The rumor mill is churning in the world of mobile processors, and AMD seems poised to make a significant power play. Fresh data has emerged for a previously unannounced chip, the AMD Ryzen AI AI Max+ 388, sparking excitement about a potential refresh of the highly anticipated Strix Halo lineup before it even officially hits the market.
The chip was spotted in the PassMark benchmark database, as highlighted by the popular hardware leaker Moore's Law is Dead, revealing not just its existence but also a compelling specification that could shake up the laptop segment.
A Glimpse into the Ryzen AI Max+ 388's Power
The entry in the PassMark database provides a concrete look at what this new APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) can do. The Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is listed with an 8-core, 16-thread CPU paired with a Radeon 8060s integrated GPU.
This GPU configuration is particularly intriguing. The Radeon 8060s was previously believed to be exclusive to the top-tier model expected to be called the Ryzen AI Max+ 395. Its appearance in the "388" model suggests AMD is planning to bring this powerful graphics technology further down its product stack, potentially offering near-top-tier gaming and content creation performance in more affordable laptops.
In terms of raw CPU performance, the chip achieved a single-thread score of 4,145 and a multi-thread score of 31,702. For context, the single-core performance is right in line with other Strix Halo parts we've seen, indicating strong per-core efficiency for snappy application responsiveness. The multi-core score, however, is noted to be slightly lower than the already-leaked Ryzen AI Max 385, hinting at possible differences in clock speeds or power limits that define this new SKU.
You can see the official benchmark entry for yourself right here: AMD RYZEN AI MAX+ 388 w/ Radeon 8060S - PassMark Benchmark.
What the "388" Name Tells Us: The Case for a Strix Halo Refresh
The naming of this chip is a story in itself. The "Ryzen AI Max+ 388" nomenclature strongly hints that this is not part of the initial launch series but rather a new variant for a mid-cycle refresh.
This strategy makes perfect sense when looking at AMD's roadmap. Strix Halo is expected to be a dominant force in the high-performance mobile APU space, but its successor, codenamed "Medusa Halo," isn't scheduled to arrive until 2027. To maintain momentum and competitive edge, a refresh around mid-to-late 2025 would be a logical move for AMD.
This "Strix Halo Refresh" would help AMD better position itself against NVIDIA's upcoming mobile offerings. NVIDIA's next-generation architecture, expected in the N1X series, is predicted to debut sometime in 2026. A refreshed Strix Halo with more accessible SKUs featuring the powerful Radeon 8060s GPU would give AMD a compelling product to counter NVIDIA's advances.
The Bigger Picture: Integrated Graphics is No Longer an Afterthought
The leak of the Ryzen AI Max+ 388 underscores a major shift in the computing industry: the integrated GPU is becoming the star of the show. With performance that could rival current-generation discrete mobile GPUs, chips like these promise to enable a new class of thin, light, and powerful laptops that don't require a separate graphics card.
This is a huge win for consumers looking for all-day battery life without sacrificing the ability to game, edit videos, or leverage AI acceleration. By putting what is essentially a Radeon 8060s GPU inside the same package as a potent 8-core CPU, AMD is challenging the very definition of an "integrated" solution.
While details on clock speeds and power consumption remain under wraps, the leak of the Ryzen AI Max+ 388 paints an exciting picture for the future of laptops. If these specs hold true, AMD is not just iterating; it's aggressively expanding its vision for a future where your CPU and GPU are a single, incredibly powerful entity.
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