AMD Unveils AI PCs at CES: A Game Changer for Work and Gaming

At CES 2026, AMD made a strong statement about the future of personal computing by positioning artificial intelligence as a built-in, everyday feature rather than a niche capability. 

Chair and CEO Lisa Su opened the company’s keynote with a clear message: AI is for everyone, and AI-powered PCs are central to how people will work, create, and play going forward. To support that vision, AMD unveiled a broad lineup of new processors, platforms, and software designed to push AI deeper into consumer, gaming, and enterprise systems while keeping performance and usability at the forefront (TechCrunch).

At the center of the announcement is the new AMD Ryzen AI 400 Series processor, the latest evolution of AMD’s AI PC chips. Built on the Zen 5 architecture and powered by second-generation XDNA 2 neural processing units, the Ryzen AI 400 Series delivers up to 60 trillion operations per second of AI compute, exceeding Microsoft Copilot+ PC requirements. AMD claims these processors offer 1.3 times faster multitasking and 1.7 times faster content creation performance compared to competitors. Each chip includes up to 12 CPU cores and 24 threads, integrated Radeon 800M graphics, and faster memory speeds, enabling smoother AI-assisted workflows, longer battery life, and more responsive everyday computing. The Ryzen AI 400 Series builds on the Ryzen AI 300 Series introduced in 2024, continuing AMD’s processor lineage that began in 2017 (TechCrunch; Yahoo Tech).

AMD also highlighted rapid growth in AI PC adoption. According to Rahul Tikoo, senior vice president and general manager of AMD’s client business, the company now supports more than 250 AI PC platforms, representing a doubling of platforms over the past year. Tikoo described AI as a “multi-layered fabric” that will be woven into every level of personal computing, enabling PCs to understand context, automate tasks, and provide personalized experiences across thousands of daily interactions. This expansion reflects AMD’s broader goal of making AI a seamless, always-on part of the user experience rather than a separate feature users must actively seek out (TechCrunch; Yahoo Tech).

Beyond mainstream consumer PCs, AMD expanded its portfolio to cover premium and professional use cases. The company introduced Ryzen AI Max+ processors designed for ultra-thin notebooks, workstations, and small form factor desktops, bringing high-performance AI and graphics capabilities to compact devices. AMD also announced the Ryzen AI PRO 400 Series, aimed at enterprise laptops with added layers of security, manageability, and long-term platform stability through AMD PRO Technologies. For developers, AMD unveiled Ryzen AI Halo, its first AMD-branded AI developer mini-PC, offering an out-of-the-box platform for AI development and experimentation at the edge (AMD).

Gaming received equal attention during the announcements. AMD revealed the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, its latest gaming-focused processor and successor to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Powered by Zen 5 architecture and AMD 3D V-Cache technology, the new chip features a 400 MHz higher boost clock and is positioned as the fastest gaming processor available. On the graphics side, AMD introduced the latest version of its Redstone ray tracing and FSR Redstone technologies, using machine learning for frame generation and upscaling to deliver improved visual fidelity in modern games without sacrificing performance (TechCrunch; AMD).

Software plays a key role in AMD’s AI strategy as well. The company announced ROCm 7.2 software support for Windows and Linux, enabling seamless compatibility with Ryzen AI 400 Series processors and integration with tools such as ComfyUI. AMD also introduced new AI bundle features within AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, aimed at lowering barriers to AI adoption, development, and deployment. Together, these hardware and software updates reflect AMD’s full-stack approach to AI computing, as the company works with ecosystem partners to move AI PCs from early adoption into the mainstream. Systems featuring Ryzen AI processors and the Ryzen 7 9850X3D are expected to become available in the first quarter of 2026, marking the next phase in AMD’s effort to redefine what personal computers can do in an AI-driven world (TechCrunch; AMD).

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Works Cited

AMD. “AMD Expands AI Leadership Across Client, Graphics, and Software with New Ryzen, Ryzen AI, and AMD ROCm Announcements at CES 2026.” AMD Newsroom, 5 Jan. 2026, www.amd.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-1-5-amd-expands-ai-leadership-across-client-graphics-.html.

TechCrunch. “AMD Unveils New AI PC Processors for General Use and Gaming at CES.” TechCrunch, 5 Jan. 2026, techcrunch.com/2026/01/05/amd-unveils-new-ai-pc-processors-for-general-use-and-gaming-at-ces/.

Yahoo Tech. “AMD Unveils New AI PC Processors for General Use and Gaming at CES.” Yahoo Tech, 5 Jan. 2026, tech.yahoo.com/computing/articles/amd-unveils-ai-pc-processors-033000348.html.

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Campbell, Mark. “AMD Launches Its Ryzen AI 400 Series of Mobile CPUs.” Overclock3D, 6 Jan. 2026, https://overclock3d.net/news/cpu_mainboard/amd-launches-its-ryzen-ai-400-series-of-mobile-cpus/.