least 70 tops of performance. This is a significant leap, offering 20 more tops than AMD’s current Ryzen AI 300 mobile CPUs.

The Strix Halo chip is expected to feature either LPDDR5X or LPDDR5 memory operating on a wide 256-bit interface. Some configurations of Strix Halo have been shown with an impressive 128GB of memory. This level of performance and memory capacity positions Strix Halo as a formidable contender in the high-performance computing space. On the other hand, Kraken refers to AMD’s leaked Kraken Point mobile APUs, which are rumored to arrive in 2025. These new Zen 5-powered chips will succeed the Hawk Point series and compete with Intel’s upcoming Lunar Lake architecture. Kraken Point will prioritize power efficiency, featuring four Zen 5 cores and four Zen 5c cores, 16MB of L3 cache, and an RDNA 3.5 iGPU with up to 8 compute units.

While Kraken Point may not match the raw power of AMD’s current Ryzen AI 9 300 series processors, which have up to four Zen 5 cores, eight Zen 5c cores, 24MB of L3 cache, and up to AMD’s Radeon 890M with 16 CUs, it will still offer substantial performance improvements over its predecessors. The latest update for Ryzen AI software is clearly laying the groundwork for the release of Strix Halo and Kraken Point next year. This move underscores AMD’s dedication to advancing their technology and maintaining a competitive edge in the CPU market. Aaron Klotz, a contributing writer for Tom’s Hardware, emphasizes that this update will allow users to receive the best news and in-depth reviews straight to their inbox.

The Strix Halo (STXH) represents a new segment for AMD, offering high-end performance and powerful graphics. It will have as many cores as the Ryzen 9000 ‘Granite Ridge’ but also feature a discrete-level integrated GPU. The Kraken Point (or Krackan) is a next-generation low-power APU, replacing the Hawk Point. Both of these new APUs have been seen in AMD software and drivers. The Strix Halo has been officially confirmed by AMD, but the Krackan has not yet been named. It has been spotted in a graphics driver update, listed as GFX1152. This will be the third APU to feature AMD RDNA3.5 graphics. The good news is that the Krackan has now appeared under its official codename in Ryzen AI software 1.2.

The Ryzen series will be updated with the Strix Halo, featuring up to 16 classic Zen 5 cores and up to 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units. This could potentially replace the need for low-end GPU series on the AMD platform. The Krackan is an 8-core processor with 4 Zen 5 and 4 Zen 5c cores. It has fewer cores compared to the Halo, with only 8 compute units. It is expected to be a good upgrade for products like the Van Gogh APU used in the Steam Deck. Both the Strix Halo and Kraken Point have appeared in leaked Clevo roadmaps. They are expected to be released in 2025 and feature the XDNA2 processor, like the Strix Point.

AMD’s focus is on their Strix Point chips, which are said to beat Apple in chip performance. However, a different and more powerful chip from AMD has emerged. This chip, known as Strix Halo, was listed on Geekbench and reported to have stellar performance. The performance stats for the Strix Halo chip were leaked by a Twitter bot called @benchleaks. Another Twitter user, @hxl, linked the test results to the upcoming Strix Halo chip. The Strix Halo is an APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) chip that targets AI performance. This APU combines the CPU and GPU into a single chip, similar to how Apple’s M-series chips operate.

The performance of the Strix Halo chip could have significant implications for the average user. Geekbench 6 scores are typically higher than Geekbench 5, so the Strix Halo’s performance is even more impressive. The Strix Halo outperformed the Macbook Air 13 M3 on Geekbench 6, despite its disadvantage. However, the Macbook Pro M3 scored slightly higher than the Strix Halo on Geekbench 6. The Macbook Air M3 Max had an incredible Geekbench 6 score of 20,863, beating the Strix Halo. These Geekbench 6 scores are not final representations of the performance of the Strix Halo chip. The Strix Halo is rumored to launch at CES 2025 and is expected to compete with the Apple M4.

