Intro
Black Friday’s here, and you know what that means — every tech brand on the planet screaming “new!” louder than a GPU fan under load.
But AMD’s latest “Ryzen 100” lineup might just take the cake. These processors are technically new… except they’re not.
What AMD really did was dust off older Zen 2 and Zen 3 chips from 2022, slap on fresh labels, and push them out as shiny “Ryzen 10” and “Ryzen 100” CPUs. So if you’re thinking about grabbing a budget Ryzen-powered laptop this sale season — hang on. Because that “new” model might be running hardware that’s already three years old.
Let’s break down what’s really inside these chips, why AMD’s doing this, and what it means if you’re buying a gaming laptop this Black Friday.
🧩 What AMD Actually Did
In short? AMD renamed old chips.
Some of these so-called “Ryzen 100” CPUs are literally 2022’s Mendocino (Zen 2) and Rembrandt (Zen 3+) processors — reboxed and relabeled.
Example:
- Ryzen 7 160 = actually a rebadged Ryzen 7 6800U, which was already renamed once as the Ryzen 7 7735U.
So yeah, one chip, three names.
The good news is these CPUs still perform fine for casual gaming and productivity.
The bad news? They’re missing modern features like PCIe 4.0, USB4, and the efficiency you’d get from Zen 4 or Zen 5.
⚙️ Why AMD Did It
This move isn’t a bug — it’s a business strategy.
AMD is clearly clearing out old stock while trying to match Intel’s Core 100 naming scheme. It’s a smart play for marketing, but let’s be honest — it confuses buyers.
Brands love slapping “Ryzen 100” stickers on laptops to make them look next-gen. But in reality, these systems are running tech that’s closer to what you had in 2022.
Still fine for gaming, but don’t expect cutting-edge performance.
🎮 Why It Matters for Gamers
If you’re eyeing a laptop deal for titles like Starfield, Cyberpunk 2077, or Helldivers 2, check the fine print before buying.
Chips using RDNA 2 integrated graphics are now losing active gaming driver optimization support — meaning fewer performance updates for your GPU.
Translation:
- It’ll still run games, but won’t age well.
- You’re buying hardware that’s already at the end of its support cycle.
So if long-term gaming performance matters to you — go for Ryzen 7000 (Zen 4) or higher.
🧭 How to Avoid Getting Tricked
Before you click “Buy,” do these three quick checks:
- Ignore the number. Ryzen “100” sounds newer than Ryzen 7000, but it’s not.
- Check the architecture. Look for Zen 4 or Zen 5 — that’s real next-gen.
- Google the chip name. If it first appeared in 2022 or 2023, you’re dealing with a rebrand.
💬 Final Take
AMD isn’t doing anything illegal — just clever marketing. But when your “new” laptop runs like your old one, it’s fair to feel tricked.
If you’re upgrading this Black Friday, double-check the specs before jumping on flashy sales banners.
You’ll thank yourself later when your rig doesn’t wheeze through next year’s releases.
🎮 Ready to grab games at up to 70% off?
Check the latest deals at Instant Gaming below.
