AMD adds more labels to its new (and somewhat confusing) laptop CPU naming system

[Daniel Sims]

In a nutshell: Team Red unveiled a new naming scheme for laptop processors last year to reduce ambiguity and imbed more information in its CPU numbering. New documentation indicates that AMD needs more signage to ensure customers can identify the processor architecture they're purchasing.

As laptops with AMD's latest Zen 4 CPU architecture launch this year, the company's labeling system might confuse customers because it differs from the desktop naming scheme. The company hopes to remedy the problem with orange stickers signifying Zen 4 mobile processors (above).

Processor naming conventions can confuse casual or less-experienced PC users, but understanding AMD's Ryzen desktop processor labels shouldn't take long. All desktop 7000 series CPUs use the company's Zen 4 architecture, succeeding the 5000 series, which uses Zen 3.

However, AMD's 7000 series notebook processors aren't Zen 4. Some are Zen 3 or even Zen 2, which gets confusing. Although, the company adopted a new designation system late last year intended to make more sense, whereby each digit in a mobile CPU's name has a different meaning.

The first digit only represents the year of release. All laptop processors released in 2023 carry a number in the 7000s regardless of the architecture. Customers specifically checking the CPU generation must look at the third digit: 7X4X processors are Zen 4, 7X3X represents Zen 3, and so on.

However, the Santa Clara firm can't fit a complete guide to the naming system on a laptop chassis, so it is resorting to orange stickers to highlight the latest architecture. Laptops with CPUs ranging from the Ryzen 5 7640HS to the Ryzen 9 7945HX will feature orange stickers next to the screen or on the keyboard top cover. Notebooks with earlier processors will have grey stickers, from the Ryzen 3 7320U (Zen 2) to the Ryzen 7 7735HS (Zen 3).

It's unclear where AMD will explain the meaning of the colored logos to unaware customers. A guide appeared in the company's internal training deck intro, and Notebookcheck spotted a sticker on the 2023 Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16. An explanation may appear on the box or signs near retail kiosks. The ROG laptop's Amazon page and official website don't mention or show the logos. It's also unclear what the orange sticker will denote after the 8000 series mobile CPUs ship in 2024. Perhaps Team Red will switch to a different color.

Anyone knowledgeable enough to know they want a Zen 4 processor will likely find information on AMD's naming system. However, discrepancies between the desktop and laptop labeling schemes could also fool them.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/98192-amd-adds-more-labels-new-somewhat-confusing-laptop.html

 

[daffy duck]

I like AMD, but this naming scheme is criminal. Labeling old cpu's 7x30/35 and new one 7x40/45 is intentionally designed to catch out the ordinary non-techhy person. There'll be a lot of dodgy sales people too reinforcing to customers these are the latest and greatest.

 

[Dimitriid]

Not sure what AMD is thinking: of course it's confusing, you designed the naming scheme to be confusing in order to hide the fact you're re-releasing older chips. There's nothing wrong with selling older generation chips but you either own up to the re-release or you just basically turn into Nvidia trying to hide behind confusing, nonsensical naming schemes you can't have it both ways.

Just stop trying to trick people, if you want to still sell Zen 2 and Zen 3 chips keep the same names or add a few digits at the end (Like 5802u instead of 5800u) and lower the prices.

 

[opckieran]

Using alcohol to put out a house fire

 

[DSirius]

In a far, far away PR department, so begins the stickers war!
Unfortunately against uninformed customers.

 

[poshflamingos]

I like AMD, but this naming scheme is criminal. Labeling old cpu's 7x30/35 and new one 7x40/45 is intentionally designed to catch out the ordinary non-techhy person. There'll be a lot of dodgy sales people too reinforcing to customers these are the latest and greatest.

While it can be a bit confusing, I don't understand this complaint. What do you think the alternative is? OEMs demand new lines of products every year, and this year they're keeping some of their Zen 3 lineup from last year, but adding new Zen 4 products at the top of the stack, and a new low-end Zen 2 chip at the bottom. Would you prefer they just not bother using the 3rd digit of the model number to communicate that, and instead just call everything "7100", "7200", "7300", "7400" and leave the user to figure out what they're buying themselves? Because that's how rebranding works for everyone else.

When Intel decided to sell rebranded Alder Lake chips in the 13th gen lineup alongside new Raptor Lake ones, do you think that was good? Would you think it's worse if they had used another digit in their model numbers to tell you whether the 13th gen CPU you're buying is Alder Lake or Raptor Lake?

 

[Nobina]

One thing I'm 100% sure about is the more Xs in a product name the better it is. "Pro" also works.

 

[Tyr Antilles]

Like Ryzen 9 XXX Pron?

 

[Watzupken]

After seeing the confusing naming convention with Intel processors, AMD proceeded to mimick them. Now they are trying to rectify a problem that they could have avoided in the first place.

 

[Tams80]

I like AMD, but this naming scheme is criminal. Labeling old cpu's 7x30/35 and new one 7x40/45 is intentionally designed to catch out the ordinary non-techhy person. There'll be a lot of dodgy sales people too reinforcing to customers these are the latest and greatest.

I don't think it is anywhere near that nefarious. AMD aren't selling worse products as better, so there's no real problem.

 

[Hodor]

I think they are doing this to confuse the Russians.