AMD's mobile Strix Halo processors might come to desktop PCs as well, offering its exceptional iGPU prowess.
AMD's CEO Reportedly Confirms Strix Halo for Desktop PCs; Powerful Compact Desktops Around the Corner?
AMD's Strix Halo is a revolutionary product as it's the first and the fastest APU to deliver graphical capabilities comparable to modern budget GPUs. The die design is different and bigger than the traditional Strix Point Zen 5 SKUs and this is due to the presence of up to 40 Compute Units for iGPU on the I/O die.
Since the Strix Halo processors, by design, are made for mobile platforms, the processors won't fit on a regular AM5 socket but can only fit the FP11 socket. These are larger than desktop AM5 Ryzen 9000 processors and while it's not possible for Strix Halo APUs to transition in such a way, there are still some methods through which they can be made available for the desktop.
If you remember, last year's Minisforum introduced its BD770i and BD790i, allowing Ryzen 7745HX and 7945HX to sit on a custom motherboard that could be used on a regular desktop. AMD is reportedly planning to pave the way for a similar thing. In an interview published on Bilibli, the General Manager of ASUS China, Tony, requested AMD's CEO, Dr. Lisa Su to make the Strix Halo transition to desktop as well. Dr. Lisa replied "...yes, yes, of course!"
However, it is also possible that Lisa Su might be referring to socketed systems like Framework Desktop based on Strix Halo since Framework has already introduced Ryzen AI 300-based (Krackan Point) desktops and laptops recently.
If this is really what AMD is looking towards, then we would have desktops featuring the most powerful mainstream mobile APUs that won't need discrete GPU solutions for decently intensive tasks, whether CPU or GPU-intensive. Platforms like the BD790i or Framework introduced motherboards that can be further upgraded by adding a discrete GPU and can be used in compact PC cases. You can also add RAM and storage like in a regular desktop PC.
Of course, there are some limitations compared to conventional desktop PCs, such as the inability to change the CPU or the CPU cooler, but you can still trade it for a regular desktop PC with all the above-mentioned advantages. AMD hasn't shown its interest in launching Strix Halo for desktop up until now, but it could really change the desktop landscape, considering how many million users around the globe would want a console-sized desktop PC that could play modern games without consuming 300+ watts.
OEMs will also be able to build mini-PCs that are even smaller in footprint, offering portable solutions to consumers while delivering superb graphical performance that outperforms the Strix Point. We will be awaiting more announcements on this matter from AMD but the future of APUs looks bright.
News Sources: @Unikoshardware, Bilibili