A Taiwanese manufacturer claimed that the Strix Halo’s GPU is comparable to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060. This means that regular laptops with the Strix Halo chip could be as strong or stronger than some gaming laptops. It would be exciting to see the Strix Halo in a handheld gaming PC like the Asus ROG Ally X. Meanwhile, AMD’s Strix Point chips, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and Ryzen AI 9 365, will be available in laptops starting Sunday. Rami Tabari, the editor of Laptop Mag, reviews all types of laptops and technology. The performance potential of the Strix Halo chip is highly anticipated and could have a significant impact on the market.

AMD’s next-generation laptop CPU design, Strix Halo, is highly anticipated and expected to be a big leap in GPU power. The benchmark data for Strix Halo has been leaked, but there are still many unanswered questions. Strix Halo is a powerful CPU design with an integrated GPU that will be used in future gaming laptops, with a launch date set for CES 2025. Previous leaks about the AMD Strix Halo GPU and diagram have already hinted at its power. This new benchmark leak is the first to include actual benchmark data. The leak comes from a well-known source of benchmark leaks, Geekbench.

Geekbench allows users to upload their test results, so it often reveals new hardware before it is officially announced. The leak was spotted by a user on Twitter and the product is listed as ‘AMD Eng Sample: 100-000001422-31_n.’ Another Twitter user claims that this is the ‘STX Halo’ chip. The listed chip has eight CPU cores running at a clock speed of 5.36GHz and 32MB of L3 cache, which is higher than current-gen AMD laptop CPUs. Previous rumors suggest that Strix Halo will be available in six to sixteen core configurations and could have up to 40 GPU compute units. However, this leak does not mention any details about the GPU.

The benchmark scores vary, with one test showing a record-breaking single-core score but a low multi-core score. Another test shows a lower single-core score but a very fast multi-core score. The benchmarks were run on Linux instead of Windows and no power settings were mentioned. Despite the speculation, the high numbers suggest that the hype surrounding Strix Halo may be justified. For more information about upcoming AMD CPUs, check out the Zen 5 guide, which includes details about the new Ryzen 9000 and Ryzen AI 300 chips. AMD is constantly pushing the boundaries with its CPU designs, making it an exciting time for tech enthusiasts.

The launch of Strix Halo, along with the already highly anticipated Strix Point chips in the Ryzen AI 300 series, is set to further cement AMD’s place in the laptop market. With CES 2025 just around the corner, we can expect to learn more about Strix Halo and its capabilities in the near future. AMD has officially announced support for their next-generation Zen 5-powered Strix Halo & Krackan Point ‘Ryzen AI’ APUs, set to launch in 2025. The company has recently released their latest Ryzen AI software 1.2, with optimizations for laptops running on Ryzen AI processors. The software also gives a sneak peek at upcoming silicon revisions for the Strix Halo and Krackan Point APUs.

The Strix Halo, with a multi-chiplet design based on the Zen 5 architecture, is aimed at high-end notebooks and will feature up to 16 cores and powerful integrated graphics. The Krackan Point APU will also feature the Zen 5 architecture, but with a monolithic design and a hybrid architecture of Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. The Krackan Point will have a maximum of 8 compute units, compared to the 40 compute units in the Strix Halo. The APUs will use the same FP8 socket and support both DDR5 and LPDDR5X configurations. The lineup will also feature the new XDNA 2 ‘Ryzen AI’ NPUs, offering 50-55 tops.

The Krackan Point APUs will replace the Hawk Point APUs and are expected to have a TDP range of 15w-45w. These APUs are likely to be used in handheld gaming devices and could potentially be available in the first half of 2025. The RDNA 3.5 graphics on these APUs will offer a significant performance boost compared to RDNA 3. Both the Strix Halo and Krackan Point APUs are expected to launch in 2025, alongside the Fire Range CPU with the same FL1 package as the Dragon Range. This is not the first time there has been talk about the Krackan Point APUs, as they were previously seen in an open-source Linux driver in June. This suggests that AMD may reveal them at CES 2025.