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AMD Ryzen 8040 Series "Hawk Point" Mobile Processors Announced with a Faster NPU

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AMD today announced the new Ryzen 8040 mobile processor series codenamed "Hawk Point." These chips are shipping to notebook manufacturers now, and the first notebooks powered by these should be available to consumers in Q1-2024. At the heart of this processor is a significantly faster neural processing unit (NPU), designed to accelerate AI applications that will become relevant next year, as Microsoft prepares to launch Windows 12, and software vendors make greater use of generative AI in consumer applications.

The Ryzen 8040 "Hawk Point" processor is almost identical in design and features to the Ryzen 7040 "Phoenix," except for a faster Ryzen AI NPU. While this is based on the same first-generation XDNA architecture, its NPU performance has been increased to 16 TOPS, compared to 10 TOPS of the NPU on the "Phoenix" silicon. AMD is taking a whole-of-silicon approach to AI acceleration, which includes not just the NPU, but also the "Zen 4" CPU cores that support the AVX-512 VNNI instruction set that's relevant to AI; and the iGPU based on the RDNA 3 graphics architecture, with each of its compute unit featuring two AI accelerators, components that make the SIMD cores crunch matrix math. The whole-of-silicon performance figures for "Phoenix" is 33 TOPS; while "Hawk Point" boasts of 39 TOPS. In benchmarks by AMD, "Hawk Point" is shown delivering a 40% improvement in vision models, and Llama 2, over the Ryzen 7040 "Phoenix" series.



At the hardware level, except the faster XDNA NPU, "Hawk Point" is essentially a refresh of "Phoenix," with generational increases in CPU clock speeds, and power management optimizations to ensure that the faster NPU fits within TDP envelopes typical of U-segment and P-segment mobile processors. The chip is built on the 4 nm EUV foundry node at TSMC. The monolithic silicon packs an 8-core/16-thread CPU based on the "Zen 4" microarchitecture. Each core comes with 1 MB of dedicated L2 cache, and the eight cores share a 16 MB L3 cache. The iGPU is carried over untouched from "Phoenix," including clock speeds, and retains iGPU model numbers from the previous generation. Based on the RDNA 3 graphics architecture, it packs 12 compute units worth 768 stream processors, 24 AI accelerators, and 12 ray accelerators. The iGPU meets DirectX 12 Ultimate API feature requirements.



The series is debuting with 9 processor models, 7 of which come with the faster 16 TOPS Ryzen AI NPU, but all of which come with minor CPU clock speed bumps over their predecessors from the Ryzen 7040 series. The series is led by the Ryzen 9 8945HS, with its 8-core/16-thread CPU boosting up to 5.20 GHz, followed closely by the Ryzen 7 8845HS that runs the same 8-core/16-thread CPU at 5.10 GHz max boost. The 8945HS and 8845HS come with configurable TDP ranging between 35 W and 54 W. The Ryzen 7 8840U comes with the same 5.10 GHz maximum boost frequency for the CPU, but with a tighter cTDP of 20 W to 30 W, since it's designed for the ultraportable segment. The 8945HS flagship and all Ryzen 7 SKUs come with a maxed out iGPU dubbed Radeon 780M, which has all 12 CU enabled.

The Ryzen 5 8645HS leads the Ryzen 5 series for this generation. All Ryzen 5 chips are configured with a 6-core/12-thread CPU that has 1 MB L2 cache per core, and an untouched 16 MB L3 cache. The chips also come with a slower iGPU branded Radeon 760M, which has 8 out of 12 CU enabled, worth 512 stream processors, 16 AI accelerators, and 8 ray accelerators. The Ryzen 5 8645HS is configured with a 5.00 GHz max boost frequency for the CPU, while the Ryzen 5 8640HS comes with a slightly slower 4.90 GHz max boost frequency. The 8645HS is designed to play with a cTDP range of 35 W to 54 W, while the 8640HS does 20 W to 30 W cTDP. The Ryzen 5 8640U is designed for ultraportables, with the same 4.90 GHz maximum boost frequency as the 8640HS, but a tighter 15 W to 30 W cTDP range.

