AMD's top Strix Point Halo APU could have 16 Zen 5 cores in 2 x CCDs, mirroring Ryzen 9000 CPUs

Fresh revelations on the rumor mill about the highest-end next-gen APUs from AMD have prompted excitement levels around Strix Point Halo to spike upwards.

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These could be excellent chips for gaming laptops, SFF PCs, and more besides (Image Credit: Pexels)

If the info taken from the Chiphell forums is correct - and we should definitely add a whole load of salt to these claims, as it isn't the most reliable source in our experience - the Strix Point Halo APU will bristle with 16 cores.

In fact, this processor will supposedly run with a pair of CCDs with 8 cores apiece, meaning it'll be an APU with 16 full Zen 5 cores - effectively using the same chiplets that will be deployed inside 'Granite Ridge' (likely Ryzen 9000) next-gen desktop CPUs - quite a prospect.

That engine will be backed up by powerful integrated graphics, with a GPU that has 40 CUs in the flagship 16-core APU, and apparently one with 32 CUs in the 12-core chip next down the pecking order. The integrated GPU will be RDNA 3+ (or RDNA 3.5 as it's also referred to - a refresh of RDNA 3, and a modest step up).

As VideoCardz reports, we are told that the 40 CUs top-end graphics solution should come close to equalling the RTX 4070 mobile GPU - or at least some 3DMark scores indicate that's the case.

Specifically, that's in Time Spy, though ray tracing tests like Port Royal show more of an advantage for NVIDIA's mobile graphics, which comes as no surprise at all.

A-OK APUs

If you're wanting to avoid the expense of a discrete GPU and have a powerful all-in-one solution that's going to perform well with 1080p gaming, then Strix Point Halo could be ideal - especially if these rumors pan out.

There could be some excellent compact PCs in the cards using these APUs, and indeed they'll be seriously impressive for slimmer gaming laptops too - or budget gaming PC builds in general.

We should see Strix Point APUs launch this year, but sadly, rumor has it that Strix Point Halo could be some way behind, with an anticipated 2025 release.

Mind you, Strix Point will still be fast, and among other things, will drive forward considerably with a much peppier NPU. Just like Intel's Lunar Lake, the NPU for Strix Point is expected to hit around 45 TOPS - as that's the requirement for Microsoft's AI PC branding.

The incoming Snapdragon X Elite is also at that level, and initially, this might be the only SoC good enough to support AI Explorer, the new feature inbound with Windows 11 24H2 - until Strix Point and Lunar Lake arrive, that is.