This really baffles me.
This really baffles me.
These models follow the same naming pattern as the newer Ryzen 7000 series, yet they employ older chip designs. Their manufacturing process is larger compared to previous generations, while Zen3 uses Vega and LPDDR4, and Zen2 and Zen3+ utilize RDNA2 and LPDDR5. The reasoning behind developing new CPUs with outdated architectures seems mainly about cost.
It has always been this way with Intel and AMD. Often several different architectures appear together in the same line of mobile chips. All costs involved are quite similar.
The 11th generation mobile featured two distinct CPU designs. The 11G model utilized a more recent architecture, whereas the 11H series adopted the desktop version. This illustrates a clear distinction between the two generations.
wxyz four-digit numbers indicate the CPU generation, not the manufacturing date, which helps determine when the laptop was built. This suggests you should be fairly current on IO capabilities and a guarantee of support for several years. X provides the tier classification, while Z adds further details if required (such as distinguishing Zen 3 from Zen 2 or Dragon Range from Phoenix). It also confirms its applicability for use this year. There are challenges with OEMs because they can’t market new laptops with older CPUs that have 1000% validity, since users assume the device is outdated and lacks support. This is much clearer than the previous Intel methods when you’re unsure whether it’s a 10th or 11th generation mobile CPU—could it be Tiger Lake, Ice Lake, or something else? You’ll notice Intel has multiple generations of 10nm chips running alongside 14nm before Intel 7 arrived. As you’ve observed, nodes differ significantly. A 4-core Zen 2 chip built for 6nm delivers excellent performance with high yields and massive wafer utilization, making it very affordable. This is why it carries the codename Mendocino, distinct from earlier Zen 2 models, and why it spreads workloads across many nodes to improve pricing and scalability across the entire product line. Rembrant has consistently pursued this approach, similar to how Barcelo was named.