Discussion AMD SoC Halo series GPU discussion

[ToTTenTranz]

MinisForum running (locally) a larger DeepSeek model on 4 Strix Halo MiniPCs:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1981569830634303731

At 6 token/s...

The inter-chip bandwidth is probably the biggest bottleneck here.

 

[fastandfurious6]

1000 dollarinos for PC gaming hardware, without exclusives, that doesn't play PC games

Lmao

 

[ToTTenTranz]

1000 dollarinos for PC gaming hardware, without exclusives, that doesn't play PC games

Lmao

Are we still talking about the next xbox?

That one is 200% going to play PC games. It's the whole point of it.

 

[regen1]

Strix Halo’s Memory Subsystem: Tackling iGPU Challenges

AMD’s Strix Halo aspires to deliver high CPU and GPU performance within a mobile device.

chipsandcheese.com

 

[marees]

Max+ 388 — 8 core cpu ccd + full fat 40 CU GPU

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986010759210410355

 

[CouncilorIrissa]

The 388 sounds like a very based SKU. Should've been available from the get-go.

 

[jpiniero]

The 388 sounds like a very based SKU. Should've been available from the get-go.

I bet the price of the 388 is not much less than the 395.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

The 388 sounds like a very based SKU. Should've been available from the get-go.

It sounds a bit like the 388 exists so that AMD can sell a significantly cheaper full-GPU version of STX Halo without angering too much the OEMs who are paying top dollar for the 395, as the latter was the only way to get the full 40CU GPU.

Truth be told, neither of the two main reasons to get a Strix Halo - AI and gaming - need a 16-core CPU.

 

[marees]

One more strix halo APU announced

Ayaneo Next II — 9" 2400×1504 60/90/120/144/165 Hz display, 85w strix halo apu & 115Wh battery​

The Ayaneo Next II is a hulking gaming handheld with a 9-inch display​

We should expect an equally hefty price tag to go along with the premium handheld.​

https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the...handheld-with-a-9-inch-display-175018940.html

https://www.ayaneo.com/article/905

Ayaneo equipped the Next II with Hall effect joysticks and triggers to prevent deadzones and stick drift.
Borrowing from its previous high-end handheld called the Ayaneo Kun, the Next II also features dual smart touchpads that can be customized with gesture controls and key mapping.
The back of the handheld is home to four extra buttons, but you can also set specific controls for four other customizable buttons.

View attachment 134582

https://twitter.com/x/status/1994701176324145260

 

[NTMBK]

One more strix halo APU announced

https://twitter.com/x/status/1994701176324145260

Absolute unit

 

[Z O X]

It sounds a bit like the 388 exists so that AMD can sell a significantly cheaper full-GPU version of STX Halo without angering too much the OEMs who are paying top dollar for the 395, as the latter was the only way to get the full 40CU GPU.

Truth be told, neither of the two main reasons to get a Strix Halo - AI and gaming - need a 16-core CPU.

Very excited to see its gaming performance since (hopefully) more power will be available to GPU.
I am just designing a mATX enclosure, but would really like to see (and buy) a 388 ITX motherboard.
Fingers crossed ...

 

[Heartbreaker]

Very excited to see its gaming performance since (hopefully) more power will be available to GPU.
I am just designing a mATX enclosure, but would really like to see (and buy) a 388 ITX motherboard.
Fingers crossed ...

If going mATX, just get Zen 4, CPU and 16GB 9060 XT. It will cost less and be significantly better performing.

Even the current 385 with 8 core CPU, 32 CU GPU isn't a great value. The barebones framework with only 32GB of RAM is $1100.

So the 388 will be more expensive than that.

 

[Z O X]

If going mATX, just get Zen 4, CPU and 16GB 9060 XT. It will cost less and be significantly better performing.

Even the current 385 with 8 core CPU, 32 CU GPU isn't a great value. The barebones framework with only 32GB of RAM is $1100.

So the 388 will be more expensive than that.

Sorry, bad language from my side. English is not my native ...

ITX is way overpriced, but these systems are (AFAIK) all custom design and even more pricier.
In a more standardized format, they should be cheaper.

Only reason for not going smaller than mATX is price.
But 388 at 600-700$ would be the price at which I would consider selling complete ITX systems ...

