What the AMD Ryzen AI Halo Is
The Ryzen AI Halo is a 150 x 150 mm developer mini PC made and sold by AMD around its Ryzen AI Max series processors. It pairs a 16-core Zen 5 CPU, a 40-compute-unit Radeon GPU and an NPU with a large pool of soldered unified memory, so models in the 100B class can load that would not fit in a typical graphics card. AMD positions it as a platform for AI developers, with software and model guides included.
It is sold in the US through Micro Center, which is the only US retailer named in the launch coverage we read. The 128 GB version appeared for pre-order in June 2026 with in-store pickup; the 192 GB version followed on 2026-10-12. Purchases outside the US are not covered by the sources we found. AMD's own product page could not be opened during research, so the specifications below come from the retailer listing as reported and from independent reviews.
Specifications
Processor (128 GB version)
- Detail:
- Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 16 cores / 32 threads, Zen 5, up to 5.1 GHz boost
Processor (192 GB version)
- Detail:
- Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495, 16 cores / 32 threads, Zen 5, up to 5.2 GHz boost
Graphics
- Detail:
- Radeon 8060S, 40 CUs (128 GB version); Radeon 8065S, 40 CUs (192 GB version)
NPU
- Detail:
- XDNA 2: 50 TOPS (128 GB version), 55 TOPS (192 GB version)
Memory (128 GB version)
- Detail:
- 128 GB LPDDR5x-8000, 256 GB/s
Memory (192 GB version)
- Detail:
- 192 GB LPDDR5x-8533, 256-bit, 273 GB/s; up to 160 GB allocatable as VRAM
Storage
- Detail:
- 2 TB M.2 NVMe self-encrypting SSD on both versions
Networking
- Detail:
- One 10GbE port, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Ports (128 GB version)
- Detail:
- 3 USB-C data, 1 USB-C power input, HDMI 2.1b
Ports (192 GB version)
- Detail:
- 2 USB4 (40 Gbps each), HDMI 2.1b
Power
- Detail:
- 120 W TDP (128 GB version); powered over USB-C, 240 W adapter per LTT Labs
Size and weight
- Detail:
- 150 x 150 x 45.4 mm, under 1.2 kg (128 GB version)
Operating system
- Detail:
- 128 GB: Windows 11 Pro or AMD Linux developer image. 192 GB: Linux; Windows reported as planned
AMD model-size claim
- Detail:
- Models up to 200B parameters (128 GB); up to 300B at 4-bit (192 GB). Vendor claims, not independently verified
Sources: StorageReview's review for the 128 GB specification table, HotHardware's retail report, and BornCity's report of the Micro Center listing for the 192 GB version. The ports of the 192 GB version are listed as reported, and the two versions may not be identical in layout. We could not confirm the dimensions of the 192 GB version, and PromptQuorum has not measured the memory bandwidth of either version.
Price and Availability
The 128 GB version costs $3,999 and the 192 GB version $7,299.99, both US prices at Micro Center. DRAM shortages have moved prices in this class repeatedly, so check the retailer page before ordering.
128 GB, Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 2 TB, Windows 11 Pro or Linux
- US price:
- $3,999.99 (headline $3,999)
- Source and date:
- HotHardware, 2026-06-13
- Status:
- Pre-order with in-store pickup; ready by 2026-07-10 per HotHardware
192 GB, Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495, 2 TB, Linux
- US price:
- $7,299.99
- Source and date:
- BornCity citing the Micro Center listing, 2026-10-14; HotHardware, 2026-10-13 ("starting at $7,299")
- Status:
- Sold in physical Micro Center stores only; orders possible since 2026-10-12
We could not open the Micro Center product page (HTTP 403), so both prices are attributed to the publications that reported them. We found no price for regions outside the US.
