AMD Launches New Gaming Laptop Chips

AMD has unveiled its next-generation Ryzen 8000 series processors for gaming laptops, headlined by the Ryzen 9 8945HX. Unlike the recently launched Ryzen AI 300 series laptop chips, however, these processors continue to use the previous-generation Zen 4 architecture.

The company is introducing four new processors for high-performance gaming laptops. The flagship Ryzen 9 8945HX boasts 16 cores, 32 threads, and a boost clock reaching up to 5.4GHz. At the more accessible end, the Ryzen 7 8745HX offers 8 cores, 16 threads, and a 5.1GHz boost clock. Their specifications closely mirror those of the prior generation; for example, the Ryzen 9 7945HX was also a 16-core chip with a 5.4GHz boost clock and 80MB of cache.

These CPUs are expected to be paired with the fastest mobile graphics chips in premium gaming laptops. In earlier tests, even the newer Zen 5-based AMD Ryzen AI HX 370 processor sometimes struggled to keep up with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile GPU. The Ryzen 9 8945HX, however, can be configured for a power range of 55W to 75W, promising a notable performance increase—though a Zen 5 chip with the same power envelope would undoubtedly deliver even greater gains.

For those anticipating AMD's latest processors in a gaming laptop, these new models will begin appearing in high-end systems over the coming months. Below, you'll find a detailed breakdown of the new processors' specifications.