AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 388 and 392: AMD’s Answer to Intel’s Panther Lake Era

Two AMD APUs have been leaked: Ryzen AI MAX+ 388 and Ryzen AI MAX+ 392, which are designed to push the boundaries between desktop-class performance and mobile efficiency. Built on the Strix Halo architecture, these chips are part of AMD’s push to dominate the AI-accelerated computing space for both gamers and creators.

If the Ryzen 7000 series focused on raw multicore power, the new MAX+ lineup takes it a step further by embedding an AI-centric design philosophy. Think faster neural processing, advanced GPU integration, and a silicon design tailored for gaming laptops and compact desktop builds that need serious graphics muscle, all without a discrete GPU.

The heart of Strix Halo: Radeon 8060S graphics and AI engine

At the core of the Ryzen AI MAX+ 388 is the Radeon 8060S GPU, a full-fat RDNA 3.5 integrated graphics processor that’s anything but typical for an APU. Early benchmarks suggest it can rival entry-level discrete GPUs, offering smooth 1080p gaming across modern titles and AI-assisted rendering for creative workloads.

According to data from CPU Benchmark, the chip delivers impressive results in multi-threaded tests, outpacing its Zen 4-based predecessors by a wide margin. The new AI Engine, featuring AMD’s Ryzen AI XDNA 2 NPU, enables real-time language modeling, background blur, and on-chip inferencing, a sign of where AMD wants to go: AI-augmented gaming and productivity.

The Ryzen AI MAX+ 392, the higher-tier model, bumps the GPU frequency and core count slightly higher and features more NPU compute units, setting the stage for AMD’s future AI desktop ambitions.

Specs overview: Ryzen AI MAX+ 388 vs 392

AMD’s focus: AI, gaming, and efficiency

What makes these new Ryzen chips stand out is AMD’s dual focus: not just more performance, but smarter performance.

With AI-driven workload optimization, the Ryzen AI MAX+ processors can dynamically adjust power delivery and core frequency depending on real-time workload patterns. In practice, that means better battery efficiency for laptops and consistent frame times for gamers.

For streamers and content creators, the AI engine can also accelerate tasks like voice isolation, background removal, and smart encoding, previously handled by the GPU or CPU. AMD is clearly betting that AI isn’t just for chatbots, but for improving the gaming and content experience itself.

AMD vs. Intel: Ryzen AI MAX+ 388 vs. Intel Core Ultra X9 388H

If this all sounds familiar, it’s because Intel’s already made a move in this direction with its Core Ultra X9 388H “Panther Lake” chip, which you covered in your Panther Lake specs breakdown.

Both chips are targeting the same audience: gamers who want high-end performance in thin and light devices. But AMD’s strategy differs in a few key ways:

In short, AMD leads in raw graphics power, while Intel leads in efficiency and integrated AI power balance. The Ryzen AI MAX+ 388’s Radeon 8060S offers real-world gaming performance that’s closer to an RTX 2050 laptop GPU, something Intel still struggles to match natively. Will the new deal between Intel and Nvidia change this GPU power balance?

Real-World gaming and creator impact

In early demos, AMD showed off the MAX+ 388 running Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p medium settings, holding a stable 60 FPS without the help of FSR upscaling. With FSR 3.1 and AI frame generation, the frame rate jumped to nearly 100 FPS, an impressive feat for an integrated solution.

Creators benefit just as much. Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve are already leveraging AMD’s NPU for AI-assisted tasks like smart reframing and color balancing. This makes the Ryzen AI MAX+ line not only gamer-friendly but creator-optimized as well.

AI MAX+ 392: The future-proof flagship

While the 388 is impressive, the Ryzen AI MAX+ 392 is AMD’s flagship move, the one aimed directly at top-tier mobile workstations and gaming laptops.

With its 16 Zen 5 cores, larger cache, and slightly higher clocked Radeon 8060S GPU, the 392 blurs the line between desktop and mobile. It’s positioned to compete with Intel’s Core Ultra X9 490H and even early Meteor Lake HX refreshes.

Expect the 392 to appear in high-end gaming notebooks from ASUS, Lenovo, and MSI by early 2025, all marketing heavy on AI acceleration and gaming realism.

AI in gaming: The next battleground

Both AMD and Intel are treating AI as the next performance frontier, not just for creators, but for gamers.
AMD’s integration of Ryzen AI MAX+ branding signals the beginning of a long-term strategy: every Ryzen chip from now on will feature AI hardware, just as GPUs standardized ray tracing a few years ago.

The AI MAX+ platform combines:

• On-chip AI cores (for neural inference)
• Adaptive performance management
• Predictive frame pacing for smoother gameplay
• And intelligent cooling + frequency scaling

In essence, AMD is making your CPU learn how you game.

Is this AMD’s smartest move yet?

With the Ryzen AI MAX+ 388 and 392, AMD wants to lead the next wave of AI-powered gaming and content creation, and these chips prove it.

For PC builders, the takeaway is clear:

• Expect more APU-based builds with serious gaming potential.
• AI features are now part of the core performance metric.
• And yes, Intel’s Panther Lake will have its hands full trying to keep up with AMD’s momentum.

In the battle of Ryzen AI MAX+ vs. Panther Lake, AMD may have just taken the lead in real-world performance and GPU power.