Laptop Reviews

Laptops Featuring Ryzen 9 6900HS

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The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS is a powerful mobile processor in AMD’s 6000 series, designed primarily for high-performance laptops. Here’s a breakdown of its key features, performance capabilities, and use cases:

Key Specs and Features

  • Architecture: Based on AMD’s Zen 3+ architecture, the 6900HS is built using TSMC’s 6nm process, which improves power efficiency and overall performance compared to previous generations.
  • Cores and Threads: 8 cores and 16 threads, making it capable of handling demanding multitasking and productivity tasks.
  • Base and Boost Clock Speeds: The base clock is 3.3 GHz, while the maximum boost clock can reach up to 4.9 GHz, providing impressive single-core performance.
  • TDP (Thermal Design Power): It has a configurable TDP of 35W, which is power-efficient for a high-end CPU and enables longer battery life on laptops.
  • Integrated GPU: The 6900HS includes an integrated AMD Radeon 680M GPU based on RDNA 2 architecture, which offers decent graphics performance for casual gaming and multimedia tasks.

Performance

The Ryzen 9 6900HS performs exceptionally well in both single-threaded and multi-threaded applications, making it suitable for a range of tasks, including:

  1. Gaming: Paired with a dedicated GPU, the 6900HS can handle AAA games at high settings without bottlenecks. The integrated Radeon 680M GPU can manage lighter games and esports titles at lower settings.
  2. Content Creation: Its 8 cores and 16 threads make it highly capable for tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and multitasking with creative applications such as Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, and Blender.
  3. Productivity: With high single-core and multi-core performance, it excels at productivity tasks, from Microsoft Office Suite to development environments like Visual Studio and Android Studio.

The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS is a high-performance processor aimed at mobile devices, particularly laptops that require a balance between power and efficiency. Based on AMD’s Zen 3+ architecture, it’s built using a 6nm process, enhancing both performance and power efficiency over previous models. Here’s a detailed look at the performance of the Ryzen 9 6900HS in various scenarios:

1. CPU Performance

  • Core and Thread Count: With 8 cores and 16 threads, the Ryzen 9 6900HS is excellent for both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads.
  • Clock Speeds: Its base clock is 3.3 GHz, and it can boost up to 4.9 GHz. This makes it strong in single-core tasks like gaming and applications that depend on high clock speeds, such as certain creative and productivity applications.
  • TDP (Thermal Design Power): The Ryzen 9 6900HS has a configurable TDP of 35W, striking a balance between performance and power efficiency for a long battery life. It’s designed to run efficiently and stay cool, especially in thin-and-light laptops or ultrabooks.

2. Integrated Graphics Performance (Radeon 680M)

The Ryzen 9 6900HS’s integrated AMD Radeon 680M graphics is based on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, giving it impressive power for integrated graphics.

  • Gaming: The Radeon 680M can handle lighter games, esports titles, and even some older AAA games at 720p or 1080p on Low settings. For example, games like Valorant, Rocket League, and League of Legends run smoothly at Medium or High settings.
  • Content Creation: The 680M can also handle entry-level graphics tasks, such as photo editing and light video editing. It’s great for users who may not have a dedicated GPU but need some graphics capability for less demanding creative work.

3. Performance in Gaming with a Dedicated GPU

When paired with a dedicated GPU, such as the NVIDIA RTX 3060, RTX 3070, or even RTX 3080, the Ryzen 9 6900HS performs extremely well for gaming. Its powerful CPU cores reduce bottlenecks, providing strong performance in most modern titles at 1080p and even higher resolutions.

  • AAA Titles: The CPU can handle modern games like Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla at High to Ultra settings when paired with a suitable GPU.
  • Ray Tracing Performance: With an RTX 3060 or above, the Ryzen 9 6900HS can manage ray-traced games at decent frame rates, especially when using DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) for better performance in compatible titles.

4. Productivity and Content Creation Performance

The Ryzen 9 6900HS shines in productivity and creative applications, thanks to its high core count and multi-threading capabilities.

  • Content Creation: It’s highly capable of handling tasks in Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Photoshop, making it suitable for video editing, 3D rendering, and other CPU-intensive tasks. For rendering workloads in software like Blender or Autodesk Maya, it performs admirably, especially given its efficient TDP.
  • Coding and Development: The multi-core design and high clock speeds make it ideal for software development, including compiling large codebases or running virtual machines.

5. Battery Efficiency

One of the standout features of the Ryzen 9 6900HS is its efficient TDP of 35W, which extends battery life in laptops without sacrificing too much power. This is especially advantageous in portable workstations or high-performance ultrabooks, where users need both performance and good battery life. In general use, many laptops equipped with this processor can reach around 7–9 hours of battery life, depending on tasks and settings.

