3
AMD has announced a new nomenclature for its Ryzen processors for laptops. If this change brings more details on the nature of the chips, it does however complicate their reading by novices.
CPU BOMs have always been a real headache for the public looking for a computer or just a retail chip. If the assiduous followers of the CPU world are able to find and understand the technical information that makes up these clusters of transistors, it must be admitted that reading the references often gives little information to the rest of humanity.
So far, regarding AMD processors, we understood that the first number given to Ryzen corresponded to the generation of the processor. The second and third gave an indication of the positioning in the range, and the suffix made it possible to categorize the energy class. A valid idea until the manufacturer had the brilliant idea of mixing genres: a mobile Ryzen 5000 can be based on Zen 2 as well as Zen 3 architecture, for example. A point which, it seems, has been identified by AMD teams who have decided to review the nomenclature of its processors for laptops.
The new nomenclature for mobile Ryzen processors will go live as early as 2023. © AMD
The designations Ryzen 3, 5, 7 and 9 will always be used. On the other hand, the meaning of the numbers is quite different from the previous one. The first number thus corresponds to the year of release of the series (7 for 2023, 8 for 2024, etc.). The second corresponds to the segment, as before: the higher it is, the faster the processor. The third — this is new — will give an indication of the architecture used (4 for Zen 4, 5 for Zen 5, etc.). The fourth and last digit allows you to give a little more latitude on given declinations (a 5 for a slightly faster reference, for example). Finally, the suffix uses the current letters: HX for very high performance chips, HS for high performance, U for thin laptops, C for Chromebooks and “e” for computers without fans.
The idea is commendable, because it will give more indications, it is still necessary to have the guide in front of you to understand something. Typically, if AMD persists with its bad habits, we may well find Ryzen 7000 series mobile processors under Zen 3 and Zen 4 architecture. Suffice to say that the general public will have a hard time understanding the extent of the difference between hypothetical Ryzen 5 7640U and Ryzen 5 7630U, for example.
Example of planned categorization for Ryzen 7000 mobile processors in 2023. © AMD
This nomenclature is obviously not intended to last ad vitam aeternam, the transition to the Zen 10 architecture undoubtedly setting the limit with, for example, the possibility of having a Ryzen 7 137100HS. Extensive program!
Still, this change in nomenclature will take place in 2023 with the arrival of the Ryzen 7000 for laptops. Chips for desktop computers are not currently affected, nor are the mobile Ryzen 6000s, which are slow to take their place massively in laptops for the start of the 2022 school year.