AMD's Ryzen 8000HX processors are now available in laptops, though you may not notice a significant difference.

      AMD has recently broadened its range of top processors for laptops by launching the Ryzen 8000HX series. These CPUs are expected to be featured in some high-end gaming laptops set to debut in the next few months. However, there may not be significant advancements compared to the 7000HX series.

      Though these CPUs are new, they are not entirely a “new” product line. They are essentially a refresh of the Dragon Range series known as the Ryzen 7000HX series, built on Zen 4 architecture. For context, Zen 5 chips are already present in laptops; these belong to the Fire Range generation and are still relatively new, which might make them hard to find in stores.

      Regarding the Ryzen 8000HX series, the specifications of the new chips are nearly identical to those of the previous generation. It remains uncertain how they will outperform the older models, but AMD assures ultra-fast and smooth gameplay alongside solid performance for demanding tasks.

      These new processors come with RDNA 2 integrated graphics and utilize the Radeon 610M iGPU. In practice, they are likely to be paired with top-tier graphics cards, including Nvidia’s RTX 50-series. These are high-performance chips meant for laptops that consume a considerable amount of power, so they will not be found in ultrabooks; instead, they will be incorporated into larger, power-hungry laptops.

      So, what’s new in terms of specs? There are four CPUs to explore: the Ryzen 9 8945HX, Ryzen 9 8940HX, Ryzen 7 8840HX, and the Ryzen 7 8745HX. These chips feature configurations ranging from 16 to 8 cores. The two flagship models boast 16 cores and 32 threads, with peak clock speeds of 5.4GHz (8945HX) and 5.3GHz (8940HX), and a total of 80MB of combined cache.

      Additionally, the 12-core Ryzen 7 8840HX has a maximum clock speed of 5.1GHz and 76MB of combined cache. Lastly, AMD will offer the Ryzen 7 8745HX with 8 cores, 16 threads, a boost frequency of 5.1GHz, and 40MB of cache. All chips have varying thermal design power (TDP), with the two 16-core variants ranging from 55 to 75 watts and the other two from 45 to 75 watts.

      Without any benchmarking of these CPUs, it's difficult to determine how they compare to their non-refresh versions. However, based on pricing, they could present a cost-effective alternative to the forthcoming Fire Range CPUs.

      Monica is a computing writer at Digital Trends, concentrating on PC hardware. Since joining the team in 2021, she has contributed various articles.

      In the realm of AMD’s Zen 5 CPU sales, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D accounts for almost all of the units sold. Recent sales data from German retailer MindFactory shows that this gaming-optimized processor makes up nearly 90% of all Ryzen 9000-series sales. The figures indicate that consumers significantly favor this model over others in the lineup.

      In January 2025, MindFactory reported a total of 25,625 CPU sales, with AMD claiming 92.16% of the market share—amounting to 23,615 units. In contrast, Intel only sold 2,010 processors, emphasizing AMD's strong position in the consumer market.

      A recent YouTube video has highlighted the performance of AMD's Ryzen Z2 Go chipset, aimed at budget gaming handhelds. Part of the new Ryzen Z2 lineup, the Z2 Go was tested on a Lenovo Legion Go S and compared to last year's Z1 Extreme used in the Asus ROG Ally X.

      Based on gaming performance data from FPS VN, the Z2 Go experiences some limitations compared to the Z1 Extreme. In Black Myth: Wukong, it recorded 36 fps compared to 40 fps at 15W, 30 fps against 32 fps at 20W, and 60 fps versus 64 fps at 30W. In Cyberpunk 2077, the Z2 Go produced 50 fps compared to 54 fps at 15W, 45 fps versus 47 fps at 20W, and 61 fps compared to 66 fps at 30W. Similarly, in Ghost of Tsushima, the Z2 Go achieved 62 fps against 66 fps at 15W, 48 fps versus 52 fps at 20W, and 62 fps versus 66 fps at 30W. While the performance gap is minimal, it remains consistent at around 7–10% across all tested titles.

      At this juncture, AMD has solidified its position as the leader in gaming processors, taking the opportunity to showcase its success at CES 202