# AMD benchmarks Gorgon Halo AI chips against Intel, ahead of RTX Spark launch

Digest AI · Hardware & Compute · published 2026-10-05T15:38:45Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/amd-benchmarks-gorgon-halo-ai-chips-against-intel-ahead-of-rtx-spark-l

## Summary

AMD shared benchmarks for its new Gorgon Halo chips, positioning them as a competitor to upcoming RTX Spark devices launching later this week. The company compared its Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 to Intel’s Core Ultra X9 388H using ComfyUI, measuring generative AI performance with models like GLM 5.3 Flash and Qwen 3.8 Flash Next. AMD reported throughput advantages ranging from 1.1x to 32.2x, though the highest figure may be an outlier due to model size or optimization issues. The Gorgon Halo supports up to 192GB of unified memory, compared to RTX Spark’s 128GB, enabling larger local models but at reduced performance per token.

AMD claims to have shipped ‘over half a million’ AI PCs, though it initially claimed ‘10s of millions.’ The Gorgon Halo range is a refresh of Strix Halo, with minor upgrades like a 100 MHz boost clock increase. First devices, such as the Minisforum MS-S1 Max-P495, start at **$7,099**. AMD notes performance drops with longer context lengths, which could limit usability for larger models.

## Key points

- AMD benchmarks Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 against Intel’s Core Ultra X9 388H, showing 1.1x–32.2x AI throughput gains
- Gorgon Halo supports **192GB** unified memory vs RTX Spark’s **128GB**, but slower token speeds for larger models
- First Gorgon Halo devices (e.g. Minisforum MS-S1 Max-P495) start at **$7,099**, with performance declines at longer context lengths

## Why it matters

AMD’s benchmarks highlight its push to compete with Nvidia’s RTX Spark in AI-powered laptops, emphasizing memory capacity over raw speed. The **192GB** support could appeal to users running large models locally, though slower throughput may limit practical use.

## Sources

1. [AMD attempts to get ahead of expected RTX Spark launch with Gorgon Halo benchmarks](https://tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/amd-attempts-to-get-ahead-of-expected-rtx-spark-launch-with-gorgon-halo-ai-benchmarks-company-says-it-has-shipped-over-half-a-million-agentic-pcs-to-date) (Tom's Hardware, 2026-10-05)

## Cite

Digest AI, "AMD benchmarks Gorgon Halo AI chips against Intel, ahead of RTX Spark launch", 5 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/amd-benchmarks-gorgon-halo-ai-chips-against-intel-ahead-of-rtx-spark-l

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