AMD's More Affordable Strix Halo APU, Ryzen AI Max 385, Leaks Early Geekbench Scores with Eight-Core Power

AMD’s more affordable lineup of the Strix Halo series has started to make appearances, particularly with the Ryzen AI Max 385, which recently appeared on Geekbench. This eight-core, sixteen-thread processor is set to power the HP ZBook Ultra G1a, signaling a potential expansion of the Strix Halo brand into the mainstream market. The new model will also come in a six-core variation, further broadening its appeal. At CES, AMD introduced the Ryzen AI 300 Max series, designed for AI/ML developers and gamers. This flagship APU family includes four variants, offering a range of 6 to 16 CPU cores and 16 to 40 GPU cores. Initially, the focus has been on the high-end Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and 390 models, which are found in mini-PCs priced up to $2,000. Laptops powered by these premium processors, such as the HP ZBook Ultra G1a and the Asus ROG Flow Z13, can cost over $5,000, especially when loaded with 128GB of LPDDR5x RAM. The Ryzen AI Max 385 is built on the Zen 5 architecture and features an integrated Radeon 8050S GPU with 32 Compute Units, based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture. It also includes a 50 TOPS Neural Processing Unit (NPU). The CPU is advertised to reach speeds of up to 5 GHz, just 100 MHz shy of the top-tier Ryzen AI Max+ 395. Despite this, the initial Geekbench results suggest that the actual performance may not align perfectly with expectations. In the Geekbench benchmark, the Ryzen AI Max 385 scored 2,489 points in the single-core test and 14,136 points in the multi-core test. These results are notably lower than those of the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which typically scores between 2,900 and 3,000 points in the single-core category. The discrepancy could be attributed to several factors, including the nature of this early leak, typical run-to-run variations, and the specific power settings of the laptop. The HP ZBook Ultra G1a, which hosted the test, comes equipped with 32GB of LPDDR5x memory. According to HP’s website, the model is listed at a steep $2,599 and is scheduled to start shipping the next day. Currently, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 does not offer configurations with processors below the 12-core Ryzen AI Max 390. However, the Framework Desktop will be configurable with the Ryzen AI Max 385, with shipments expected in the third quarter (July to September) of 2025. Meanwhile, HP's upcoming Z2 Mini G1a mini workstations will feature the entry-level hexacore Ryzen AI Max 380. While early benchmarks for the Ryzen AI Max 385 may not be entirely representative, they offer a glimpse into the performance of this more budget-friendly option. To stay updated with the latest news, analysis, and reviews on AMD’s new products, follow Tom's Hardware on Google News and click the Follow button.