10 Hot New AMD Ryzen Laptops Unveiled At CES 2021

PC makers such as Lenovo and HP are debuting AMD-powered laptops at CES, including business notebooks and gaming laptops that feature the new AMD Ryzen processors.

AMD Laptops

As chipmaker AMD continues to expand its efforts with channel partners, PC makers are kicking off the new year by rolling out plenty more AMD laptops for partners to sell. This week at CES 2021, AMD-powered laptops are front and center in the product announcements from vendors including Lenovo, HP and Acer. That includes business notebooks featuring the new AMD Ryzen 5000 processors--such as new Lenovo ThinkBook and HP ProBook models--as well as AMD gaming laptops (such as the Lenovo Legion 7) and consumer-focused AMD laptops (including the Acer Chromebook Spin 514).

For AMD, CES 2021 is just the latest example of how the chipmaker is challenging Intel in the PC space--and showcases the newest ways for solution providers to expand their AMD Ryzen laptop offerings. Because as AMD CEO Lisa Su recently told CRN, the channel has become an “incredibly important part” of AMD’s business, as the company is “growing by leaps and bounds in the channel.”

What follows are the key specs and price details on 10 hot new AMD Ryzen laptops unveiled this week at CES 2021.

Lenovo Legion 7

Lenovo says that its new Legion 7 laptop will deliver massive performance for gaming through the inclusion of the newest generation of AMD Ryzen 5000 H-series chips. Configuration options go up to the AMD Ryzen 9 5900H mobile processor, offering eight high-performance cores as well as solid battery life (estimated at up to eight hours on a charge). The Legion 7 will also include the latest-gen Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics and up to 32 GB of 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM. Meanwhile, Lenovo is touting the Legion 7 as “the world’s first 16-inch QHD gaming laptop,” with its 16-inch display boasting resolution of 2,560 x 1,600, as well as a 165 Hz refresh rate. The display also stands out with its 16:10 aspect ratio--offering 11 percent more usable screen real estate for an improved field of view, Lenovo says.

The Lenovo Legion 7 will have a starting price of $1,669.99 and is planned for availability in June.

Lenovo Legion 5 Pro

For the Legion 5 Pro gaming laptop, Lenovo is offering many of the same features as on the Legion 7, but with a different set of AMD processor and memory options. The Legion 5 Pro will be configurable with up to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H mobile processor, and with up to 16 GB of 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM. But like the Legion 7, Lenovo’s Legion 5 Pro will sport a 16-inch QHD display with 16:10 aspect ratio and a refresh rate of 165 Hz. The Legion 5 Pro will also offer the latest-gen Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics and up to eight hours of battery life per charge.

The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro will have a starting price of $999.99 and is planned for availability in March.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14p

At CES, Lenovo is also debuting new AMD-powered laptops in its ThinkBook lineup, including the ThinkBook 14p. The notebook includes AMD Ryzen 5000 Series mobile processors, up to the newest generation of AMD’s Ryzen 9 5000 H Series chips. The ThinkBook 14p also comes with integrated AMD Radeon graphics, and is configurable with up to 32 GB of RAM for even further enhanced performance.

The 14-inch display on the ThinkBook 14p features a 16:10 aspect ratio--providing about 6 percent greater usable screen space than a 16:9 display--while sporting optional OLED display technology with 2.8K resolution. Other key features include a “smart power button” (with an integrated fingerprint reader); an optional FHD webcam with ThinkShutter cover; a larger touchpad with a backlit keyboard that includes dedicated conference call keys; AI-powered noise cancellation; and a portable form factor at 3.08 pounds.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 14p will have a starting price of $849 and will be available during the first quarter.

Lenovo ThinkBook 16p

Also powered by AMD’s new Ryzen 9 5000 H Series processors is Lenovo’s forthcoming ThinkBook 16p. The notebook differs from the ThinkBook 14p with its larger display--at 16 inches--along with discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics and preconfigured color calibration technology (for enhanced color accuracy). The display also offers a 16:10 aspect ratio, resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 and up to 400 nits of brightness, along with reduced bezels for a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio (though the notebook is not available with an OLED display). Other key capabilities for the ThinkBook 16p include the optional FHD webcam, smart power button, larger touchpad and AI-based noise cancelling technology.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 16p will have a starting price of $1,299 and will be available during the first quarter.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro

For the IdeaPad 5 Pro, Lenovo is including AMD Ryzen H-Series processors for the laptop’s performance needs--as well as offering Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics and up to 32 GB of RAM. The IdeaPad 5 Pro sports a 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, up to 350 nits of brightness and a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio. Other key capabilities include an IR camera that enables Windows Hello facial authentication log-in and includes time-of-flight sensors to automatically pause a video when the user walks away. Meanwhile, the IdeaPad 5 Pro will feature the new Alexa Show Mode capability, which adds voice control via the Amazon Alexa assistant.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro will have a starting price of $1149.99 and is expected to be available in May. Alexa Show Mode is expected to become available in the second quarter.

