AMD 15.6 Inch Review

This budget AMD gaming laptop packs surprising specs for $575, but a catastrophically bad reliability score makes it a risky buy you should probably avoid.

CPU AMD Ryzen 7 5825U
RAM 32 GB
Storage 1 TB
Screen 15.6" 1920x1080
GPU AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
OS Windows 11 Pro
Weight 1.6 kg
AMD 15.6 Inch laptop
53.4 Overall Score

Overview

This AMD gaming laptop is a weird mix of decent power and serious compromises, and for $575, that's a tough sell. The headline specs look good on paper: a Ryzen 7 5825U CPU, a discrete AMD Z1 Extreme GPU with a whopping 32GB of VRAM, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. But the reality is less impressive. The one thing you need to know is that the Z1 Extreme is a handheld gaming chip, not a desktop-class powerhouse, and it's paired with a basic 1080p screen that lands in the bottom 16th percentile. This isn't a true gaming laptop; it's a budget machine with a gaming chip bolted on.

Performance

The performance is exactly what you'd expect from those specs, which is to say, it's fine but not exciting. The CPU sits in the 47th percentile, so it's a solid mid-range performer for everyday tasks. The GPU's 32GB of VRAM is a huge number that sounds amazing, but the Z1 Extreme itself is a 64th percentile part. That means it'll handle esports titles and older AAA games at 1080p, but don't expect to max out Cyberpunk. The real surprise is how bad the reliability score is, sitting at a shocking 3rd percentile. That's a massive red flag for long-term use.

Performance Percentiles

CPU 58.4
GPU 70.3
RAM 77
Ports 33.7
Screen 45.4
Portability 50.4
Storage 76
Reliability 3.4
Social Proof 40.8

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • The price is aggressively low for the raw specs on paper. 77th
  • 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD are great to have at this price point. 76th
  • The Z1 Extreme GPU is capable for light 1080p gaming. 70th
  • It's relatively light for a 15.6" laptop at 1.6kg.

Cons

  • The reliability rating is catastrophically bad. Buyer beware. 3th
  • The 1080p display is bottom-tier, with poor color and brightness. 34th
  • Port selection is weak, landing in the 29th percentile.
  • The Z1 Extreme is a mobile chip, not a true desktop gaming GPU.

Specifications

Full Specifications

Processor

CPU AMD Ryzen 7 5825U
Cores 8
Frequency 2.0 GHz
L3 Cache 16 MB

Graphics

GPU AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
Type discrete
VRAM 32 GB

Memory & Storage

RAM 32 GB
RAM Generation DDR4
Storage 1 TB
Storage Type SSD

Display

Size 15.6"
Resolution 1920 (Full HD)
Panel IPS

Physical

Weight 1.6 kg / 3.5 lbs
OS Windows 11 Pro

Value & Pricing

At $575, the value proposition is a trap. You're getting decent core components for the money, but you're sacrificing everything that makes a laptop good to live with: a decent screen, reliable build quality, and a good selection of ports. It feels cheap because, at this price with these specs, it almost certainly is.

Price History

€1,030 €1,035 €1,040 €1,045 €1,050 Mar 26Mar 30Apr 5 €1,046

vs Competition

This laptop exists in a no-man's-land. If you want raw gaming power on a budget, a used Lenovo Legion or MSI Vector with a proper RTX 3060 or 4060 will run circles around it for a similar price. If you need a reliable daily driver, even an older ASUS Zenbook or MacBook Air will have a far better screen, build quality, and battery life. This AMD laptop tries to be both and ends up being neither.

Spec AMD 15.6 Inch Apple MacBook Pro Apple 14" MacBook Pro (M5, Space Black) Lenovo Yoga Lenovo - Yoga Slim 9i - Copilot+ PC - 14" 4K 120Hz ASUS ZenBook ASUS - Zenbook 14 14" FHD+ OLED Touch Screen Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Samsung - Galaxy Book5 Pro - Copilot+ PC - 14" 3K MSI Prestige MSI - Prestige 13”AI+ - Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED
CPU AMD Ryzen 7 5825U Apple M5 Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Intel Core Ultra 9 Series 2 Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
RAM (GB) 32 24 32 32 32 32
Storage (GB) 1024 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000
Screen 15.6" 1920x1080 14.2" 3024x1964 14" 3840x2400 14" 1920x1200 14" 2880x1800 13.3" 2880x1800
GPU AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme Apple (10-Core) Intel Arc Graphics Intel Arc Graphics Intel Arc Graphics Intel Arc Graphics
OS Windows 11 Pro macOS Windows 11 Home Windows 11 Home Windows 11 Home Windows 11 Home
Weight (kg) 1.6 1.6 1.2 1.3 1.2 1
Battery (Wh) - 72 75 75 - -
Compare Compare Compare Compare Compare
Product CpuGpuRamPortScreenCompactStorageReliabilitySocial Proof
AMD 15.6 Inch 58.470.37733.745.450.4763.440.8
Apple MacBook Pro 14" Compare 82.320.268.290.396.871.171.694.998.5
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14" Compare 64.965.894.490.399.98571.675.490.1
ASUS ZenBook 14" Compare 88.965.893.999.27584.771.65597.3
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Galaxy Book5 Pro 14" 3K Compare 6865.886.490.393.385.271.675.496.4
MSI Prestige 13”AI+ Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED Compare 64.965.886.498.390.295.571.65587.8

Verdict

I can't recommend this laptop. The terrible reliability score is a deal-breaker, full stop. Spending $575 on a machine that's statistically likely to fail is a bad investment, no matter how good the CPU and GPU numbers look. Save up a little more for a refurbished model from a brand with a better reputation, or look for a used gaming laptop from last generation. This one is a hard pass.