Excitement is building as AMD gears up to introduce its mid-range Zen 5 APUs, set to make a grand debut at the CES 2025 event. While AMD has kept most details under wraps, ECS has let the cat out of the bag early with a sneak peek into one of the two eagerly-awaited Krackan processors.
ECS revealed this exciting development through an early announcement about a new laptop model. This laptop is set to be powered by an APU featuring a robust 8-core CPU with Zen 5c cores. Speculation is rife that this could be one of the anticipated Ryzen AI 350 or AI 340 models, though ECS has remained tight-lipped about the configuration of the RDNA 3.5 integrated graphics unit (iGPU) that comes with the APU.
Insider reports have suggested that the Krackan APUs will be positioned just below AMD’s Strix Point series. For context, the less powerful Ryzen AI 9 365 in the Strix lineup boasts a 10-core CPU along with an RDNA 3.5 Radeon 880M iGPU that carries 12 Compute Units (CUs).
In terms of graphical prowess, ECS hasn’t disclosed specifics about the iGPU alongside the Krackan APU; however, they did highlight the inclusion of an XDNA 2 Neural Processing Unit (NPU), capable of delivering 40 TOPs of performance. This indicates a slight scale-down in performance for this component.
The upcoming ECS laptop, named UP42KP, promises to captivate with its 14-inch display coupled with advanced connectivity options like USB4 ports and rapid WiFi 6. With a Thermal Design Power (TDP) range between 15W and 54W, it aligns perfectly with the typical energy profile of mid-range laptops. Plus, with a sleek and slender design measuring just 16.9 mm in thickness, it is poised to combine performance with portability. More information, including pricing and additional specifications, will be unveiled at CES 2025.
Stay tuned for what promises to be an exciting leap forward in mobile computing technology!