HP EliteBook 805 G8

Lenovo isn’t the only PC vendor at CES that’s doubling down on its AMD laptop portfolio. HP is using the show to introduce its new EliteBook 805 series, which is powered by the newest generation of AMD Ryzen Pro 5000 processors as well as integrated AMD Radeon graphics. The models include the 13.3-inch EliteBook 835 G8 (pictured), with a starting weight of 2.75 pounds and a thickness of 0.7 of an inch. The other two models are the 14-inch EliteBook 845 G8 (starting at 3.1 pounds) and the 15.6-inch EliteBook 855 G8 (starting at 3.85 pounds). All three models offer slim bezels around their FHD displays for an 85 percent screen-to-body ratio, as well as an optional HP Sure View Reflect integrated privacy screen to prevent visual snooping. Other features include HP Tamper Lock intrusion detection technology--which automatically locks the PC if it has been physically opened--and optional LTE connectivity. To assist with collaboration, the EliteBook 805 G8 models come with HP Dynamic Audio technology, which optimizes audio for speech, music or movies while reducing background noise.

The HP EliteBook 805 G8 series notebooks are planned for availability in March. Pricing was not disclosed.

HP ProBook 635 Aero G8

For HP’s SMB-focused ProBook lineup, the vendor is debuting a new model at CES that features AMD processors and a highly portable design--the ProBook 635 Aero G8. The 13.3-inch notebook has a starting weight of just 2.2 pounds, with a thickness of 0.7 of an inch. The ProBook 635 Aero G8 is powered by the latest generation of AMD Ryzen processors along with AMD Radeon graphics--and HP is touting the device as the “world’s lightest AMD-based business notebook.” Other key capabilities include optional LTE connectivity; an optional HP Sure View Reflect integrated privacy screen; a spill-resistant and quiet keyboard (with optional backlighting); and HP QuickDrop software, which enables wireless transferring of files and photos from a smartphone.

The HP ProBook 635 Aero G8 is planned for availability in April. Pricing was not disclosed.

HP ProBook 445 G8 And 455 G8

HP is unveiling several additional AMD-powered ProBook models at CES—including the 14-inch ProBook 445 G8 and the 15.6-inch ProBook 455 G8. The company is calling the ProBook 405 G8 series its smallest and lightest 400 series ever. The notebooks feature a compact form factor--enabled in part by slim bezels around the display, for an 87 percent screen-to-body ratio--with a starting weight of just 3.03 pounds for the ProBook 445 G8 and 3.83 pounds for the ProBook 455 G8. On performance, the ProBook 445 G8 and 455 G8 feature options for the latest AMD Ryzen 5000 processors and integrated AMD Radeon graphics, and offer upgradeable dual channel memory (with an option for up to 32 GB of RAM). The notebooks include aluminum exteriors and choices between HD resolution and FHD resolution for the display, as well as an optional Sure View Gen3 integrated privacy screen.

The HP ProBook 405 G8 series notebooks are planned for availability in February. Pricing was not disclosed.

HP ProBook x360 435 G8

HP is also debuting a 2-in-1 ProBook model at CES featuring AMD processors, with the ProBook x360 435 G8. The notebook features a convertible 13.3-inch touch screen with the optional Sure View Gen3 integrated privacy filter, as well as Gorilla Glass 5 for durability. In terms of portability, the ProBook x360 435 G8 has a starting weight of 3.19 pounds and measures 0.7 of an inch thick. And on performance, the convertible notebook is outfitted with AMD Ryzen 5000 processors, AMD Radeon graphics and upgradeable dual channel memory (configurable with up to 32 GB of RAM).

The HP ProBook x360 435 G8 is planned for availability in February. Pricing was not disclosed.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514

Acer says the Chromebook Spin 514 is its first-ever Chromebook to feature AMD Ryzen 3000 C-Series processors and AMD Radeon graphics, which help to enable strong performance and battery life of up to 10 hours. The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 includes a 14-inch display with FHD resolution, and the device is highly durable with Gorilla Glass on the display and a reinforced aluminum chassis, according to the company. Other notable features include slim bezels around the display (for a 78 percent screen-to-body ratio) and a thickness of 0.68 of an inch, as well as options for up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of storage. Additionally, Acer is offering a variant of the convertible notebook aimed at business users—the Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514—with additional security and management capabilities.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 has a starting price of $479.99 and is planned for availability in February. The Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514 starts at $749.99 and will be available in March.