 

[Heartbreaker]

Sorry, bad language from my side. English is not my native ...

ITX is way overpriced, but these systems are (AFAIK) all custom design and even more pricier.
In a more standardized format, they should be cheaper.

Only reason for not going smaller than mATX is price.
But 388 at 600-700$ would be the price at which I would consider selling complete ITX systems ...

But a 388 is higher end than 385 that already exists, so 388 won't lead to less expensive system than 385...

 

[Z O X]

But a 388 is higher end than 385 that already exists, so 388 won't lead to less expensive system than 385...

Yes and, AFAIK, only framework sells ITX boards (900e).
We need more competition ...

 

[JustViewing]

Unfortunately in future with the price hike of GPU and RAM, we would be only able to purchase processors like AMD Strix Halo with built-in memory and GPU. That is just sad. few weeks ago I was thinking of buying 64GB RAM. Now that is out of the question, I should have pulled the trigger earlier.

 

[Bryo4321]

Got a framework desktop, 395 version. The form factor and performance is really great. I would say gaming performance is shocking from a power/performance perspective. Similar to a rx 7600 while the entire machine draws less power than just a rx 7600! Feels like an x86 version of an M chip. Running cachyos with gnome and some extensions. It rips!

 

[Heartbreaker]

Got a framework desktop, 395 version. The form factor and performance is really great. I would say gaming performance is shocking from a power/performance perspective. Similar to a rx 7600 while the entire machine draws less power than just a rx 7600! Feels like an x86 version of an M chip. Running cachyos with gnome and some extensions. It rips!

It is essentially the equivalent of an M -Pro chip, as the both have 256 bit memory interface. It's good perf/watt, but not perf/$.

 

[Bryo4321]

It is essentially the equivalent of an M -Pro chip, as the both have 256 bit memory interface. It's good perf/watt, but not perf/$.

Definitely paying a premium for the form factor! No disagreement there. Looking forward to seeing AMD grow this product line though. I really like that this one is on a standard ITX board. If they ever release a new model with RDNA 5 or something I could definitely see myself repurposing the motherboard.

 

[marees]

Strix Halo in a handheld may seem like insanity - and whether it's the GPD Win 5, or alternatives from AyaNeo or OneXPlayer, you'll be paying a lot of money for one - but when you see this device flex its muscles, it very much feels like tomorrow's technology today

I chose Alan Wake 2 is because I've never really had a satisfactory experience with this title on any prior AMD handheld. Frame-rates are doggedly low, image quality looks poor and there's diminishing returns from more aggressive FSR 2 upscaling. And you can't lower settings that much further: console performance mode and the PC's low setting are already very close to the absolute minimum. Even stripped back to the core, the game's just too demanding, even for the Z2 Extreme APU.​

​

But playing Alan Wake 2 on a handheld with reasonable battery life and actual console-like settings? It's been my internal litmus test for what I'd like to see from an RDNA 5-powered Sony handheld, which we may well see at some point in the next couple of years, RAMageddon willing. The only real criticisms I have of the GPD Win 5 come down to the rudimentary software and loud fan noise at max wattages - but even in its smaller-than-expected form factor, fan noise is fine at 30W.​

​

​

The conclusion here is that in real world gaming conditions, running GPD Win 5 from the mains in a kind of "docked" configuration (if you like) does offer circa PS5 performance. While I've yet to test other games on GPD Win 5, I did on the Strix Halo-equipped GMKTec Evo X2 with similar results. But it's the 30W result I found interesting, because there's still a lot of performance there - but it's just not enough for a 1440p output. This is fine though as GPD Win 5 ships with a 1080p VRR panel, so targeting 1440p in the first place is not exactly a real-world type of handheld workload.​

​

So, I ran the experiment again - the same Alan Wake 2 stress test, the same in-game quality settings, but with a 1080p output target instead at 30W, using FSR 2 balanced and performance modes. In effect, an "undocked" configuration. The target to beat is PS5's 55.25fps, remember.​

Lowering the resolution effectively gives us a PS5-like experience in quality terms while limiting TDP to 30W means that you should get around two hours of battery life playing the game with the 80Wh battery. Mission successful.


https://www.digitalfoundry.net/features/gpd-win-5-brings-ps5-class-perf-to-pc-handhelds

 

[Heartbreaker]

Impressive performance for a handheld, but at about $2000 for a handheld, I'm sure they will sell dozens of them...

