AMD Strix Halo on RTX 4060/RX7650 GRE level, neck to neck with RTX 4070 in some scenarios
Today, AMD has lifted the embargo on Ryzen AI MAX 300 reviews, based on an entirely new silicon called Strix Halo. This is the highly anticipated and highly discussed APU design with powerful CPU and GPU cores, with first rumors going back to 2023. The Halo uses a chiplet design with CCDs (Core Complex Dies) nearly similar to those on desktops.
Speaking of CCDs, reviews from ASUS China PM Tony Yu have confirmed that the Halo’s Zen 5 CCDs already have TSV (Through-Silicon Via), which technically opens the possibility for 3D V-Cache-powered chips. Rumor has it that X3D series are planned for the successor, but this suggests that the current silicon is ready for such a configuration.
AMD Strix Halo die shot, Source: ASUS China
For graphics enthusiasts, the most exciting upgrade should be the integrated graphics. Unlike Strix Point, which has 16 Compute Units, the Halo has 40 Compute Units (enabled on the MAX+ 395), which, based on reviews, is ‘neck to neck with RTX 4070.’ Of course, that will depend on the power settings, but that’s already quite an achievement even compared to Max-Q variants. The Halo also has 32MB of Infinity Cache (MALL cache), as shown below:
AMD Strix Halo die shot, Source: ASUS China
AMD Strix Halo Reviews:
- Dave2D: ASUS ROG Flow Z13
- Hardware Canucks: ASUS ROG Flow Z13
- HotHardware: ASUS ROG Flow Z13
- Notebookcheck: ASUS ROG Flow Z13
- The Phawx: ASUS ROG Flow Z13
- Ordinary Uncle Tony (ASUS China): ASUS ROG Flow Z13
based on reviews, it is safe to say that Stirx Halo has the potential to reshape integrated graphics, just as AMD RDNA iGPUs accelerated the decline of GeForce MX discrete series. The Halo has the potential to at least affect the market for low-end dGPUs. Many laptop makers will think twice before making any laptops with discrete GPUs now, and this market will likely slowly move towards gaming-centric devices entirely.
AMD Strix Halo in tests, Source: Various
Today’s reviews are entirely based on a single product. As a reminder, there are three products coming with Halo, according to AMD’s CES announcement, and among them is the ROG Flow Z13 laptop/tablet convertible. It no longer has discrete graphics but was upgraded to Halo up to Ryzen AI Max+ 395, the flagship SKU in the series. This means that the iGPU is Radeon 8060S. This laptop is not yet available, but it is expected to cost around $2,000 (the predecessor with 13900H/RTX 4070 now costs around $1,900). Sadly, the entry point into the Halo ecosystem seems high.
