Rumors indicate that AMD’s next APU, Strix Point, will be introduced as the “Ryzen AI 300” instead of “Ryzen AI 100,” aiming to surpass Intel’s Core Ultra 200V based on Lunar Lake. However, AMD will likely only match Intel with their Ryzen 9000 chipsets, despite the leap.

Chipset Evolution: AMD vs. Intel

Since the launch of the AM5 platform with Ryzen 7000 in September 2022, AMD has been using the 600-series chipsets. In contrast, Intel introduced the 700-series chipsets in October 2022 and refreshed them with the new generation Z790 motherboards in the fall of 2023.

Later this year, Intel plans to shift to the LGA 1851 socket with Arrow Lake, branded as Core Ultra 200 (K/KF/F/T), introducing the 800-series chipsets. These rumors have been largely confirmed. AMD was expected to release a 700-series chipset but decided to skip directly to the 800-series with the launch of the Ryzen 9000 “Granite Ridge” for desktops.

Ryzen 9000: What’s in a Name?

The designation “Ryzen 9000” might not be set in stone. AMD’s rumored decision to market Strix Point in notebooks as “Ryzen AI 300” rather than “Ryzen 9000 Mobile” aims to directly compete with Intel’s Core Ultra 200. This raises questions about whether the next generation of desktop CPUs will indeed carry the Ryzen 9000 name. Intel is reportedly adopting the Core Ultra 200 branding for both desktop and mobile processors with Arrow Lake.

Given this context, and to avoid inconsistencies between mobile and desktop series names, an alternative name for Ryzen 9000 might still be possible.

Comparison of AMD’s Current AM5 Chipsets

Chipset GPU NVMe GPP* Max PCIe Lanes Max PCIe 5.0 Max PCIe 4.0 Max PCIe 3.0 USB 3.2 20 Gbit/s USB 3.2 10 Gbit/s USB 3.1 5 Gbit/s USB 2.0 480 Mbit/s Max SATA***
X670E 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 or 2x PCIe 5.0 x8 1x PCIe 5.0 x4 x4 44 24 12 8 2/1/0** 4+8/10/12** 0 1+12 8
X670 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 or 2x PCIe 4.0 x8 1x PCIe 5.0 x4 x4 44 8 16+12 8 2/1/0** 4+8/10/12** 0 1+12 8
B650E 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 or 2x PCIe 5.0 x8 1x PCIe 5.0 x4 x4 36 24 8 4 1/0** 4+4/6** 0 1+6 4
B650 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 or 2x PCIe 4.0 x8 1x PCIe 4.0 x4 (optional PCIe 5.0) x4 36 8 16+4+8 4 1/0** 4+4/6** 0 1+6 4
A620 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 1x PCIe 4.0 x4 x4 32 0 16+4+8 4 0 4+2 2 1+6 4

Conclusion

As AMD prepares to launch its Ryzen 9000 series, the strategic move to the 800-series chipsets is designed to keep pace with Intel’s advancements. This leap aims to ensure AMD remains competitive in the rapidly evolving processor market. However, the exact branding of the upcoming CPUs remains uncertain, reflecting the dynamic nature of tech industry strategies.