AMD Aims for AI Dominance: Ryzen 8040 and Beyond

At the “Advancing AI” event, AMD announced the first products of the Ryzen 8040 series mobile processors. Dubbed “Hawk Point,” this new generation represents an upgrade from the existing “Phoenix” Ryzen 7040 series. While retaining TSMC’s 4nm process and the original Zen 4 and RDNA 3 architectures, the series introduces a rebranded Ryzen AI, now known as NPU, using the XDNA architecture to enhance computational power from 10 TOPS to 16 TOPS.

In an interview with PCWorld, Jason Banta, AMD’s Vice President and General Manager of Client OEM, revealed that the first devices equipped with the Ryzen 8040 series will hit the market in the first and second quarters of next year. AMD aims to provide a clearer brand and naming scheme for the next generation of AI PCs.

The Ryzen 8040 series focuses on improved AI performance, but not all models feature an NPU. AMD has made this distinction clear to its partners and provided Ryzen AI stickers to help consumers easily identify devices with NPU. This initiative not only differentiates the new series from the older Ryzen 7040 but also simplifies the purchasing process for consumers, eliminating the need to consult comparison charts for information.