At the bottom of the pile are the Ryzen 5 8540U and Ryzen 3 8440U. Both these chips lack the Ryzen AI NPU, and come with a highly cut down iGPU dubbed Radeon 740M, which is configured with just 6 CU (384 stream processors, 12 AI accelerators, 6 ray accelerators); and a cTDP range of 15 W to 30 W. The 8540U comes with a 6-core/12-thread CPU that boosts up to 4.90 GHz, while the 8440U has a 4-core/8-thread CPU that boosts up to 4.70 GHz.



AMD is coming up with a newer case badge design for the Ryzen 8040 series. The SKUs that come with the NPU are branded "Ryzen AI" on the case badge; while those without the NPU lack this "AI" bit.

With the Ryzen 8040 series "Hawk Point" processors, AMD is also introducing the Ryzen AI Software platform in earnest, so software developers can build and optimize their AI accelerated applications and software features to take advantage of the Ryzen AI hardware on the Ryzen 8040 and 7040 series processors that feature the XDNA NPU. The Ryzen AI accelerator supports AI models in industry-standard formats such as PyTorch, TensorFLow, and ONNX.


With this launch, AMD is attracting AI software developers with the AMD Pervasive AI Contest. It targets three classes of AI developers, Robotics AI (application such as computer vision and warehouse automation, with as many as 200 Kria KR260 Robotics Starter Kits up for grabs; the hotly contested Generative AI developers, with as many as 300 AMD Radeon Instinct PCIe compute accelerators or cloud instances up for grabs; and PC AI for client PC applications that utilize AI in everyday usecases. For this, AMD is giving away 200 Minisforum desktops powered by 7040 series processors.

The slide deck follows.


View at TechPowerUp Main Site
 

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What is Strix Point supposed to be? Ryzen 8050?

So while Mendocino and Rembrandt get rebranded and carried over to Ryzen 8000, Hawk Point completely supplants Phoenix in production? As it would make zero sense to have both in the same active lineup.

I hate rebrands as much as the next guy, but Phoenix really had a sad run, huh. Late to market and barely showed up outside handhelds and gaming laptops, and already being [technically] replaced just to capitalize on the AI frenzy.
 
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So AMD made new silicon and incremented the generation number just to introduce an updated AI feature, and then disabled it on several of the new models?

The 7540U had 4 CUs whereas this says the 8540U and 8440U have 6 CUs, so that's nice. If AMD's Z1 APU for handhelds had 6 CUs it might not have been a horrible product for its intended market.
 

tabascosauz

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The 7540U had 4 CUs whereas this says the 8540U and 8440U have 6 CUs, so that's nice. If AMD's Z1 APU for handhelds had 6 CUs it might not have been a horrible product for its intended market.

GPUs haven't changed. According to the slide those two are still 4CU parts because that's what 740M is. Just article typos @btarunr .

Same with Phoenix - 7540U is Phoenix-2 and therefore only capable of having 4CUs, while 7640U (vaporware) is based on Phoenix silicon and cut down to 8CUs from 12 (760M). But who knows if 8540U and 8440U are based off of gimped silicon (ie. PHX-2) or the full Hawk Point die? Could go either way.

edit: actually, it looks like 8540U and 8440U might be a literal shameless rebrand of PHX-2: no NPU at all.
 
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Bummer. Intel i3 models have 48 EUs, which is 1/2 the i7 models. If Intel keeps this trend with Meteor Lake than Intel's i3 Meteor Lake chips would have 128 EUs / 2 = 64 EUs, and should outperform AMD's 740M.
 

tabascosauz

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Bummer. Intel i3 models have 48 EUs, which is 1/2 the i7 models. If Intel keeps this trend with Meteor Lake than Intel's i3 Meteor Lake chips would have 128 EUs / 2 = 64 EUs, and should outperform AMD's 740M.

