The Future of Strix Halo Portable Gaming Just Got More Interesting
For gamers dreaming of a powerful, portable PC that doesn’t need a bulky, power-hungry graphics card, AMD appears to have something special in the works. New leaks have uncovered two previously unknown processors, the Ryzen AI MAX+ 388 and 392, which belong to the highly anticipated “Strix Halo” family of APUs. These chips are designed to deliver a level of integrated graphics performance that could rival many discrete GPUs, potentially revolutionizing the design of gaming handhelds and ultra-compact PCs.
The information comes from a spotting in the PassMark benchmark database, which is generally reliable for confirming the existence of upcoming hardware. The leak suggests that AMD is preparing a more diverse lineup of these powerhouse APUs to cater to different performance and price points, giving device manufacturers more flexibility.
The Secret Sauce: Full-Power Graphics for All
The key differentiator for the MAX+ series is its “full” Radeon 8060S graphics. Both the new 388 and 392 models are confirmed to feature the maximum configuration of 40 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units (CUs). This is significant because it means that even the 8-core Ryzen AI MAX+ 388 will offer the same top-tier graphical horsepower as the flagship 16-core MAX+ 395 model.
This strategy clarifies AMD’s confusing “+” branding. It seems the “plus” isn’t about CPU power, but specifically denotes that the APU has the uncut, 40-CU graphics die. This allows AMD to offer different CPU core counts (8, 12, or 16 cores) while ensuring all “MAX+” variants provide the best possible gaming experience from the integrated GPU.
What This Means for Your Next Device
The emergence of these APUs is exciting news for anyone interested in the future of portable gaming and compact computing.
- For Gaming Handhelds: This could lead to a new generation of devices like the ASUS ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go that are significantly more powerful without increasing size or battery drain. The Ryzen AI MAX+ 388, in particular, with its strong 8-core CPU and top-tier iGPU, is a perfect fit for this market.
- For Ultra-Compact PCs: These APUs enable the creation of incredibly small desktop systems, sometimes called “mini-PCs,” that can handle serious 1080p and even 1440p gaming without any additional components.
Also, Read
- AMD Reassures Gamers – RX 5000 and 6000 Series GPUs Will Continue Getting Game Optimizations
- Intel’s Mysterious High-End Arc B770 GPU Reappears in Leaked Driver, Sparking Hope for Gamers
- AMD Officially Moves Popular RX 6000 and RX 5000 GPUs to “Maintenance Mode”
The first product spotted with the MAX+ 388 is a high-end 14-inch tablet, proving the versatility of the chip. For pure gamers, the hope is that these APUs will quickly find their way into more dedicated gaming devices, potentially offering flagship-level performance in a streamlined and potentially more affordable package. The era of the all-in-one gaming chip is accelerating.
Source: realVictor_M, cpubenchmark