AMD could potentially redefine the laptop market and offer competition to Apple’s dominance with their upcoming line of processors.
AMD has a storied history, once struggling with execution issues before CEO Lisa Su took the reins in 2012. Since then, the company has made significant strides, particularly in the desktop and gaming markets with its Ryzen processors. Now, AMD has fixed its gaze on the thin and light laptop segment, aiming to bridge the gap between Windows laptops and Apple’s MacBook lineup.
The arrival of Apple Silicon, the tech giant’s custom chips, in late 2020 caused surprise and awe in the PC world. Their performance and battery life surpassed those of x86 designs from both AMD and Intel, making Mac desktops and laptops highly desirable.
AMD recently revealed a new laptop CPU called the Ryzen 7 7840U, designed specifically for thin and light devices. While real-world testing of this chip has yet to be conducted, early indications suggest that it may outperform Apple’s M2 processor in certain areas. AMD claims superiority in two out of six key benchmarks, raising eyebrows and spurring speculation about their potential challenge to Apple’s throne.
“The new chip can give Apple a run for its money, besting the 2022 MacBook Air’s M2 processor in application performance by up to 75 percent and taking on the Intel Core i7-1360P by even more than that in both productivity and graphics.” AMD claims.
Although it is premature to declare AMD’s Ryzen 7 7840U as a direct competitor to Apple’s M2, industry experts recognize the significance of AMD’s efforts. If AMD can deliver on its promises, it could inject a much-needed dose of competition into the Windows laptop market, providing consumers with a wider range of options.
It remains to be seen whether AMD’s Ryzen 7 7840U can truly live up to its hype, particularly in terms of sustained performance and power efficiency. Only time and real-world testing will provide a definitive answer. Regardless, AMD’s potential challenge to Apple’s dominance is a positive development for consumers, as competition drives innovation and improves the overall quality of products available in the market.