To be fair, Intel's got a fair bit of catching up to do. The current 96EU parts with their actual real-world memory configs fall in roughly around 660M level (6CU RDNA2), both of which are slightly faster than Vega 8. That's a fair bit of ground left to cover, 760M has been a surprisingly strong performer and 780M needs no introduction (even with its bandwidth/power limitations).

There has been a lot of cope from the Z1 crowd though, saying that the gap is not that big because 780M is too power/mem limited...........780M's loss is not 740M's win, the latter is still trash. Even worse, AMD still thinks it's Phoenix and therefore worth $$$ and so OEMs have been slotting it in as the 6-core option in Phoenix designs - just insulting. At least AMD is honest about Mendocino, 7540U has just been an attempt at highway robbery (see T14 Gen 4 and P14s Gen 4)

Looks like they want to pull off the same thing here - it's all "Zen 4 and RDNA3 and new NPU".........except you don't get the NPU and you get half the iGPU, which none of the laptop manufacturers will actually advertise properly because the top spec (8 core 12CU) will technically have those features
 
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I'm curious on how 8440u behaves VS the Steam Deck APU.
From what I could find the 8440u has less CUs in the GPU, but it's 4nm RDNA3 with VS 6/7nm RDNA2.
 
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I'm curious on how 8440u behaves VS the Steam Deck APU.
From what I could find the 8440u has less CUs in the GPU, but it's 4nm RDNA3 with VS 6/7nm RDNA2.
Another commenter pointed out to me that the 8440U uses the same chip as the 7440U, which uses the same chip as the Z1 (not Z1 Extreme). Several reviewers have bechmarked the Asus ROG Ally Z1 (not Extreme), and the results should be quite close to how the 8440U will perform.
 
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Another commenter pointed out to me that the 8440U uses the same chip as the 7440U, which uses the same chip as the Z1 (not Z1 Extreme). Several reviewers have bechmarked the Asus ROG Ally Z1 (not Extreme), and the results should be quite close to how the 8440U will perform.
But the # cpu cores/threads are different (and OS).
I'm looking for for a more "apples to apples" comparison between gens
 
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But the # cpu cores/threads are different (and OS).
I'm looking for for a more "apples to apples" comparison between gens
The Steam Deck APU wasn't a part of any particular generation. 4000 series was Zen 2 + Vega, 5000 series was Zen 3 + Vega, and 6000 series was Zen 3 + RDNA2. The Steam Deck APU is Zen 2 + RDNA 2. It's also optimized differently. That said, there are benchmarks out there directly comparing the Asus ROG Ally Z1 (not Extreme) to the Steam Deck, and those comparing the Steam Deck OS to Windows 11. And the core count difference won't matter in most games.
 
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Ooooohhh yeah, bring on the sexy new NNNNPU's for the awesome AI goooodness. Because who cares about better integrated graphics huh :wtf:
 
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So we'll have Phoenix and Phoenix 2 on desktop, and Hawk Point on mobile under the same name. Why, AMD? Why? :slap:
 
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Could someone savvy explain where/if CPU's AI/NP capabilities are possibly used by consumers today?
 
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Could someone savvy explain where/if CPU's AI/NP capabilities are possibly used by consumers today?
Yeah, right? We have GPUs with AI, now CPUs with AI, even Windows 12 will have AI, but what's in it for me? The only AI I ever see is DLSS and deepfake scam adverts on Youtube.
 
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Oh boy, let's launch a new product, the worthless NPU is faster than the old one!
 
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Yeah, right? We have GPUs with AI, now CPUs with AI, even Windows 12 will have AI, but what's in it for me? The only AI I ever see is DLSS and deepfake scam adverts on Youtube.
Welcome to corporate level FOMO

The fear of missing out on the next sales opportunity. And we wonder why the world goes to shit :)
 
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All this talk about A.I. This thing is going to come alive one day and its probably not going to be the best for humans lol
 
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All this talk about A.I. This thing is going to come alive one day and its probably not going to be the best for humans lol
Unless it goes down in history as the least utilised die area in the history of personal computing.
 
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