AMD Unveils Next-Gen Gaming Laptop Chips Using Last-Gen Architecture

AMD has unveiled its next-generation Ryzen 8000 series processors, designed specifically for gaming laptops, with the flagship model being the Ryzen 9 8945HX. Unlike the Ryzen AI 300 series released earlier this year, these new chips are based on the previous-generation Zen 4 architecture.

AMD is introducing four new processors tailored for high-performance gaming laptops. The Ryzen 9 8945HX leads the pack with 16 cores and 32 threads, boasting a boost clock up to 5.4GHz. At the other end, the Ryzen 7 8745HX features 8 cores and 16 threads with a boost clock of 5.1GHz. These processors closely mirror the specs of their predecessors, such as the Ryzen 9 7945HX, which also has 16 cores and a 5.4GHz boost clock, along with 80MB of cache.

These new processors are set to be paired with the most powerful graphics chips in high-end gaming laptops. My review of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile earlier this year highlighted its performance struggles when coupled with the lower-power AMD Ryzen AI HX 370, despite the latter's newer Zen 5 architecture. In contrast, the Ryzen 9 8945HX can be configured with a TDP ranging from 55W to 75W, promising a significant performance boost. Although a Zen 5 chip with the same power budget might have yielded even better results, the Ryzen 8000 series should still offer robust performance for gaming enthusiasts.

If you've been holding out for AMD's latest processors to upgrade your gaming laptop, you can expect to see these chips in high-end models over the coming months. Below, I've detailed the specifications of the new processors for your convenience.

AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX Specs

• CPU Cores: 16
• Threads: 32
• Boost Clock: 5.4GHz
• Integrated GPU: AMD Radeon 610M
• GPU Cores: 2
• Configurable TDP: 55W – 75W
• Total Cache: 80MB

AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX Specs

• CPU Cores: 16
• Threads: 32
• Boost Clock: 5.3GHz
• Integrated GPU: AMD Radeon 610M
• GPU Cores: 2
• Configurable TDP: 55W – 75W
• Total Cache: 80MB

AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX Specs

• CPU Cores: 12
• Threads: 24
• Boost Clock: 5.1GHz
• Integrated GPU: AMD Radeon 610M
• GPU Cores: 2
• Configurable TDP: 45W – 75W
• Total Cache: 76MB

AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX Specs

• CPU Cores: 8
• Threads: 16
• Boost Clock: 5.1GHz
• Integrated GPU: AMD Radeon 610M
• GPU Cores: 2
• Configurable TDP: 45W – 75W
• Total Cache: 40MB