AMD has achieved significant enhancements in performance, AI capabilities, multi-threading processing, graphics card configuration, and power consumption control through its brand-new "Zen 5" architecture and processors powered by the Ryzen AI technology based on this architecture. These innovations not only strengthen the product's market competitiveness but also provide users with a more efficient, intelligent, and flexible computing experience. Especially with the launch of more laptops equipped with AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processors, more consumers are experiencing the power of AMD YES!

To achieve stronger performance, the new "Zen 5" architecture adopts a wider scheduling and execution mechanism, equipped with an optimized integer scheduler, multiple computational units, and memory access address generation units. The execution window and scheduler have been significantly expanded, and it features an efficient cache system and register configuration, providing robust support for complex computations and data processing. Although the "Zen 4" is already the industry's highest-performing and most energy-efficient x86 CPU core, the "Zen 5" offers higher instruction bandwidth, data bandwidth, and AI performance, delivering an IPC that is 16% higher than "Zen 4" across a wide range of applications, benchmarks, and games.

Furthermore, the new Zen 5 instruction set architecture (ISA) enhances data processing capabilities and strengthens system security and flexibility through a series of innovative instructions and features, providing robust support for high-performance computing and virtualization applications.

It is based on the high-performance "Zen 5" architecture that the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor can provide faster performance for x86 ultra-thin AI PC laptops. It is equipped with up to 12 high-performance cores and 24 threads, and in addition to its leading multi-threading performance, it has increased the number of cores for thin and light laptops by 50% compared to the previous generation of Ryzen processors. In terms of graphics processing, the integrated AMD Radeon 890M graphics card offers exciting gaming performance, high-resolution display support, and hardware-accelerated encoding. The GPU is built on the new AMD RDNA 3.5 architecture and is equipped with up to 16 CUs, increasing the core count by over 33% compared to the previous generation.

The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor also features the latest generation AMD XDNA 2 architecture NPU, delivering up to 50 TOPS of AI processing performance. This massive performance upgrade supports AI functionalities, such as running generative AI applications, large language models, and AI assistants locally on laptops.

Recently, another masterpiece equipped with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air AI ultra-thin laptop, has been officially launched, setting a new benchmark. Let's take a look at the specific review!

Hardware Performance Test

The ASUS ZenBook 16 Air laptop reviewed in this article is positioned as a thin and portable device with a large screen experience. It is equipped with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, which is the top configuration of the Ryzen AI 300 series currently available on the market, integrated with Radeon 890M graphics, and also features 32GB LPDDR5x-7500 SDRAM, 1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD, and supports WiFi 7 wireless networking protocol.

It comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 11 Home Edition in Chinese, Office suite, ASUS Manager, and StoryCube, a one-stop AI media center. The version of AMD Software Adrenalin Edition during testing is 24.10.18.08, the BIOS version number is UM5606WA 308, with 100% full battery and connected to the power adapter, indoor temperature is 25-26°C, the system power mode is set to the best mode, and the ASUS Manager power mode is set to full speed mode, which allows the laptop to operate at its best performance state.

CPUIn terms of specific parameters, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, codenamed "Strix Point," is based on the Zen 5 architecture and utilizes TSMC's 4nm FinFET process technology. It features 12 cores (4x Zen 5, 8x Zen 5c) and 24 threads, with a base clock speed of 2.0 GHz and a maximum boost clock speed of up to 5.1 GHz. The L2+L3 cache amounts to 36MB, with a default thermal design power (TDP) of 28W and a configurable TDP (cTDP) ranging from 15W to 54W. It integrates an AMD Radeon 890M graphics processing unit with a frequency of 2900 MHz. Additionally, it includes an AMD Ryzen AI engine with an NPU computing power of up to 50 TOPS.

When compared with Intel's latest Core Ultra series, the default thermal design power (TDP) matches the 28W of the Core Ultra 7 155H, but the boost frequency is 0.3 GHz higher than that of the Core Ultra 7 155H, reaching the same 5.1 GHz as the 45W TDP Core Ultra 9 185H. This implies that the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 offers higher performance at the same power consumption.

Single Burn-in Test

Let's first examine the actual power consumption of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor on the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air laptop. Using the FPU option in AIDA64, during a continuous 15-minute test, the CPU package power stabilized from an initial 33W to 28W, with a temperature of 76.4°C, undoubtedly indicating there is room for further performance headroom.

