Information about AMD’s upcoming APUs, including Strix, Sarlak, Kraken, and Sound Wave, has been revealed, providing a glimpse into the red team’s strategy for future mobility and desktop platforms.
AMD is developing a series of APUs designed for future mobility platforms, with potential integration into desktops. The forthcoming next-generation lineup, known as Strix or Strix Point, will incorporate the upcoming Zen 5 core architecture and an enhanced RDNA 3.5 architecture to drive graphics performance.
The AMD Strix APUs, categorized within the Ryzen 8050 family, will introduce a novel NPU called XDNA 2 “Ryzen AI,” boasting a significant 3x enhancement in AI compute performance, reaching up to 48 TOPS. Anticipated to replace the existing Hawk Point APU “Ryzen 8040” family, these advancements are slated for implementation in the second half of 2024.
After Strix Point, the subsequent release will be Kraken Point in the coming year. It will leverage the Zen 5 cores coupled with RDNA 3.5 GPUs. Initially intended to incorporate RDNA 4 cores, this plan was abandoned. Current details indicate that Kraken APUs will feature up to 8 cores in Zen 5 and Zen 5C variants, providing up to 8 compute units. This points towards a highly mainstream lineup of chips.
The intriguing detail in the provided information is the distinct IO die configurations for Sarlak and Strix, indicating a potential chiplet design. AMD’s Strix APUs will be available in two setups: a standard monolithic variant featuring up to 12 CPU cores and 16 CUs, and a premium chiplet design offering up to 16 CPU cores and 40 CUs. Contrary to rumors suggesting Sarlak as the internal codename for the premium Strix model, the available information lists separate IO dies for both Strix and Sarlak.
Finally, there’s a reference to Sound Wave, potentially AMD’s next-gen APUs utilizing an advanced process node with cutting-edge technologies like Zen 6 and RDNA 5. Details about Sound Wave are limited, but its placement after Kraken suggests a possible launch in 2026. It’s important to acknowledge that the listed process node technologies for each AMD APU may not accurately reflect their true specifications. Strix is mentioned in both A0 and B0 stepping. The unveiling of AMD’s Zen 5 core architecture is expected at this year’s Computex, providing clarity on the future of APUs in just a few months.
Source: Gamma0burst