The CES in Las Vegas is bringing some exciting news for 2025. A great example is the new and impressive Nvidia RTX 5090, which was just revealed. However, it’s time to shift focus from GPUs to CPUs. AMD also wants to make its mark and has updated a significant portion of its processor lineup for desktop PCs, laptops, and portable consoles.
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Unlike Nvidia, AMD has not announced official prices or release dates, though it has confirmed that most of the new products presented at CES will be available by the first quarter of 2025, before March 31.
The presentation was divided into three main sections: the new Ryzen 9 series for desktop computers, the new mid-range and high-end Ryzen AI chips for laptops, and the highly anticipated Ryzen Z2, which will be used in portable consoles in 2025.
As expected, there were comparisons with Intel, particularly in the high-end category for gaming and work processors. In fact, AMD boldly claimed at its conference that it now has the “best processor in the world for gaming.”
AMD Ryzen 9 9950XD3: The New Beast
AMD has kicked off the year with a strong start, introducing two new chips in the Ryzen 9000 series: the 9950XD3 and the 9900XD3. Both will be available in the first quarter of 2025, but unfortunately, their pricing remains a secret for now.
The company emphasized that both processors are designed to deliver an exceptional experience in gaming, as well as in tasks with high CPU demands. In other words, the new AMD Ryzen 9 chips are perfect for both gaming and work without requiring major compromises.
In fact, AMD has positioned the new Ryzen 9 9950XD3 as the top processor for both gaming and content creation. The following image highlights its performance, comparing it to the Intel Core i9 285K, which is its main competitor.
According to AMD’s own estimates, the Ryzen 9 9950XD3 is 8% faster than the 7950XD3 in gaming and 13% faster in work-related tasks.
Processors & Main Features
AMD Ryzen 9 9950XD3
- 16 cores (32 threads)
- 5.7GHz Zen 5 CPU
- 144MB L3 cache
- 170W peak power
- 3D V-Cache
AMD Ryzen 9 9900XD3
- 12 cores (24 threads)
- 5.5GHz Zen 5 CPU
- 140MB L3 cache
- 120W peak power
- 3D V-Cache
More Advanced Laptops Thanks to the Next Generation AMD Ryzen AI
AMD has also updated its laptop processor lineup with both mid-range and high-end series. All of these processors are Copilot+ certified, making them an excellent choice for running AI-based tools at the highest standards.
This new series of processors sets the stage for some exciting AMD-powered laptops in 2025. Notably, it promises significant advancements in AI for mid-budget laptops. The Ryzen AI 7 350 and Ryzen AI 5 340 are great examples of this progress.
Ryzen AI 7 350 and Ryzen AI 5 340 Specifications
Ryzen AI 7 350
- 8 cores (16 threads) Zen 5 and 5C CPU at 5.0GHz
- 24MB cache
- Integrated Radeon 860M GPU
- 50 AI TOPS (peak)
- 54W maximum power
Ryzen AI 5 340
- 6 cores (12 threads) Zen 5 and 5C CPU at 4.8GHz
- 22MB cache
- Integrated Radeon 840M GPU
- 50 AI TOPS (peak)
- 54W peak power
Moving up to the high-end, we find processors from the same AI 300 series, but with significantly more advanced features. AMD has introduced a total of 4 chips, forming a complete series of options for manufacturers. Additionally, the AI Max+ and Max+ Pro models come with integrated GPUs featuring up to 40 cores, allowing users to go without dedicated graphics cards in many cases.
Ryzen AI Max+ Series Specifications
Ryzen AI Max+ 395
- 16 cores (32 threads) 5.1GHz Zen 5 CPU
- 80MB cache
- 50 TOPS (peak) AI
- Peak power: 120W
- Integrated 40-core GPU
Ryzen AI Max+ 390
- 12 cores (24 threads) 5.0GHz Zen 5 CPU
- 76MB cache
- 50 TOPS (peak) AI
- Peak power: 120W
- Integrated 32-core GPU
Ryzen AI Max+ 385
- 8 cores (16 threads) 5.0GHz Zen 5 CPU
- 40MB cache
- 50 TOPS (peak) AI
- Peak power: 120W
- Integrated 32-core GPU
Ryzen AI Max+ 380
- 6 cores (12 threads) 4.9GHz Zen 5 CPU
- 22MB cache
- 50 TOPS (peak) AI
- Peak power: 120W
- Integrated 16-core GPU
Ryzen Z2: The New Generation of Chips for Portable Consoles
Two years ago, AMD launched the Ryzen Z1 chips, which were similar to the processors used in ultra-thin laptops but optimized for the portable consoles of the time. Today, AMD is updating the series with the Ryzen Z2. While not drastically different, the Ryzen Z2 chips offer exciting new options for manufacturers like ASUS and Steam.
The new series, set to appear in portable consoles in 2025, looks like this.
AMD Ryzen Z2 Series Specifications
AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme
- 8 cores (16 threads) 5.0GHz Zen 5 and 5C CPU
- 24MB cache
- 35W peak power
- Integrated 16-core GPU
AMD Ryzen Z2
- 8 cores (16 threads) 5.1GHz Zen 5 and 5C CPU
- 24MB cache
- 30W peak power
- Integrated 12-core GPU
AMD Ryzen Z2 Go
- 4 cores (8 threads) Zen 5 and 5C CPU at 4.3GHz
- 10MB cache
- 30W peak power
- Integrated 12-core GPU