In terms of thermal management, the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air employs a dual-fan, ultra-thin VC vapor chamber, and graphite sheet coverage cooling solution, complemented by geometric grilles on the body for heat dissipation. This setup provides quiet and efficient performance while seamlessly adapting to any high-load tasks. Additionally, the smart cooling technology ensures quiet operation below 25 db during light workloads.

CPU performance benchmarks include mainstream testing tools such as CINEBENCH, GeekBench, 3DMark CPU Profile, and 7-Zip.

- CINEBENCH R20

In the Cinebench R20 test, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 achieved a single-core score of 764 points and a multi-core score of 6921 points.

Compared to the Core Ultra 7 155H processor with the same 28W TDP, the R20 single-core score is approximately 11% higher, and the multi-core score is 4.78% higher.· CINEBENCH R23

In the Cinebench R23 benchmark, the single-core score is 1930 pts, and the multi-core score is 17526 pts.

Compared to the Core Ultra 7 155H processor, the single-core score is 8.06% higher, and the multi-core score is 2.26% higher.

· CineBench 2024

The CineBench 2024 benchmark primarily serves as a reference for users of large-scale rendering, with the final results being a single-core score of 112 pts and a multi-core score of 1009 pts.

· GeekBench

In the GeekBench 6.3 version test, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 achieved a single-core score of 2788 and a multi-core score of 13456.

Compared to the Core Ultra 7 155H processor, the single-core score is 13.61% higher, and the multi-core score is 2.96% higher.· 3DMark CPU Profile

The 3DMark CPU Profile is a benchmark performance test designed specifically for CPUs. All six test items use the same workload, with the only variation being the number of threads. Naturally, a higher score indicates faster CPU processing. The results show that the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 achieved a maximum thread score of 7369 in the 3DMark CPU Profile benchmark test.

· 7-Zip

In the built-in benchmark test of 7-Zip, the overall score reached 110.081 GIPS, which is about 21% higher than the compression and decompression score of the Core Ultra 7 155H. Compared to the 95.261 GIPS overall score of the AMD Ryzen 7 8845H processor, it is 15% higher, indicating a commendable performance.

· X264 FHD BENCHMARK

The X264 FHD BenchMark primarily tests the video transcoding capability. The final test result was 67.57 fps, which is essentially on par with the scores of the Core Ultra 7 155H and the Ryzen 7 8845H processors.GPU

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor has a significant highlight with the RDNA 3.5 architecture, which brings notable improvements in performance and efficiency. The core enhancements include a larger engine configuration, achieving over 11 TFLOPs performance at 2.9G Fmax, an increase of about 30%. The texture subsystem sampling rate is doubled, the shader subsystem optimizes resource consumption, the rasterizer subsystem supports sub-batch processing to enhance hardware efficiency, and the memory subsystem enhances LPDDR5x support and improves compression algorithms. Additionally, the architecture also covers optimizations and upgrades for several key components such as scheduling/power management, command processor, geometry processing, and pixel pipelines.

The Radeon 890M graphics card equipped with the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has 16 compute units and operates at a frequency of 2900 MHz. Compared to the Radeon 880M graphics card, it has the same frequency but is higher by 4 Compute Units (CU). If the power consumption can be further increased, its performance will be very noticeable.

Let's take a look at the scores on 3DMark, where the graphics score for Time Spy is 3395, the CPU score is 9536, and the overall score is 3758.

In the Night Raid test, the overall score is 29993, with the graphics score being 38204.

Additionally, two built-in hardware performance test games were tested. "Forza Horizon 5" was run with recommended settings, vertical sync off, and a resolution of 1920x1080, resulting in a smooth 72 frames per second.

In the game "Shadow of the Tomb Raider," with 1080p resolution, low texture quality, and vertical sync off, the average frame rate was 58, which is smooth.

