AMD’s new laptop chips showcase key shortcoming in Intel 10th Gen

AMD has today announced the Ryzen Pro 4000 Series mobile processors, which not only pack up to 8 cores and 16 threads but also see security features to enable data and identity protection.
This marks a significant move by AMD in the business sector, especially with Intel yet to launch its 10th Generation vPro mobile chips, leaving AMD largely unchallenged in terms of security and performance.
The Ryzen Pro 4000 Series mobile processors are designed for commercial notebooks, and so therefore intended for small- and medium-sized businesses. However, laptops in the same vein (such as the HP Dragonfly) are also often made available to the general public for anyone who wants to protect sensitive information.
Related: AMD Ryzen 5000
The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 4750U is the most powerful chip in the lineup, with AMD claiming it’s the “fastest business processor for ultra-thin business notebooks”. This looks like a pretty safe claim, with Intel lagging behind with its vPro series.
AMD also claims the Ryzen 7 Pro 4750U sees improved battery efficiency, with a supposed 2x performance-per-watt improvement, which could apparently equate to over 20 hours of stamina.
With the new Ryzen Pro chips using the same Zen 2 core architecture as the consumer Ryzen 4000 processors, the boost to battery life comes as no surprise – that said, the ultimate battery life depends largely on laptop design, so it’s best taking AMD’s figures with a pinch of salt for now.
Cores / Threads | Base / Boost Frequency | TDP | |
Ryzen 7 Pro 4750U | 8 / 16 | Up to 1.7 / 4.1 GHz | 15W |
Ryzen 5 Pro 4650U | 6 / 12 | Up to 2.1 / 4.1 GHz | 15W |
Ryzen 3 Pro 4450U | 4 / 8 | Up to 2.5 / 3.7 GHz | 15W |
Commercial laptops are generally more expensive than consumer alternatives due to the added security features in the processor. The Ryzen Pro chips include features such as Memory Guard, which apparently helps enable data and identity protection.
Related: HP Elite Dragonfly review
The ‘AMD Pro business ready’ features also allow devices to be set up in a modern IT infrastructure, with full support for the likes of Microsoft Endpoint Manager. This further emphasises that laptops sporting these chips are best used in a controlled office setting.
The HP ProBook 445 G7 and HP ProBook 455 G7 laptops will reportedly be the first devices to feature the Ryzen 4000 Series mobile processors, while Lenovo is also expected to make use of the chip in upcoming systems within the first half of 2020.