AMD prepares Ryzen AI MAX 400 'Gorgon Halo' refresh with faster clocks and enhanced AI power

AMD Readies Gorgon Halo as Strix Halo Refresh

AMD is preparing a refreshed version of its Ryzen AI MAX 300 Series processors, internally codenamed 'Gorgon Halo,' which will become the Ryzen AI MAX 400 Series 1

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. This Strix Halo refresh follows a familiar pattern from AMD, mirroring the approach taken with the standard Ryzen AI 400 Series 'Gorgon Point' processors 2

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. Rather than overhauling the architecture, AMD focuses on delivering boosted CPU & GPU clocks alongside platform-level optimizations to extract more performance from existing designs.

According to leaked specifications obtained by HKEPC and reported by VideoCardz, the new lineup comprises five SoC models that retain the same core counts as their predecessors while pushing clock speeds higher 3

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. The processors maintain the proven combination of Zen 5 CPU cores and RDNA 3.5 graphics, along with XDNA 2 NPU technology for AI acceleration 2

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. AMD is already distributing engineering samples, suggesting an unveiling could happen at Computex or later in 2025 2

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Flagship Ryzen AI MAX+ 495 Leads With Enhanced Clock Speeds

The flagship Ryzen AI MAX+ 495 sits atop the Gorgon Halo lineup with 16 cores and 32 threads, featuring a base clock of 3.1 GHz and a peak boost clock reaching 5.2 GHz 1

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. The integrated Radeon 8060S iGPU with 40 compute units now operates at 3.0 GHz, representing a 100 MHz increase over the current Strix Halo variant 3

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. These incremental gains translate to meaningful improvements for both general computing tasks and graphics-intensive AI-heavy workloads 1

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The rest of the lineup includes the Ryzen AI MAX+ 492 and MAX 490 with 12 cores and 24 threads, plus the Ryzen AI MAX+ 488 and MAX 485 with 8 cores and 16 threads 3

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. All models maintain a 55W TDP that can be configured between 45W and 120W depending on the system design 3

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. The Radeon 8060S iGPU variants benefit from higher frequencies, with the current Strix Halo clocked at 2900 MHz expected to push beyond 3.0 GHz, similar to the GPUs in the Ryzen AI 9 HX 475 and HX 470 that reach 3.1 GHz 2

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LPDDR5X-8533 Memory Support Enhances AI Performance

A critical upgrade for the Gorgon Halo processors involves support for faster LPDDR5X-8533 memory, a substantial improvement over the LPDDR5X-8000 speeds available on Strix Halo 1

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. This faster memory standard enhances overall system responsiveness and ensures the NPU and other AI engines have quicker access to data during intensive workloads 1

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. While exact NPU specifications haven't been confirmed, expectations point toward speeds reaching 55-60 TOPS, with potential slight increases over current models 1

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Targeting Gaming Handhelds and Mini PCs

PC gamers have been closely watching Strix Halo as a compelling option for gaming handhelds and mini PCs due to its powerful integrated graphics capabilities 2

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. The Gorgon Halo refresh aims to strengthen this position with improved performance across CPU and GPU components. However, AMD recently introduced two new Ryzen AI MAX 300 Series processors at CES—the Ryzen AI MAX+ 392 and 388—with the latter offering a more cost-effective solution featuring 8 cores and 16 threads while retaining the powerful Radeon 8060S GPU 2

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The timing of the Gorgon Halo launch remains uncertain, though reports suggest a potential release later in 2025 or early 2026 1

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. This refresh positions AMD to compete more effectively against Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 'Panther Lake' chips, which are set to hit retail shelves soon 3

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. As the PC market increasingly prioritizes AI capabilities, these clock-bumped processors give consumers more reasons to consider Ryzen-powered systems with enhanced integrated graphics and AI performance 1

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