AMD’s refresh of its Ryzen AI MAX family is here, and it’s not just a minor tweak. The ‘Gorgon Halo’ lineup—direct successors to the ‘Strix Halo’ chips—delivers a consistent 100MHz boost across CPU and GPU clocks while introducing LPDDR5X-8533 memory support. At the top of the pile sits the Ryzen AI MAX+ 495, a 16-core/32-thread beast with a base clock of 3.1GHz and a turbo boost of 5.2GHz, paired with a Radeon 8060S iGPU running at 3.0GHz.
The performance gains aren’t just theoretical. The Ryzen AI MAX+ 495, for instance, now pushes the Radeon 8060S GPU to 3.0GHz—up from 2.9GHz—while the CPU’s sustained boost jumps from 5.0GHz to 5.2GHz. Even the mid-range models see meaningful upgrades: the Ryzen AI MAX+ 492 and Ryzen AI MAX 490 now hit 5.0GHz, while the 8-core Ryzen AI MAX+ 488 and Ryzen AI MAX 485 maintain their 5.0GHz ceiling but with tighter thermal headroom.
The lineup also expands GPU options. Three SKUs (495, 492, and 488) feature the Radeon 8060S with 40 compute units, while the rest stick with the Radeon 8050S (32 CUs). Thermal flexibility remains a highlight, with TDPs adjustable from 45W to 120W, accommodating everything from ultrabooks to compact desktops.
Key specs: What’s actually changing
AMD’s Gorgon Halo lineup retains the same core architecture but refines the performance equation
- CPU:
- Ryzen AI MAX+ 495: 16C/32T, 3.1GHz base / 5.2GHz boost (Zen 5)
- Ryzen AI MAX+ 492: 12C/24T, 3.2GHz base / 5.0GHz boost
- Ryzen AI MAX 490: 12C/24T, 3.2GHz base / 5.0GHz boost
- Ryzen AI MAX+ 488: 8C/16T, 3.6GHz base / 5.0GHz boost
- Ryzen AI MAX 485: 8C/16T, 3.6GHz base / 5.0GHz boost
- GPU:
- Ryzen AI MAX+ 495/492/488: Radeon 8060S (40 CUs, 3.0GHz)
- Ryzen AI MAX 490/485: Radeon 8050S (32 CUs, 2.8GHz)
- Memory: LPDDR5X-8533 (up from 8000)
- Cache: 80MB (495) / 76MB (12C models) / 40MB (8C models)
- TDP: 45W–120W (adjustable)
- NPU: Estimated 55–60 TOPS (unconfirmed)
For context, the Ryzen AI MAX+ 495’s 5.2GHz boost is a 4% increase over its predecessor, while the GPU’s 3.0GHz clock represents a 3.5% uplift. The LPDDR5X-8533 support—3.3% faster than the previous 8000MHz—is a subtle but critical upgrade for memory-bandwidth-sensitive workloads like AI inference and high-resolution displays.
Who benefits? Gamers and content creators will see the biggest gains in integrated graphics performance, particularly on the 8060S models. The 100MHz CPU boosts translate to better single-threaded responsiveness in tasks like video editing or multitasking. Meanwhile, the adjustable TDP range makes these chips viable for both thin-and-light laptops (45W) and more powerful all-in-one desktops (120W).
The Ryzen AI MAX 400 ‘Gorgon’ lineup—targeting mainstream and budget segments—is expected to follow shortly, completing AMD’s push to counter Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3. Pricing and availability for Gorgon Halo remain unconfirmed, but the focus on clock speed optimizations suggests these will be direct upgrades for existing Ryzen AI MAX users.
