AMD Ryzen U vs H vs HS vs HX Laptop Processors: What’s the Difference?

If you are buying a new laptop, the processor is one of the first considerations. Unfortunately, laptop CPU naming schemes are confusing, combining indecipherable letters and numbers that make no sense to most people.

Fortunately, with a few tips and tricks, you can understand AMD’s laptop naming scheme and find the right processor for your new machine.

Understanding the AMD naming scheme

PC hardware naming schemes are confusing because the numbers and letters make it hard to understand what you’re buying in terms of power and performance; AMD laptop chips are notoriously ambiguous.

For AMD Ryzen processors, the numbers after the Ryzen name indicate the performance level – eg Ryzen 3 is the affordable variant, while Ryzen 9 is often the most powerful chip in a particular generation. However, the letters attached to the model numbers add another layer to AMD’s processor naming schemes, and these letters indicate the performance levels of a laptop’s processor based on its power consumption and a few more specific features.

AMD Ryzen U: Energy-efficient laptop chip

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AMD Ryzen U is often the most affordable variant of the chip and has the lowest power consumption. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it, because U, which stands for ultra-low power, offers the best battery life and produces the least heat. That’s why you’ll often find U processors deployed in thin and light applications, allowing laptop manufacturers to fit in a smaller battery and fewer cooling solutions without compromising battery life.

Because U processors are more energy-efficient compared to their siblings, you can stay unplugged and do more for longer. Also note that Ryzen 7 processors also have U variants, meaning gamers and other users who need processing power but don’t want to lug around a heavy laptop could go for something like the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U.

Even a few Windows handheld consoles like the OneXPlayer 2 Pro – one of the best handheld gaming consoles worth buying in 2024 – use this processor, which allows for a longer gaming experience on battery without compromising on performance.

AMD Ryzen HS: Balancing performance and efficiency

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AMD Ryzen HS processors emphasize performance more than their Ryzen U counterparts. However, they still take battery life into account. We can compare the AMD Ryzen 5 8640U with the Ryzen 5 8640HS, for example. Both models are virtually identical processors with identical clocks (3.5 GHz base clock, 4.9 GHz boost clock), threads and core counts (12 threads/6 cores), L3 cache size (16 MB) and integrated GPU (Radeon 760 million).

However, the HS model has a higher base TDP at 20W compared to the U’s 15W. This allows PC manufacturers to get more performance out of HS chips while maintaining decent battery life. You could say that the HS processor is AMD’s flagship offering, allowing it to do almost anything at the cost of slightly less power efficiency than the U chip.

AMD Ryzen H: For when you need more performance

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If you want performance over battery life and energy efficiency, go for a Ryzen H processor. Processors with this badge will require more power and have TDPs of up to 54 watts. For this reason, don’t expect to find Ryzen H chips in thin and light laptops. Instead, you’ll likely find them in beefier gaming laptops with two or more fans to meet the cooling requirements of this processor.

This means you can get better performance from your laptop, which could reach higher clock speeds thanks to improved cooling and increased power supply. However, this means your laptop will have significantly less battery life, which means you’ll need to stay plugged in most of the time, especially if you’re pushing its performance. However, this is probably not a major issue as the discrete GPU on your gaming laptop is likely to consume more power than the AMD Ryzen H processor it contains.

AMD Ryzen HX: all-round performance

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While AMD Ryzen H already provides plenty of performance, it lacks one thing that you can only get on HX processors: overclocking. This allows laptop manufacturers to push the performance of the system, allowing you to get higher clocks than comparable processors.

Of course, higher clocks mean higher power consumption and more heat, so the laptop will need a large chassis to accommodate the larger battery. It will also have a more powerful cooling system to prevent thermal throttling.

We can compare AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX and 6980HS to see the difference. Both processors have eight cores and 16 threads, but the HX processor will have a higher boost clock of 5.0 GHz (vs. 4.9 GHz on the HS chip). It also has a higher TDP of 45 watts, 10 watts more than the HS chip requires.

AMD Ryzen HX3D: Designed for gaming on a laptop

If you’re an AMD fan, you’ve probably heard of its legendary X3D processors with 3D V-Cache. This feature gives it three times the L3 cache of other non-X3D AMD processors, enhancing gaming performance. So if you’re a die-hard gamer and want to take your gaming laptop with you, look for one that carries the HX3D designation.

Note that there is only one HX3D processor at the moment: the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D. Due to its thermal and power requirements, expect laptops with this chip to be large and bulky. For example, I have seen only two models of laptops with this processor: 16- or 17-inch. This means they are big, bulky machines that you wouldn’t want to lug around all the time.

Which AMD Laptop Processor Should You Buy?

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Now that you know the differences between these classes of laptops, you can decide on the right laptop processor for your needs. Once you have considered your budget, you can first look at different laptops by processor level. For example, if you’re on a budget, you’ll probably want to stick with a Ryzen 3 or Ryzen 5 chip, but if you need more performance and are willing to spend more, go for a Ryzen 7 or Ryzen 9 CPU.

Once you know which variant of Ryzen you want, you can look at these letters. If you’re working outside, away from an outlet, you’ll probably want to stick with the Ryzen U chip, but if you care about performance more than battery life, the Ryzen HX processor is a better choice.

Note that laptop manufacturers also vary in the performance these processors get, so if you want to be sure you’re getting the performance you expect, it’s always best to check the reviews of the laptop you’re looking at. This way, you can verify that it will perform as expected before spending your hard-earned money.