Although AMD was the first to launch 64-bit desktop CPUs in 2003, the company has always been one step behind Intel throughout the competition. However, when AMD launched the first-generation Ryzen series in 2017, things started to change. If you are planning to buy a Windows laptop or desktop CPU equipped with AMD technology, be sure to understand AMD’s naming rules so that you can choose the processor that best suits you.
Image source: AMD
AMD CPU names confusing?Take you to decipher the mysterious naming
Are you confused between AMD Ryzen 7 7730U and Ryzen 7 7840S CPU? What is the difference between Ryzen 7950X and Ryzen 7900X? Continue reading this article and you will learn more about AMD’s product naming scheme, including the differences in processor suffixes to distinguish them.
Understanding the AMD Ryzen Segmentation
AMD launched the Ryzen series of CPUs in 2017. Before analyzing the naming scheme of AMD mobile and desktop processors in detail, let us first understand what its product portfolio consists of.
- AMD Ryzen 3
Mainly targeted at daily productivity tasks. It offers smooth media streaming and is good enough for entry-level games. - AMD Ryzen 5
Ideal for casual gaming, basic image and video editing, and online streaming with higher audio and video quality. - AMD Ryzen 7
It can run demanding games, edit RAW photos and 4K videos with ease, and it can also stream 4K HDR videos without any hassle. - AMD Ryzen 9
The pinnacle flagship of AMD’s product line, it can easily run AAA masterpiece games and quickly complete complex 3D renderings and other demanding tasks.
In addition, AMD also has the Threadripper series, but this series is quite expensive and is strictly targeted at a small audience with professional workstations and will not be used by general consumers.
Image source: AMD
AMD’s mobile processor naming scheme
AMD will completely revise the naming method of mobile processors from the end of 2022. When you want to buy a new AMD laptop, it will be more convenient to understand the naming method. When you see two machines with the same appearance but each equipped with 7730U and 7640U When looking at laptops with AMD processors, it’s easier to spot the differences and choose the better device among them.
Like the old naming method, AMD still uses a combination of four-digit numbers and letter suffixes. Each number and suffix has a specific meaning. The following figure is a general table that you can take a look at first, and then we will break it down and explain.
Image source: AMD
first number: year
The first number indicates the year the processor model was launched. For example, if the first digit is 7, it’s a 2023 model; similarly, the letter 8 shows that the CPU was launched in 2024, and so on. AMD says this is a faster and more intuitive way for the average consumer to identify when a CPU is coming out.
Second number: series
The second number refers to the processor family. For example, if the second digit of an AMD CPU is 5 or 6, it is part of the Ryzen 5 series; the second digit of the Ryzen 7 series can be 7 or 8; and finally, Ryzen 9 can be Use 8 or 9. For example, if the 7945HX belongs to the Ryzen 9 series.
Third number: Processor architecture
This is more interesting. The third digit represents the architecture of AMD processors. The company uses “Zen” to represent the process in nanometers. For example, if the third digit is 3, the CPU is based on the older Zen 3 / Zen 3+ (7nm/6nm) architecture. The third digit of the latest Zen 4 CPUs is 4, and they are built using AMD’s most advanced 5nm process.
The fourth number: breakdown of different processors in the same series
The last number further differentiates the different processors. We take 7730U and 7735U as examples. Both belong to the Ryzen 7 series. However, the former is a 15W CPU with a 2GHz base clock and a 4.5GHz maximum clock; the latter is a 28W CPU with a 2.7GHz base clock. pulse and a maximum clock speed of 4.75GHz. There is also a difference in the number of graphics cores, with 8 on the 7730U and 12 on the 7735U.
Suffixes and their meanings
Finally, the last letter in AMD mobile processors is TDP (Thermal Design Power) in watts, which refers to power consumption under maximum load, and we’ve sorted out what each suffix letter means.
- E (9W): Basically a fanless version of the U-series CPU, it is mostly used in affordable consumer laptops.
- C (15 – 28W): Designed for energy-efficient Chromebook devices.
- U (15 – 28W): Processor suitable for thin and light low-clock laptops.
- HS (35W+): A high-performance CPU with built-in graphics and lower power consumption.
- HX (55W+): Offers the highest performance in AMD’s mobile processor series.
AMD Desktop Processor Naming
AMD’s naming of desktop processors is completely different from that of laptops, and there is no comparison. For example, the 7000 series of desktop processors (like the 7950X, 7900X, 7700X, etc.) are based on the Zen 4 architecture and don’t really follow the same naming scheme as mobile processors.
The first number indicates the processor series, for example the Ryzen 7xxx series is the successor to the Ryzen 5xxx series and offers AMD’s latest architecture. The second number represents the performance level of the processor in the series, basically indicating the difference in clock speeds, for example, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT is better than the Ryzen 5 5500GT (which has a base clock of 4.6GHz and a top clock of 4.4GHz). The third and fourth numbers show further differences between the processors, with the Ryzen 9 7940HX (base clock 2.4GHz/maximum clock 5.4GHz) and the 7945HX (base clock 2.5GHz/maximum clock 5.2GHz) , which ranks as the better processor due to its higher top and base clocks.
AMD Ryzen Desktop CPU Suffixes and Their Meanings
- F: Does not include built-in graphics card.
- G: APU equipped with high-performance AMD Ryzen built-in graphics.
- GE: Integrated AMD Radeon graphics card, but the performance is lower.
- X: Has faster clock speeds and higher power consumption.
- XT: Slightly better than X due to higher clock speed.
- X3D: Equipped with AMD 3D V-Cache technology to provide better gaming performance.
- S: Prioritizes efficiency and features built-in AMD Radeon Vega graphics.