Local AI Experience

The NPU of the AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processors is based on the AMD XDNA 2 architecture, capable of providing up to 50 AI TOPS in computing and functional hardware support. With over 150 AI ISV collaborations underway, such as a range of features based on the AMD XDNA 2 architecture provided by Gigapixel, Arkrunr, CAMO, and Amuse, many users have already experienced these, and future updates are expected to offer even stronger performance support. It is evident that AMD's distinctive features are providing users with an incredible and powerful AI PC experience.· Gigapixel AI

Gigapixel AI is a flagship image enlargement application, and a new test model—Recovery—has been introduced in the latest version. This model leverages Stable Diffusion on the backend to recover lost details, which can be simply understood as making images clearer. After importing an image and selecting a 2X, 4X, or even larger magnification, Gigapixel AI can process the image very quickly. This is extremely convenient for designers who want to restore images, and the Radeon 890M graphics card and NPU AI of the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 play a significant role.

· Camo Studio

In the Camo Studio application, whether it's for video conferencing, live streaming, or recording short video programs, you can enhance your image through automatic framing, layer overlays, background blurring, portrait beautification, and other effects to achieve a more professional image quality.

In addition, applications such as the StoryCube included in the ASUS ZenBook 16 AI Ultra-Slim Laptop, the familiar Stable Diffusion World AI image generation for domestic users, video processing with Jiyan, and highlight generation with Game Plus, all achieve efficient generation by calling upon a combination of CPU, GPU, and NPU. However, we do not directly perceive the presence of the GPU or NPU during operation; now, the task manager can directly display frequency and utilization rates.

The Stable Diffusion World platform can call upon the AMD Radeon 890M graphics card to process images.

Using the AI enhancement with the D5 renderer can make images clearer and brighter.

Undoubtedly, the dedicated AI computing power allows you to experience the efficiency of work without realizing it, such as AI one-click enhancement. In the field of creative design, for example, Adobe applications have fully embraced AI, making once complex operations much faster, especially when you are racking your brains without success, AI might provide you with extraordinary creativity, which is the new transformative experience brought by AI.

MemoryThe ASUS ZenBook 16 Air laptop is equipped with 32GB of LPDDR5x-7500 memory, which provides ample support for multi-tasking and NPU AI processing with its larger capacity and higher frequency. A memory test using AIDA64 shows a read speed of 87,030 MB/s, a write speed of 102.18 GB/s, and a latency of 119.7 ns.

Storage:

The laptop is paired with a Samsung 1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD, which easily meets the storage and speed performance needs for daily office tasks. However, the laptop does not provide an internal expandable SSD interface, so creators requiring larger storage capacity will need to prepare an external hard drive.

Using CrystalDiskMark to test the SSD, the sequential read speed is 5065.74 MB/s, and the write speed is 3690.73 MB/s.

Battery Life:

The ASUS ZenBook 16 Air AI Ultra-Thin laptop is built with a large 78Wh battery. Upon disassembly, it is evident that due to the extremely thin design of the body, the battery is also made very thin and occupies half of the body's surface area. In addition to the core hardware, this laptop also features a 16-inch 120Hz OLED screen. Can it meet the battery life needs for daily carry and outdoor office work?

Using the commonly employed PCMark 10 to test battery life, the battery was fully charged to 100% before the test, the screen brightness was adjusted to 60%, the system power mode was set to recommended performance, and the ASUS Manager's fan mode was set to quiet mode, which dynamically reduces the fan speed. In the modern office scenario of PCMark 10, the laptop achieved a battery life of 15 hours. If the screen brightness is reduced to 50% or 40%, it is believed that an even longer battery life can be achieved, depending on individual needs. However, this performance is undoubtedly excellent and is inseparable from the power optimization and high energy efficiency ratio of the latest AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.

We have reviewed the hardware performance of the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air AI Ultra-Thin laptop here. With the top-tier AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, a combination of 32GB memory and 1TB SSD, and a super long battery life of 78Wh, this laptop has no performance bottlenecks and possesses a ceiling-like strength in the ultra-thin laptop category.In the following sections, let's delve into the design aesthetics, screen, and more of the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air AI Ultra-Slim Laptop, a device with such high beauty and ultra-slim profile that you simply cannot refuse.

Design Aesthetics

The ASUS ZenBook 16 Air AI Ultra-Slim Laptop is designed with minimalist aesthetics at its core, featuring a lightweight body that weighs only 1.49kg and is as thin as 1.1cm, making it effortless to carry around. Crafted with a CNC one-piece forming process, every inch of the laptop exudes refinement and thinness, showcasing an elegant demeanor in any setting. What's more impressive is the innovative high-tech ceramic aluminum integrated into the A-face, which offers a soft touch, durability, corrosion resistance, stain prevention, and fingerprint resistance. It's like a perfect collision of futuristic technology and art, elevating both practicality and aesthetics to new heights. The Snowfield White color scheme and artistically crafted lines make the ZenBook 16 Air AI Ultra-Slim Laptop appear more like a piece of art.

