Chromebooks are about to get a huge power boost thanks to AMD Ryzen

Chromebooks are near to get a huge power boost thanks to AMD Ryzen

(Epitome credit: Futurity)

Power users may not scoff at Chromebooks for much longer. We've just learned that the Chrome OS-based laptops are getting some other weapon to stay competitive with Windows PCs: brand new AMD processors.

Our sister site Anandtech reports today that AMD just rolled out five new APU (accelerated processing unit) chips fabricated specifically for Chromebooks. These processors will characteristic newly optimized Ryzen hardware and Vega graphics, made specifically for Chromebooks, and will be found in HP, Lenovo and Asus laptops coming afterwards this year, according to AMD.

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The fix is comprised of three Ryzen fries: the Ryzen 3 3250C, Ryzen v 3500C and Ryzen 7 3700C. The Ryzen 3 is based on the dual-core 14 nanometer Dali processor, with two Zen cores and 3 Vega compute units. The higher-end Ryzen 5 and seven chips are based on the 12nm Picasso processors, and pack iv Zen+ cores and every bit many as 11 Vega compute units.

There's also an Athlon Gold 3150C and Athlon Silver 3050C, both based on Dali processors similar the Ryzen three.

This range is meant to support the mid-to-high level of Chromebooks, as AMD already has A-series chipsets for the existing entry-level machines.

What does that really mean for you lot?

If you don't speak in chipsets and cores, y'all might be a little baffled by the above. AMD simplified this by claiming Ryzen-class APUs volition provide at least twice every bit fast performance on spider web tasks (vs the A-series).

Likewise, productivity and graphics tasks — for when you lot're going outside of Chrome and running applications in Linux and Android — volition become an uptick of 66% to 150% performance co-ordinate to AMD.

Laptops featuring AMD's new Chromebook APUs

HP has two versions of the same new Chromebook, the HP Pro c645, which will feature both the Athlon and Ryzen processors (your selection). Information technology'southward coming out in December, and pricing is not available nonetheless.

This laptop has a lot of the standard specs you'd await, with the HP Privacy Camera shutter (and an optional fingerprint sensor). Its display is available in either 1080p Full Hd or 768p Hd.

It can exist customized with up to 128GB of NVMe storage and 12GB of RAM, with the lowest-terminate specs beingness 4GB of retention and a 32GB eMMC hard drive. HP quotes information technology as offering up to 10.5 hours of battery life, and in that location's optional fast charging.

For ports, you become dual USB Blazon-C and Type-A outputs, a microSD slot and HDMI.

As noted above, this is just the beginning of these new AMD Ryzen Chromebooks, as other OEMs participating include Lenovo and Asus, who will also have laptops scheduled to arrive later on this yr.

How will these laptops compare in speed to the upcoming Intel 11th Gen Tiger Lake chips? Nosotros tin can't look to find out.

Henry is a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past six-plus years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's too covered the wild earth of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other manufacture veterans.