AMD is gearing up to shake things up in the entry-level laptop market with its forthcoming “Ryzen 200” series APUs, part of the anticipated Hawk Point refresh. AMD’s strategic move aims to rival Intel’s refreshed Raptor Lake “Core 200” CPUs.
Often known for revitalizing its product lines, AMD seeks to address the performance gap in the budget sector with this latest refresh. The Ryzen 200 series builds upon the success of the renowned Phoenix lineup, previously revamped into the Ryzen 8000 series “Hawk Point” APUs. A standout enhancement from that refresh was the inclusion of an upgraded NPU offering up to 16 TOPS.
According to a recent leak on Weibo, AMD is set to continue this trend with the Hawk Point refresh under the Ryzen 200 banner, maintaining the Zen 4 architecture with only minimal tweaks. Though not much has been disclosed about new features, the leak hints at an exciting addition: the Ryzen 7 255H, a successor to the popular Ryzen 7 8745HS from the Hawk Point lineup.
The Ryzen 7 255H is poised to compete head-to-head with Intel’s Core Ultra 7 255H. AMD’s branding might closely mirror Intel’s, adding some intrigue to the competition.
Expectations for the Hawk Point refresh suggest improvements in AI capabilities without a major overhaul, as these won’t be substantial enough to qualify as a generational leap. Core counts and integrated graphics configurations will likely remain steady, continuing AMD’s pattern with APU updates.
Targeting devices meant for light to moderate tasks, such as handheld gaming systems and mini-PCs, the Ryzen 200 series could fill an important niche. While the buzz of the Phoenix APUs wasn’t fully matched in the handheld sector, the Ryzen 200 APUs have the potential to bridge that gap effectively.
The market can look forward to seeing these Ryzen 200 SKUs later this year, ideally coinciding with the launch of Intel’s Core 200 “Raptor Lake Refresh.” Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or just someone on the lookout for entry-level laptop options, the coming months promise interesting developments in the world of CPUs.