The ASUS ZenBook 16 Air AI Ultra-Slim Laptop is equipped with a full-size adjustable backlit keyboard, offering a comfortable and crisp typing experience with long key travel and large key spacing. As a 16-inch laptop, it lacks a numeric keypad, which may be slightly inconvenient for users who frequently input numbers. The laptop also features a 7.1" ultra-large touchpad, which is 40% larger than its predecessor, and has been upgraded with a 240Hz ultra-high sampling rate, matching the screen refresh rate to effectively eliminate drag and enhance smoothness.

The geometric grille above the keyboard consists of 3,522 exquisite cooling holes processed by CNC, with a unique shape that can increase airflow efficiency by 50%. The extremely small hole diameter also prevents dust and water from entering, so there's no need to worry.

In terms of connectivity, the left side of the laptop features 1 HDMI 2.1 TMDS port, 2 USB4 40Gbps ports, and 1 3.5mm audio jack. The right side includes 1 USB-A port and 1 standard SD card slot. The commonly used expansion ports are quite comprehensive, meeting the connection needs for daily office work.

The bottom of the laptop also has a row of cooling holes, while the cooling grille is designed at the back. When the screen is opened, heat is blown upwards along the bottom of the screen, which essentially does not affect the user experience.

It's worth mentioning that the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air is also equipped with 6 high-quality speakers, four of which are bass speakers that provide extremely powerful low-frequency sound effects, and two are treble speakers with clear and bright tonal performance. Coupled with Dolby Atmos and Harman Kardon certification, the slim form factor delivers an astonishing audio quality.

Regarding the screen, the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air is paired with a 16-inch 2.8K Lumina OLED ASUS Good Screen, offering a broad view, clear images, and vibrant, realistic colors. It features a 120Hz VRR high refresh rate screen and a 0.2ms ultra-fast response time, eliminating screen drag and providing a smoother visual experience when browsing web pages, viewing dynamic images, or playing FPS/MOBA/racing games.

Furthermore, it boasts a 100% P3 cinema-level wide color gamut, 550 nits peak brightness, 1 million:1 high contrast ratio, high color accuracy with △E＜1, and supports 10 billion color displays. It also comes with factory-precise color calibration, supports Dolby Vision, Windows HDR, and four professional color space switches. The screen's colors are true and vivid, with natural transitions, avoiding color errors, and meeting the strict color accuracy requirements of professional users such as designers and photographers.The ASUS Management program allows for the setting of four different color gamut modes to meet visual needs.

Using a colorimeter for actual measurement, in the Display P3 mode, it achieves 100% sRGB color gamut coverage, 110% DCI P3 color gamut volume, with an average deltaE of only 0.46. This is a very good screen performance, consistent with ASUS's consistent high-quality screens.

With this, the review of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor and the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air laptop comes to an end. Undoubtedly, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, based on the new Zen 5 architecture, is the most outstanding mobile processor to date, with its excellent performance, power efficiency, and capabilities in GPU, NPU AI, and other aspects, all of which are top-tier compared to processors from other platforms.

In conclusion, the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air AI ultra-thin laptop, equipped with the new AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, demonstrates exceptional performance and intelligent experience. This processor, based on the advanced Zen 5 architecture, not only excels in multi-threaded processing, AI computing, and graphics rendering but also achieves long battery life through efficient power management. The built-in AMD Radeon 890M graphics card, combined with the RDNA 3.5 architecture, provides excellent gaming performance and graphic processing capabilities. Moreover, the processor also embeds an NPU with the XDNA 2 architecture, offering the industry's highest 50 TOPS top-tier computing power. At the same time, the ZenBook 16 Air AI adheres to minimalist aesthetics in its design, with a slim and portable body, and an outstanding screen display, meeting the stringent needs of professional users such as designers and photographers. In summary, the ASUS ZenBook 16 Air AI ultra-thin laptop is a paragon of high performance, long battery life, and elegant design.