What Independent Reports Show
The one head-to-head with published numbers is StorageReview's Halo vs. DGX Spark test, in which the Spark won all 18 vLLM serving scenarios. StorageReview ran vLLM online serving on Linux at batch 64 across six models. The Spark was ahead by about 1.9x to 13.4x in 16 scenarios and by about 11-12% in two decode-heavy runs (Mistral Small 3.1 24B and Llama 3.1 8B). The widest gap, 13.4x, was a Llama 3.1 8B FP4 run. StorageReview's conclusion still favours the Halo for Windows users, ROCm developers and single-box setups.
Other reviewers report a closer result. HotHardware called the Halo roughly on par with the DGX Spark in many models, not the absolute fastest, and gave it a Recommended award. It measured 45 dBA at 12 inches from the rear vents during a 90-minute run, idle draw of about 33-35 W and load draw of 135-145 W. Those results come from different test setups, so we cannot reconcile them.
On CPU and memory, StorageReview's Phoronix runs on Linux had the Halo ahead in 7-Zip decompression (+38%) and an LLVM compile (about 14% faster) while the Spark won three of four STREAM memory tests. LTT Labs, as summarised by Gigazine, found the Halo offers nothing novel in performance over other Ryzen AI Max+ 395 machines, with its software environment (AMD-verified driver sets and step-by-step AI playbooks, some with open bugs) the main differentiator. In the same summary, a Mac Studio with about 800 GB/s memory generated tokens roughly 2-3x faster than the Halo on Gemma 4 31B, and gpt-oss-20b on the NPU ran at about 20 tokens per second at up to 35 W package power.
We found no independent test of the 192 GB PRO 495 version. HotHardware's earlier review noted that version as announced without a launch date.
Who It Suits and Who Should Skip It
- Suits: developers who want a preconfigured AMD box with Windows or Linux; compare it with the category guide first.
- Suits: buyers who want AMD's own 128 GB box; HotHardware's author called it the least expensive 128 GB compact AI workstation, while other vendors list different prices (see the GMKtec EVO-X2 and HP Z2 Mini G1a pages).
- Consider the 192 GB version only if your models need more than 128 GB; it costs about $3,300 more than the 128 GB version.
- Skip if you need the highest serving throughput or CUDA; StorageReview measured the DGX Spark ahead throughout.
- Skip if you plan to cluster boxes: StorageReview notes one 10GbE port and no 200G fabric.
- Skip if you want the same chip for less; LTT Labs, per Gigazine's summary, noted cheaper Ryzen AI Max+ 395 machines exist.
Alternatives in the Same Class
- DGX Spark: measured faster than the Halo in StorageReview's vLLM test and offers a 200G fabric for linking boxes, but caps memory at 128 GB.
- Framework Desktop: the same Ryzen AI Max+ family in a modular case, with a 192 GB PRO 495 option on pre-order.
- GMKtec EVO-X2: a third-party Ryzen AI Max+ 395 box whose US price is reported inconsistently; see its page.
- Minisforum MS-S1 MAX: the same 395 chip with dual 10GbE and an internal PCIe slot (x4 electrically), per Minisforum and reviews.
- Local AI Workstations: Strix Halo vs. DGX Spark: the category comparison with all machines and prices side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Ryzen AI Halo run Windows?
The 128 GB version is sold with Windows 11 Pro or an AMD Linux developer image on identical hardware. The 192 GB listing reported by BornCity ships with Linux, with a Windows configuration planned.
Can I add more storage or memory?
Memory is soldered, as with other Ryzen AI Max systems. HotHardware reported that the SSD is easy to swap and that the motherboard lifts out of the case.
How loud is it under load?
HotHardware measured 45 dBA at 12 inches from the rear vents during a 90-minute run. LTT Labs described the noise as mild, mostly airflow rather than whine.
Is the NPU useful for large models?
LTT Labs ran gpt-oss-20b on the NPU at roughly 20 tokens per second and up to 35 W package power, per Gigazine's summary. Large models run on the GPU and memory instead.
How much memory can the GPU use?
For the 192 GB version, reports say up to 160 GB can be allocated as VRAM. We found no equivalent figure for the 128 GB version, which StorageReview says ships with variable graphics memory set by a slider or dropdown.