LifeinTECH

This is a very interesting time for Windows-based laptops, with ARM-based architecture becoming viable, new processors from Qualcomm (Snapdragon), AMD (Strix Point) and eventually Intel (Lunar Lake), alongside new hardware/software capabilities focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Over the past few months, I have been testing the new Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, which is ARM-based, not x86-64. Specifically, I have access to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11. Overall, I have been very impressed by the results, with both devices delivering excellent performance, battery life and thermal efficiency in a compact design (equivalent to the Apple MacBook Air, etc.)

As a direct response, AMD recently released the AMD Ryzen AI 300 series of processes (codename Strix Point), which are the first to be based on their next-generation Zen 5 architecture. In theory, these new processors will deliver for x86-64 laptops all of the benefits offered by the ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite.

I have been testing the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (horrible name), which is the flagship mobile processor, targeting a configurable TDP (cTDP) of 15-54W.

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is built on the TSMC 4nm FinFET technology and includes 4x Zen 5 and 8x Zen 5c cores, providing a total of 12 physical cores and 24 threads. The processor can deliver a single-core boost speed of up to 5.1GHz for the Zen 5 cores and up to 3.3GHz for the Zen 5c cores.

This is the first time AMD has produced a “big.LITTLE” design, with the inclusion of Zen 5c cores, which should help deliver better battery life and thermal efficiency across common workloads (e.g., productivity, collaboration, etc.)

In addition, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 includes the new AMD Radeon 890M graphics, built on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, with 16 cores and a frequency of 2.9GHz.

Finally, the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) has been improved, delivering 50 TOPS for local AI workloads. This is above the Microsoft Copilot+ PC requirement of 40 TOPS, but AMD devices are not yet Copilot+ PC branded.

Overall, this specification is very impressive and certainly (on paper) rivals anything offered by Qualcomm or Intel. Full details regarding the specification of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, including connectivity options, can be found on the AMD website.

I have been testing the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with the Asus ProArt P16. The full specification can be found below:

• Asus ProArt P16 (H7606)
• AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (12C/24T)
• 64GB LPDDR5x (7500 MT/s) Memory
• 2TB NVMe M.2 SSD
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 8GB GDDR6 (105W)
• 16-inch WQUXGA OLED Touch Display (3840x2400 @ 60Hz)
• Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

The Asus ProArt P16 is a high-performance laptop designed for creative workloads (hence the ProArt branding). However, it is surprisingly compact considering the specification (including a discrete GPU) and the 16-inch OLED display.

It also includes a massive array of connectivity, including USB 4 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1, SD-Express 7.0, etc. This makes the Asus ProArt P16 highly versatile, removing the need for any dongles or hubs.

The focus of this article is the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. However, I will state the built quality of the Asus ProArt P16 is excellent, supported by premium materials and a dense, rigid chassis. The keyboard and large trackpad are both very good (unfortunately, the trackpad is not haptic).

My only critique regarding the hardware is the 60Hz refresh rate, which is acceptable, but for a laptop of this quality, it would have been nice to see a higher refresh rate (e.g., 120Hz).

If you are interested in the Asus ProArt P16, I would recommend watching the review from Andres Vidoza.

Outlined below are the performance numbers for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, running on Windows 11 24H2 (26100.1457) and the “standard” power profile.

The numbers are compared against the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and Microsoft Surface Pro 11, running the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100) and the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch, running the Apple M3.

The first series of benchmark results were running on mains power.

The second series of benchmark results were running on battery.

As you can see, the single-core and multi-core performance numbers in Geekbench 6 are good. They are comparable to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite but fall slightly below the market-leading Apple M3 for single-core performance.

The performance when running on the battery was also competitive against the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite. This is a positive sign, as in my experience, older AMD and Intel (x86-64) processors include a significant performance impact when not connected to mains power.

Amazingly, the Apple MacBook Air continues to demonstrate its dominance regarding power efficiency, delivering nearly 100% of the performance regardless of the power source (which is remarkable).

Graphics performance is where the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 demonstrates its strength, with the integrated AMD Radeon 890M graphics delivering double the performance of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and easily outperforming the Apple M3.

The integrated AMD Radeon 890M graphics power their way through productivity and collaboration workflows without any hiccups, and can even play modern games (1080p) at respectable quality settings and frames per second. This is an exciting prospect for future ultra-portable and handheld gaming devices (like the Steam Deck) that could be based on the AMD Ryzen AI 300 series of processors.

In addition to the excellent integrated graphics performance, the AMD Radeon 890M can also output high resolution, and a high refresh rate via HDMI 2.1, including my Samsung G95NC Odyssey Neo G9. This was not possible with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X or Apple M3 (the Apple M3 Pro and M3 Max are both capable of 7680x2160 at 120Hz).

Regarding thermal efficiency, the Asus ProArt P16 includes a standard heatsink/fan setup. This is notable, as comparable Intel-based laptops from Asus are usually equipped with a more robust vapour chamber. Even with the heatsink/fan setup, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 runs reasonably cool (on average at 76C), with minimal fan noise during common workloads (e.g., productivity and collaboration). The fans are audible during more demanding tasks, such as gaming, however, this is to be expected and (in my opinion) acceptable.

Finally, although I have not tested it objectively (I simply use the laptop) the battery life of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has been very good, rivalling the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite. This is a major step forward for x86-64 laptops.

With that said, my initial testing highlights that the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite is more efficient when on standby (< 5% battery drain overnight). By comparison, x86-64 laptops are notoriously bad at maintaining battery life when not in use (in your bag or overnight). This can be a huge pain when travelling and therefore still an important consideration for anyone who values long standby times.

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 does appear to deliver better standby efficiency than previous generations but still drains at a higher rate than I would want.

In conclusion, I believe AMD has successfully produced a mobile processor that delivers excellent performance, specifically graphics performance, alongside strong battery life and thermal efficiency (low fan noise).

In my testing, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 rivals the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, which was the target, falling slightly below the Apple M3 as an overall package.

This is an excellent result, which combined with the border compatibility for x86-64 software in the Windows ecosystem and the option to include discrete graphics, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, makes the AMD Ryzen AI series the best overall processor for most people.

At this time, I have not fully tested the business compatibility (e.g., firmware stability, secure enclave). However, assuming everything works as advertised, the AMD Ryzen AI series feels like the best balance for performance, efficiency and software compatibility.

Over the coming weeks, I plan to continue my testing, including targeting Linux, where I believe the AMD Ryzen AI series could shine!