The competition between processors just got a little more interesting with the unexpected appearance of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 160 on the Geekbench benchmarking platform. This previously unheard-of chip boasts 8 CPU cores, but with a unique twist in its configuration. While AMD unveiled its high-end Strix Point processors, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and Ryzen AI 9 365, at Computex 2024, the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 160 seems to be a new addition to the lineup.
Geekbench 6.3 scores the mobile chip 2,514 and 11,772 points in single and multi-core tests respectively. This result aligns with what we expect from Zen 5 cores, suggesting the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 160 utilizes this latest AMD architecture. The 4.2 GHz boost clock further reinforces this notion. A closer look at the chip however reveals some intriguing details.
AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 160 uses strange 3+5 core configuration
The model has 8 cores arranged in a 3+5 configuration. This has sparked speculation within the tech community. The most likely scenario is that the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 160 combines Zen 5 cores with newer, potentially more power-efficient Zen 5c cores. This core layout hints at the possibility that the chip might belong to AMD’s upcoming Kraken Point processor family. This would also explain the “PRO” designation instead of the “3xx” numbering used in the Strix Point series.
However, there’s another possibility. The “PRO” naming could simply be a leftover from the Strix Point development phase before AMD made a last-minute change to the product line. While the exact reason remains unclear, the appearance of the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 160 on Geekbench suggests AMD might be prepping a new range of processors with a focus on efficiency alongside raw performance.
Sluggish DDR5 RAM speeds too
The benchmark also revealed a peculiarity with the RAM. The Lenovo laptop running the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 160 is equipped with 64GB of DDR5 memory, but clocked at a sluggish 1,870 MT/s. This is significantly slower than the typical speeds expected from DDR5.
This anomaly could be due to limitations of the early engineering sample or a specific configuration choice by Lenovo. Overall, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 160’s appearance on Geekbench throws a curveball into the mix. Its strong performance, unique core configuration, and potential connection to the upcoming Kraken Point line make it a processor to watch.
