AMD Bets on On-Device AI with Ryzen AI Halo Max+ Pro 495 Mini PC

AMD unveils the Ryzen AI Halo Max+ Pro 495, an AI-optimized x86 processor pairing a 16-core Zen 5 CPU with a RDNA 3.5 GPU, boasting up to 40 compute units and as much as 160GB of VRAM. The company claims it can run a 300‑billion‑parameter AI model on-device, with two lower‑tier variants (Max Pro 490 and 485) also on offer. The Ryzen AI Halo is sold as a compact 6x6 inch mini PC (around $4,000) capable of Windows or Linux, positioning AMD against Nvidia’s AI hardware plays like the DGX Spark and upcoming laptop CPUs. Preorders for the 395-era Ryzen AI Halo mini PC start in June, with 495‑based devices from Asus, HP, and Lenovo expected in Q3, as Nvidia’s laptop CPUs and AI systems face renewed competition from Team Red.