AMD made several subtle announcements at CES that are actually exciting for gamers. The first one is the cost of its powerful Strix Halo systems, which is expected to come down. This is a significant development as AMD's Strix Halo desktops have been priced around $2,000 in the past, making them inaccessible to most consumers.
AMD introduced two new cut-down versions of Strix Halo last week with their full-fat graphics intact, and these will be used by gaming companies specifically. The company expects these systems to lead to lower prices, below $2,000 even when you factor in the price of RAM. This is a positive sign for gamers who want powerful desktops without breaking the bank.
The second exciting announcement from AMD is that it's making socketed mobile processors again – Ryzen AI 400 laptop chips that aren’t soldered down, but fit into a socket like a desktop CPU, so you can replace or potentially even upgrade them in the future. These socketed mobile chips will appear in desktops in early Q2 and are expected to unlock gaming and productivity designs of all shapes and sizes.
AMD's plan is to sell these socketed mobile processors at retail, but it's not yet willing to commit to that today. The company has active partnerships with OEMs on Ryzen AI 400 socketed designs, and there may be more information coming later about DIY options. While upgradable laptops are not expected, the possibility of mini PCs with socketed CPUs is an exciting one.
Overall, these subtle announcements from AMD show that the company is committed to making its products more accessible to consumers, especially gamers. With lower prices on Strix Halo systems and the introduction of socketed mobile processors, AMD is taking steps to improve its position in the market.
AMD introduced two new cut-down versions of Strix Halo last week with their full-fat graphics intact, and these will be used by gaming companies specifically. The company expects these systems to lead to lower prices, below $2,000 even when you factor in the price of RAM. This is a positive sign for gamers who want powerful desktops without breaking the bank.
The second exciting announcement from AMD is that it's making socketed mobile processors again – Ryzen AI 400 laptop chips that aren’t soldered down, but fit into a socket like a desktop CPU, so you can replace or potentially even upgrade them in the future. These socketed mobile chips will appear in desktops in early Q2 and are expected to unlock gaming and productivity designs of all shapes and sizes.
AMD's plan is to sell these socketed mobile processors at retail, but it's not yet willing to commit to that today. The company has active partnerships with OEMs on Ryzen AI 400 socketed designs, and there may be more information coming later about DIY options. While upgradable laptops are not expected, the possibility of mini PCs with socketed CPUs is an exciting one.
Overall, these subtle announcements from AMD show that the company is committed to making its products more accessible to consumers, especially gamers. With lower prices on Strix Halo systems and the introduction of socketed mobile processors, AMD is taking steps to improve its position in the market.
! I mean, who doesn't want a powerful gaming desktop without breaking the bank? $2k is just too steep for most people, but if those Strix Halo systems start coming down, it's gonna be a game-changer 
. And socketed mobile processors? That's like something straight out of sci-fi - upgrading your laptop or mini PC in the future, sounds like the coolest thing ever! 
Can't wait to see what DIY options come out of this...
just hope they follow through on these plans, been waiting for affordable gaming pcs 
. Like, do we really need the absolute best of the best or can we be happy with something that's 'good enough'? It's all about perspective, right? And it seems like AMD is trying to bring those prices down so more people can enjoy their tech... maybe we should learn from their example and try not to get too caught up in what we think we 'deserve' 
and now we might see some actual competition that's not just about raw power but also about affordability 
AMD's got my attention with this one 
.
. Anyway, AMD's got some solid moves here... fingers crossed they keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible 
. It's like, why can't I just swap out my laptop battery like I do with my phone? 
. And the fact that they're making socketed mobile processors again is mind-blowing 
. I mean, who wouldn't want a laptop or mini PC that can be upgraded in the future? 
I mean, the idea of being able to upgrade my laptop in the future is mind-blowing 
. Fingers crossed these announcements actually lead to more affordable gaming rigs for everyone 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to upgrade their gaming rig without breaking the bank? 
And introducing socketed mobile processors is like, totally genius 
. AMD's clearly listening to what we want and are working towards making gaming PCs more inclusive 
. Fingers crossed they'll release some DIY options too! 
especially for gaming companies who wanna offer powerful systems without breaking the bank.