 

[poke01]

Strix Halo in a handheld may seem like insanity - and whether it's the GPD Win 5, or alternatives from AyaNeo or OneXPlayer, you'll be paying a lot of money for one - but when you see this device flex its muscles, it very much feels like tomorrow's technology today

I chose Alan Wake 2 is because I've never really had a satisfactory experience with this title on any prior AMD handheld. Frame-rates are doggedly low, image quality looks poor and there's diminishing returns from more aggressive FSR 2 upscaling. And you can't lower settings that much further: console performance mode and the PC's low setting are already very close to the absolute minimum. Even stripped back to the core, the game's just too demanding, even for the Z2 Extreme APU.​

​

But playing Alan Wake 2 on a handheld with reasonable battery life and actual console-like settings? It's been my internal litmus test for what I'd like to see from an RDNA 5-powered Sony handheld, which we may well see at some point in the next couple of years, RAMageddon willing. The only real criticisms I have of the GPD Win 5 come down to the rudimentary software and loud fan noise at max wattages - but even in its smaller-than-expected form factor, fan noise is fine at 30W.​

​

​

The conclusion here is that in real world gaming conditions, running GPD Win 5 from the mains in a kind of "docked" configuration (if you like) does offer circa PS5 performance. While I've yet to test other games on GPD Win 5, I did on the Strix Halo-equipped GMKTec Evo X2 with similar results. But it's the 30W result I found interesting, because there's still a lot of performance there - but it's just not enough for a 1440p output. This is fine though as GPD Win 5 ships with a 1080p VRR panel, so targeting 1440p in the first place is not exactly a real-world type of handheld workload.​

​

So, I ran the experiment again - the same Alan Wake 2 stress test, the same in-game quality settings, but with a 1080p output target instead at 30W, using FSR 2 balanced and performance modes. In effect, an "undocked" configuration. The target to beat is PS5's 55.25fps, remember.​

Lowering the resolution effectively gives us a PS5-like experience in quality terms while limiting TDP to 30W means that you should get around two hours of battery life playing the game with the 80Wh battery. Mission successful.


https://www.digitalfoundry.net/features/gpd-win-5-brings-ps5-class-perf-to-pc-handhelds

The problem is they cost $3000AUD minimum in Australia.
So meh

 

[dr1337]

It's good perf/watt, but not perf/$.

Nah thats completely backwards, if you wanna buy a 128gb ryzen 395, its over 1k less than buying a similar apple product. But apple does have a perf/watt advantage at least in some tasks. And thats including all the markup from framework, there are much cheaper options for getting strix halo.

Impressive performance for a handheld, but at about $2000 for a handheld, I'm sure they will sell dozens of them...

Thats what people thought about $2000 GPUs back in 2018, look at us now.

For any one DIY customer that thinks a 4090/5090 is a good value, there are 10 more mainstream customers who have multiple tablets, iphone/galaxy pro's, macbook pros, alienware laptops LET ALONE gaming towers, ect. It might seem insane to you but there are a lot of people who legitimately believe a portable device is worth $2000. I mean how has galaxy fold not folded as a brand yet? Answer: I/you aren't the customer and never were.

 

[Heartbreaker]

Nah thats completely backwards, if you wanna buy a 128gb ryzen 395, its over 1k less than buying a similar apple product.

But it's a one trick pony. Unless you are going to be running Giant AI models, you are much better off and spending less on a PC with a dGPU for gaming.

With Apple you have no choice, but on the PC side, for gaming there are much better options.

Also with Apple to get to 128GB of RAM you have to go to the Max chip which has double the memory channels/BW vs Strix, and memory BW is a limiting factor for AI models processing, so not really on equal footing.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

After the massive market failure that was pricing Strix Halo well above any reasonable value perception, it looks like the new 388 and 392 models are being sold for cheap as Asus finally puts them in one of their value brand TUF laptops:

Asus puts Strix Halo in the TUF Gaming A14 — strong integrated graphics in a very thin chassis

Welcome, Ryzen AI Max+ 392

www.tomshardware.com

The laptop looks pretty good, actually. Too bad this didn't come last year. Looks like Panther Lake is already putting some pressure on AMD's APUs.