Benchmarks

While specific benchmark scores may vary depending on laptop models and cooling solutions, here are approximate performance scores you might expect:

  • Cinebench R23 Multi-Core: Around 12,000–13,000 points.
  • Cinebench R23 Single-Core: Around 1,500–1,600 points.
  • Geekbench 5 Multi-Core: Approximately 9,000–10,000 points.
  • Geekbench 5 Single-Core: Around 1,500–1,600 points.

The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS is a well-rounded processor for high-performance laptops, providing excellent CPU performance, good integrated graphics capabilities, and power efficiency. It’s ideal for gaming, productivity, and creative tasks, especially in laptops with a discrete GPU. The CPU’s efficient design also allows for great battery life, making it one of the top choices for portable performance in 2024.

Efficiency and Battery Life

Thanks to its 35W TDP, the 6900HS is designed to strike a balance between performance and power efficiency. This results in better battery life in comparison to the higher-TDP H-series chips, which is a major advantage for mobile users who need performance on the go.

Ideal Use Cases

The Ryzen 9 6900HS is a top choice for premium laptops aimed at power users who need both portability and performance. It’s perfect for users who need a laptop for:

  • Gaming laptops (especially paired with a discrete GPU),
  • Portable workstations for creative and engineering tasks,
  • High-performance ultrabooks where battery life and thermals are also priorities.

With the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, you can play a wide range of games, thanks to its powerful CPU and the integrated AMD Radeon 680M GPU. Here’s a breakdown of the gaming experience you can expect with this processor, with and without a dedicated GPU.

Gaming on the Integrated Radeon 680M GPU

The integrated Radeon 680M graphics on the Ryzen 9 6900HS is a strong option for integrated graphics. It’s capable of handling many popular games, especially with settings adjusted for performance. Here are some examples:

Esports and Less Demanding Games (Playable on Medium to High Settings at 1080p)

  1. League of Legends – High settings at 1080p, smooth frame rates.
  2. Valorant – High settings at 1080p, solid 60+ FPS.
  3. Dota 2 – Medium-High settings at 1080p, smooth frame rates.
  4. Fortnite – Low-Medium settings at 1080p for around 60 FPS.
  5. Rocket League – Medium-High settings at 1080p, playable around 60 FPS.

Older AAA Titles (Playable at Medium to High Settings, 720p to 1080p)

  1. The Witcher 3 – Low to Medium settings at 720p, playable at around 30 FPS.
  2. GTA V – Medium settings at 1080p, around 30-40 FPS.
  3. Fallout 4 – Medium settings at 1080p, 30+ FPS.
  4. Skyrim Special Edition – Medium-High settings at 1080p.
  5. Dark Souls III – Low to Medium settings at 720p or 1080p, around 30 FPS.

Popular Indie Games (Playable at High Settings, 1080p)

  1. Stardew Valley – High settings, smooth at 1080p.
  2. Celeste – High settings at 1080p, fluid frame rates.
  3. Hades – Medium-High settings at 1080p, stable 60+ FPS.
  4. Hollow Knight – High settings at 1080p.
  5. Undertale – Easily runs at High settings with stable performance.

Gaming with a Dedicated GPU (Paired with a Discrete GPU)

When paired with a dedicated GPU, such as the RTX 3060 or higher, the Ryzen 9 6900HS can handle modern AAA titles at higher settings. Here’s what you can expect with a discrete GPU:

Modern AAA Titles (Playable on High to Ultra Settings at 1080p)

  1. Cyberpunk 2077 – High settings at 1080p with RTX 3060, 60+ FPS with DLSS enabled.
  2. Red Dead Redemption 2 – High settings at 1080p, smooth frame rates.
  3. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – High settings at 1080p, around 60 FPS.
  4. Call of Duty: Warzone – High settings at 1080p, 60+ FPS.
  5. Hogwarts Legacy – Medium to High settings at 1080p, 50-60 FPS.

Ray-Tracing Titles (Playable with DLSS and Medium Settings)

  1. Control – Medium settings with ray tracing on an RTX 3060, playable at 1080p.
  2. Metro Exodus – Medium settings with ray tracing and DLSS, around 40-50 FPS at 1080p.
  3. Minecraft (Ray-Tracing) – Medium settings with DLSS for smoother gameplay.

Read: Choosing the Right Laptop: Ryzen 5 7535HS vs. Ryzen 5 8646HS

Summary

The Ryzen 9 6900HS’s Radeon 680M GPU can handle popular esports and indie games well, along with some older AAA titles on reduced settings. When paired with a dedicated GPU, it’s capable of tackling modern AAA games on High settings at 1080p, even with ray tracing in some cases. This makes it a versatile processor for gaming, whether you’re using integrated graphics or a discrete GPU.