Dell x AMD: Reinventing Workstations, Advancing AI

The announcement that Dell and AMD would work together on a new line of commercial systems was a major highlight of CES 2025. While the two companies had previously worked together on consumer platforms and professional workstations, Dell did not offer AMD Ryzen™ PRO and Ryzen AI PRO CPUs in mainstream commercial systems or mobile workstations. This new collaboration promises to reshape the landscape of business computing, with AMD gaining access to proven Dell commercial product lines, while Dell buyers benefit from the excellent performance, battery life, and security features AMD Ryzen PRO processors are known for.

The new Dell Pro Max 14 and 16 mobile workstations demonstrate how on-device AI is an increasingly important feature compared to just five years ago. Businesses are interested in purchasing AI PCs, but they want to tailor these new systems to specific user needs and tasks. AMD Ryzen AI processors offer the flexibility IT departments are looking for by including an integrated, dedicated neural processing unit (NPU). The NPU is designed to handle AI calculations more efficiently than a CPU or GPU, freeing valuable compute resources for other projects. These improvements make the Dell Pro Max 16 up to 33% more powerful than its predecessor, the Dell Precision 3591.

While AI workloads can run on the CPU or GPU, AMD Ryzen AI processors include an integrated, dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for handling AI calculations in a more power-efficient manner – one that leaves the CPU and GPU free to focus their compute resources on other tasks.

“We're excited to introduce the new Dell Pro Max [laptops], powered by AMD technology and built to meet the high demands of professionals striving for exceptional performance,” said Charlie Walker, Senior Director and GM for Dell Pro Max and Dell Pro Rugged Products. “With cutting-edge innovation at its core, these devices empower our customers to push the boundaries of productivity, creativity and innovation.”

The two new Dell Pro Max laptops use AMD Ryzen AI PRO 340, Ryzen AI PRO 350, or Ryzen AI PRO HX 370 processors. While these three CPUs offer different levels of computing and graphics performance, they are tied together by a common attribute: All three include a dedicated NPU with up to 50 TOPS performance for AI workloads.  

The advantage of including the same XDNA™ 2-based neural processing unit on all three SKUs is that it gives Dell unprecedented flexibility to build AI PCs that reflect the interests, performance requirements, and desired price point of its customers. Companies looking to standardize AI PC rollouts don’t need to pick a one-size-fits-all PC to enjoy the benefits of this unified ecosystem. It also ensures that any system built around an AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processor qualifies as a Copilot+ PC and takes advantage of the advanced AI capabilities Microsoft has built for NPU-equipped Windows 11 PCs capable of at least 40 TOPS*.

Security and Stability:

The advantages of cooperation between Dell and AMD aren’t limited to AI. AMD Ryzen™ AI PRO CPUs also support AMD PRO Technologies, including AMD Security, AMD Manageability, and AMD Business-Ready. Each of these pillars advances commercial PCs in different ways:

AMD PRO Security provides a multi-layered security system that protects systems in-hardware from the OS to the firmware level. This comprehensive system relies on the AMD Secure Processor 2.0 to validate code prior to execution, offers full memory encryption via AMD Memory Guard, and uses the Microsoft Pluton security processor to provide an integrated hardware root of trust. AMD PRO Manageability provides cross-platform management tools for any desktop or laptop in your PC fleet, including systems that use Linux or non-AMD microprocessors. AMD PRO Manageability deploys a later version of Transport Layer Security compared to Intel vPro (TLS 1.3 vs. 1.2), delivering stronger protection and lower latency**.  

AMD PRO Business Ready combines an extended, enterprise-grade validation process with an 18-month guarantee of planned software stability and a 24-month hardware availability cycle to ensure enterprises can standardize on systems they intend to roll out over time. Providing stability across both hardware and software is more important than ever in the age of AI, when system features are evolving rapidly and performance is improving at a rapid clip.

Then, of course, there’s the Dell side of the equation. Dell is known for its security technology, including Dell SafeBIOS and Dell Command. These features integrate with existing AMD protections, helping IT managers update devices remotely, adjust BIOS settings, and mitigate the risk of firmware attacks.

Just One More Thing:

Thus far, I’ve focused on mobile hardware, but there are other areas where Dell and AMD have historically cooperated. The Dell Precision 7875 Tower workstation set performance records and blew customers away when it debuted with the Threadripper™ PRO 7000 WX-Series CPUs AMD launched in 2023. 

The refreshed Dell Precision 7875 Tower features AMD Threadripper PRO 9000 WX-Series processors, with all of the efficiency and performance improvements baked into the newest “Zen 5” CPU architecture. Systems based on an AMD Threadripper PRO 9985WX-Series processor outperform competitive CPUs by up to 107% depending on the benchmark***. These new CPUs advance the long-term play AMD is making for workstation dominance, particularly when paired with the expertise and professional engineering Dell is famous for.

Conclusion:

The rise of AI has introduced a degree of uncertainty into the typical PC refresh cycle that began as Windows 10 approached its end-of-support (EOS) date. At AMD, we don’t think uncertainty should drive conversations about PC upgrades, whether AI is part of a customer’s near-term deployment plans or not.

This new commercial collaboration with Dell will extend the strengths of both companies in a joint effort aimed at creating a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts. It’s time to extend the security and system design Dell is known for with the proven performance and forward-looking features AMD advances. The end result is a range of mobile workstations and a professional tower powerhouse. These three systems stand among the best on the market, with the capabilities you need – and the peace of mind that you deserve. 

*Copilot+ PC experiences vary by device and region and may require updates continuing to roll out through 2025; timing varies. See Copilot+ PCs FAQs.

**Compared to Intel vPro, AMD PRO Manageability implements a newer version of the TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocol which provides higher levels or security and lower latency (TLS 1.3 vs TLS 1.2). KRKP-8

***Autodesk Revit benchmark, Autodesk AutoCAD (Cadalyst) benchmark, Metashape and Corona Render benchmark to compare the performance of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX processor in a reference system configured with 8x 64GB DDR5 memory, Nvidia RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell graphics, 1TB SSD, Win 11 vs. a similarly configured BOXX workstation with the Intel® Xeon® W9-3595X processor. Workstation manufacturers may vary configurations, yielding different results. Results may vary. SHP-16.

GD-150: Boost Clock Frequency is the maximum frequency achievable on the CPU running a bursty workload. Boost clock achievability, frequency, and sustainability will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to: thermal conditions and variation in applications and workloads. GD-150.

GD-243: Trillions of Operations per Second (TOPS) for an AMD Ryzen processor is the maximum number of operations per second that can be executed in an optimal scenario and may not be typical. TOPS may vary based on several factors, including the specific system configuration, AI model, and software version. GD-243.