AMD Combines The Zen 2 CPU & RDNA 2 GPU Cores For Ryzen 6000 ‘Mendocino’ APUs, Aimed at Mainstream Laptops
The AMD Ryzen 6000 APU lineup currently consists of Cezanne, Barcelo, and now, the upcoming Mendocino APU. The difference is that while the Cezanne and Barcelo APUs power the standard lineup, the Mendocino APUs will power the mainstream and entry-level lineup, starting at $399 - $699 US. Unlike the other two APUs, the AMD Ryzen 6000 ‘Mendocino’ APUs will be equipped with Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU cores. These cores will be upgraded and optimized on the latest TSMC 6nm node & offer up to 4 cores and 8 threads. This sounds pretty much like the same configuration that AMD has used on its Van Gogh SOC which powers the Steam Deck (handheld) console. But given that the new APU lineup will be utilized in laptops, the chips will have a thermal and power advantage over Van Gogh. With that said, these chips are still expected to be super-efficient and are mentioned to operate with over 10 hours of battery life (internally projected). The first systems featuring the new “Mendocino” processors will be available from OEM partners in Q4 2022. The AMD Ryzen 6000 ‘Mendocino’ APUs are expected to launch in Q4 2022 and will be just a few months away from the Zen 4 powered Ryzen 7000 ‘Dragon Range’ CPUs and ‘Phoenix’ APUs. It will be really interesting to see how the newcomer performs in the market and the designs we get to see with such an APU lineup. AMD hasn’t confirmed its SKUs for the new lineup yet so they may do another pre-release event detailing the product stack, prices and specific products based around the new Mendocino Ryzen APU family.
