AMD is gearing up to battle Intel’s new Core Ultra platforms with their own Ryzen 8040 series CPUs featuring integrated AI acceleration. Originally unveiled as Hawk Point last December, these new Ryzen mobile and desktop APUs tout upgraded neural processing units and graphics, posing a threat to Intel’s Meteor Lake dominance.
Most notably, AMD revealed performance comparisons showcasing the Ryzen 8000 series chips beating out Intel Core Ultra across several AI workloads, new 8040U mobile APU posts up to 79% faster performance on models like BERT and ResNet-50. AMD also highlighted strengths in content creation and gaming, with the integrated Radeon 780M GPU competing well against Intel Arc graphics.
Ryzen 8040U Combine 39 TOPS of Total AI Compute
The Ryzen 8040U series for laptops, launching in February, leverages higher NPU clock speeds to boost on-chip AI performance to 39 TOPS (trillions of operations per second). That’s up from 34 TOPS on the prior 7000 series. Along with the improved NPU, AMD integrates AI processing across the CPU and GPU for flexible acceleration.
In demos, AMD showed the 8040U with clear leads over the Core Ultra 7 155H on AI models like BERT, ResNet-50, CSRNet, and EfficientNet. While model tests don’t always correlate to real-world usage, it highlights the AI potential of the upgraded NPU. AMD still faces enablement challenges versus Intel’s software resources, but collaborations with Microsoft helps even the playing field.
Radeon 780M Integrated Graphics Compete with Intel Arc
AMD compared the Radeon 780M iGPU on the Ryzen 8040U to Intel’s new Arc discrete graphics on Meteor Lake. In 7 out of 15 games tested, from Fortnite to Call of Duty, the 780M achieved higher average frame rates at 1080p low settings. With only minor GPU improvements from the 7040U, AMD’s integrated graphics remain surprisingly capable against Intel Arc.
For creators, the 8040U also showed strong DaVinci Resolve scores, thanks to GPU-accelerated AI video upscaling. AMD claims an 85% advantage for the Ryzen APUs in this workload.
Desktop Ryzen 8000G Brings AI Acceleration to Desktop
AMD’s new Ryzen 8000G desktop APUs are the first to offer the Ryzen AI NPU on a mainstream desktop platform. Paired with Radeon graphics, the flagship 8700G achieves 39 TOPS for a potent AI PC solution.
Benchmarks show the 8000G series dominating Intel’s current desktop CPUs in integrated graphics. The 8700G provides up to 4X higher fps in games compared to the Core i7-1400K, opening affordable 1080p gaming to budget builders. AMD also compared the 8700G favorably to pairing a Core i5 CPU with a discrete GeForce 1650.
The Ryzen 8000 APUs Go Beyond GPU Compute
Between major NPU improvements and continued iGPU leadership, AMD is pushing Ryzen 8000 as the premiere AI platform. AMD showed off over 100 compatible “AI experiences” across leading software to highlight practical use cases. Real-world application will be key to adoption beyond benchmarks.
While Intel boasts greater scale with Core Ultra, AMD’s aggressive AI integration and timely launch keeps them competitive. Ryzen 8040U and 8000G series bring meaningful AI acceleration to laptops and desktops in an accessible way.
With software partners like Microsoft and Hugging Face optimizing for Ryzen AI, AMD can reach mainstream audiences eager to tap into AI’s potential. Backed by strong graphical muscle, Ryzen 8000 series bats back at Intel’s Meteor Lake, setting the stage for an AI chip battle royale in 2024!
