Although AMD was the first to release a 64-bit desktop CPU in 2003, the company lagged behind Intel in the semiconductor industry for years. However, things took a U-turn when AMD announced the original Ryzen lineup in 2017. While AMD has a slightly more streamlined CPU lineup compared to Intel overall, the company’s naming scheme still remains confusing at first glance. If you are in the market for an AMD-powered Windows laptop or a desktop CPU, make sure that you understand AMD’s naming scheme to decide on an ideal processor for your workflow.

What exactly is the difference between Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8600G? Are you confused about the meaning of AMD Ryzen 7 7730U and Ryzen 7 7840S CPUs? Continue reading to learn more about AMD's product naming schemes, including the suffixes that differentiate its processors.

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT graphics card.
5 reasons to use AMD in your next gaming PC

Are you looking to buy or build a new gaming PC? Consider using AMD for great performance and even better prices!

By 

Understanding AMD Ryzen segmentation

Before we break down AMD’s naming scheme for mobile and desktop processors, let’s first understand its portfolio. AMD introduced the Ryzen series of CPUs in 2017. Ryzen is AMD's primary brand of consumer CPUs and is divided into four segments:

  • AMD Ryzen 3: Primarily targeted for everyday productivity tasks. It offers smooth media streaming and is good enough for playing entry-level video games.
  • AMD Ryzen 5: Ideal for casual gaming, basic image and video editing, and online streaming with elevated audio and video quality.
  • AMD Ryzen 7: It can run demanding games and edit your RAW photos and 4K videos without breaking a sweat. It can also stream 4K HDR videos without any glitches.
  • AMD Ryzen 9: The pinnacle of AMD's lineup. It can run AAA gaming titles with ease, and complete complex 3D and other demanding tasks in no time.

With the introduction of the HP OmniBook Ultra, AMD has also debuted a new line of laptop CPUs aimed at AI tasks. It's referred to as the AMD Ryzen AI 300 series and comes with three variants: Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, and Ryzen AI 9 365. They support 55 AI TOPS and a dedicated NPU to enable AI tasks like generating a travel itinerary, summarizing an email, or sharpening and denoising graphics and video. It is based on the latest Zen 5 architecture and directly rivals Intel’s Lunar Lake CPUs. So far, only a handful of devices sport AMD's Ryzen AI 300 series processors.

AMD also offers the Threadripper series, which is quite expensive and strictly aimed at niche audiences with professional workstations.

Understanding AMD's mobile processor naming scheme

Back in late 2022, AMD completely revamped its naming scheme for mobile processors. This insight can come in handy when shopping for a new AMD-powered laptop. The next time you see two identical AMD laptops with 7730U and 7640U options, you can easily spot their differences and pick the better device for you.

Like the older naming scheme, AMD still uses a combination of four digits and a letter suffix. Here, each letter and the suffix carry a specific purpose and meaning. Let’s break it down.

AMD mobile processor explainer
Source: AMD

First digit

The first digit indicates the generation’s model year. For instance, if the first digit is 7, it’s a 2023 model. Similarly, letter 8 shows that the CPU was unveiled in 2024 and so on. According to AMD, it’s a quicker way for a normal consumer to identify when the CPU was launched.

Second digit

The second digit refers to the family of processors. For example, if an AMD CPU’s second digit is 5 or 6, it’s a part of the Ryzen 5 segment. The Ryzen 7 series can either have 7 or 8 as the second digit. Finally, Ryzen 9 chips can use either 8 or 9 in the second digit. For example, if it’s a 7945HX, the CPU is a part of the Ryzen 9 series.

Third digit

Here’s where it gets interesting. The third digit shows the AMD processor’s microarchitecture. The company uses the Zen term, which indicates the fabrication process in nanometers. For example, if the third digit is 3, the CPU is based on an older Zen 3/Zen 3+ 7nm/6nm microarchitecture. The latest Zen 4 CPUs have 4 as the third digit, and they are based on AMD’s more advanced 5nm fabrication process.

Fourth digit

The last digit further separates different processors within the segment. Let’s take 7730U and 7735U as an example here. Both are part of the Ryzen 7 segment. However, the former is a 15W CPU with a 2GHz base clock and up to 4.5GHz max boost clock speeds. The latter is a 28W CPU with a 2.7GHz base and up to 4.75GHz max boost clock speeds. There is also a difference in graphics core count (8 for 7730U vs. 12 for 7735U).

Suffix and its meaning

The AMD logo on a black and red gradient
Source: XDA Developers
Credit: AMD is known for creating some of the fastest and most efficient CPUs and GPUs on the market.

Finally, the last letter in an AMD mobile CPU is TDP (Thermal Design Power) in watts, which refers to power consumption under maximum load. Here’s what each letter means.

  • E (9W): It’s basically a fanless variant for U-series CPUs and is used in affordable laptops.
  • C (15-28W): Designed for power-efficient Chromebook devices.
  • U (15-28W): Lower-clocked laptop processors for thin and light devices.
  • HS (35W+): High-performance CPUs with integrated graphics and lesser power draw.
  • HX (55W+): Delivers maximum performance in AMD’s mobile processor lineup.

Decoding AMD Ryzen desktop processors

AMD Ryzen 7 8700G packaging

Interestingly, AMD hasn’t yet rolled out a new naming scheme for desktop chips like it did for laptops. For example, the 7000-series of desktop processors, such as 7950X, 7900X, 7700X and more, are based on Zen 4 architecture and don’t really follow the same naming scheme as discussed above.

The confusing naming scheme continues with the Ryzen 9000 series as well. The company recently launched Ryzen 9000 series CPUs with multiple variants like Ryzen 9 9950X, Ryzen 9 9900X, Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Ryzen 7 9700X, and Ryzen 5 9600X. These processors are based on AMD's latest Zen 5 architecture.

AMD 5000 desktop CPUs
Source: AMD

The first digit is a model number that indicates the processor's series. For instance, the Ryzen 7xxx series is a successor to the Ryzen 5xxx series and offers the newest microarchitecture available today from AMD.

The second number displays the performance level within its series. It basically indicates a minor jump in clock speeds. For example, AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT is better than Ryzen 5 5500GT (up to 4.6GHz vs. up to 4.4GHz max boost clock).

The third and fourth digits show further differentiation within the same segment. Let’s take the Ryzen 9 7940HX and 7945HX as an example. The latter is marginally better due to a higher max boost clock (up to 5.4GHz vs. 5.2GHz) and base clock speeds (2.5GHz vs. 2.4GHz).

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
4 reasons why you should buy a Ryzen 9000 series CPU

AMD's new Zen 5 CPUs seem to be a bit divisive, but there are plenty of reasons to get these new chips

2
By 

AMD Ryzen desktop CPU suffixes and what they mean

Like its mobile processor lineup, the desktop CPUs also come with different suffixes at the end.

  • F: Lacks integrated graphics.
  • G: APU with high-performance AMD Ryzen integrated graphics.
  • GE: Has integrated AMD Radeon graphics but lower performance.
  • X: Has faster clock speeds and higher power consumption.
  • XT: Marginally better than X due to higher clock speeds.
  • X3D: Comes with AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology for better gaming performance.
  • S: Prioritizes efficiency and comes with integrated AMD Radeon Vega graphics.

Simplify AMD’s new naming scheme

The CPU is the heart of any system. Picking up the wrong AMD CPU can ruin your workstation experience in no time. You should understand AMD’s naming scheme before hunting for a new laptop or a desktop unit. Once you purchase a desktop AMD processor, read our step-by-step guide to install it properly.