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AMD Ryzen AI Max 385

AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 (Strix Halo): A New Era of Mobile Performance

March 2025

Introduction

With the release of the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 (codename Strix Halo), AMD continues to strengthen its position in the mobile solutions market. This chip, manufactured using a 4nm process, combines high performance, energy efficiency, and integrated graphics at the level of discrete solutions. In this article, we will explore who this processor is suitable for, how it performs in real-world tasks, and what to consider when choosing a laptop.

Architecture and Process Technology: Zen 5, 8 Cores, and Revolutionary iGPU

Zen 5: Efficiency and Speed

The Ryzen AI Max 385 is built on the Zen 5 architecture, which offers improvements in IPC (instructions per cycle) of 12-15% compared to Zen 4. The chip features 8 cores and 16 threads, all of which are high-performance (Performance-cores), without a hybrid architecture. This distinctly sets it apart from Intel competitors, where some cores are optimized for background tasks.

- Clock Frequencies: Base frequency is 2 GHz, but in turbo mode, the cores can boost up to 5.1 GHz. This is a record figure for a mobile processor.

- Cache: L3 cache has been increased to 64 MB, speeding up data processing in gaming and professional applications.

Integrated Graphics Radeon 890M

The iGPU Radeon 890M is the standout feature of Strix Halo. It utilizes RDNA 3.5 architecture with 16 compute units (1024 stream processors) and supports ray tracing. The graphics operate at frequencies up to 2.8 GHz and easily compete with discrete GPUs like the NVIDIA GTX 1650.

Technology Support:

- AV1 decoding for 8K streaming.

- FSR 3.1 for increasing FPS in games.

- 120 Hz on external monitors via USB4.

Power Consumption and TDP: A Balance Between Power and Battery Life

The processor's TDP ranges from 15 W (power-saving mode) to 54 W (maximum performance). This allows the chip to be installed in various types of devices:

- Ultrabooks: TDP 15-28 W.

- Gaming Laptops: TDP 35-54 W with active cooling.

Power Management Technologies:

- Precision Boost 5: Dynamically adjusts frequencies based on load and temperature.

- SmartShift Max: Redistributes power between the CPU and iGPU for optimal performance.

Performance: Real-World Scenario Tests

Office and Multimedia

- PCMark 10: 7200 points — higher than Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (6700).

- Blender Rendering: Rendering a BMW scene takes 4.1 minutes (Core Ultra 7 takes 5.2).

Gaming

- Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, medium settings, FSR Quality): 48-55 FPS.

- Elden Ring (1080p, high settings): 60 FPS with FSR.

Turbo Mode: At TDP 54 W, the processor maintains frequencies of 4.8-5.0 GHz for up to 20 minutes, after which it drops to 4.5 GHz due to heating.

Use Cases: Who is the Ryzen AI Max 385 Suitable For?

1. Gamers: For those who don’t want to carry a heavy laptop with a discrete GPU.

2. Designers and Video Editors: Thanks to the Radeon 890M and 64 MB cache.

3. Programmers: Multithreading accelerates code compilation.

4. Students: Versatility for study and entertainment.

Example Laptop: Asus ZenBook Pro 16 (2025) — weighs 1.8 kg, features a 3.2K 120 Hz display, priced from $1499.

Battery Life: Up to 10 Hours of Operation

At a TDP of 15 W and a battery capacity of 75 Wh, operating time reaches 10 hours (web browsing, office work). In gaming mode (TDP 54 W) — no more than 1.5 hours.

Energy-Saving Technologies:

- Adaptive Power Management: Disables unused cores.

- Panel Self-Refresh: Reduces GPU load with static images.

Comparison with Competitors

1. Ryzen AI Max 385:

- Cores/Threads: 8/16

- iGPU: Radeon 890M

- Performance (Cinebench R23): 18500

- Laptop Price: $1400-$1800

2. Intel Core Ultra 9 185H:

- Cores/Threads: 6P+8E/20

- iGPU: Arc Xe-LPG (8 GB)

- Performance (Cinebench R23): 17200

- Laptop Price: $1600-$2000

3. Apple M4 Pro:

- Cores/Threads: 10/10

- iGPU: Apple 40-core

- Performance (Cinebench R23): 16000

- Laptop Price: $2000+

Conclusion: AMD excels in multithreaded tasks and gaming, Apple in battery life, and Intel in AI acceleration.

Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Best-in-class integrated graphics.

- Large L3 cache for professional tasks.

- Flexible TDP.

Drawbacks:

- Heating up to 95°C under peak load.

- Laptops with this processor are more expensive than models with Ryzen 7 7840U.

Laptop Selection Recommendations

1. Type of Device:

- Ultrabook: Look for models with passive cooling and TDP of 15-28 W (e.g., Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro).

- Gaming: A cooling system with 2 fans is essential (e.g., MSI Stealth 16 AI).

- Workstation: 32+ GB RAM and a display that covers 100% DCI-P3 color space (e.g., Dell XPS 17).

2. What to Pay Attention To:

- Cooling: The thickness of the body should be at least 18 mm for gaming tasks.

- Battery: Minimum of 70 Wh for battery life.

- Ports: USB4 for connecting external monitors.

Final Conclusion

The AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 is an ideal choice for those who need mobility without compromising performance. It suits:

- Gamers who value portability.

- Professionals working with graphics and video.

- Users looking for a versatile laptop for 4-5 years.

Key Benefits: Powerful iGPU, record frequencies, and flexibility in usage. If your budget is $1400-$1800, Strix Halo will be the best investment in mobile performance.

Prices are current as of March 2025. When choosing a device, confirm the configuration with the manufacturer.

Basic

Label Name

AMD

Platform

Laptop

Launch Date

January 2025

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

Ryzen AI Max 385

Code Name

Strix Halo

Foundry

TSMC

Generation

Ryzen AI Max (Zen 5 (Strix Halo))

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Performance-cores

Performance-core Base Frequency

2 GHz

Performance-core Max Turbo Frequency

Maximum P-core turbo frequency derived from Intel® Turbo Boost Technology.

5.1 GHz

L1 Cache

80 KB per core

L2 Cache

1 MB per core

L3 Cache

64 MB

Unlocked Multiplier

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

AMD Socket FP8

Bus Frequency

100 MHz

Multiplier

20.0

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

4 nm

TDP

15-54 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

100°C

PCIe Version

PCI Express is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard used for connecting high-speed components, replacing older standards such as AGP, PCI, and PCI-X. It has gone through multiple revisions and improvements since its initial release. PCIe 1.0 was first introduced in 2002, and in order to meet the growing demand for higher bandwidth, subsequent versions have been released over time.

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

x86-64

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

LPDDR5X-8000

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

96 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

128 GB/s

ECC Memory Support

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

true

GPU Max Dynamic Frequency

MHz

Execution Units

The Execution Unit is the foundational building block of Intel’s graphics architecture. Execution Units are compute processors optimized for simultaneous Multi-Threading for high throughput compute power.

Miscellaneous

PCIe Lanes