Picking a mini PC processor often means choosing between two AMD chips that look nearly identical on a spec sheet. The Ryzen 7 8845HS and Ryzen 9 8945HS share the same core count, integrated graphics chip, and manufacturing process, yet mini PCs built around the Ryzen 9 chip often cost more — compare the Beelink SER8 (8845HS) against the Minisforum UM890 Pro (8945HS). This guide breaks down every AMD-published spec for both chips: clock speeds, cache, thermal design power, the shared Radeon 780M graphics engine, and the neural processing unit behind Windows 11’s on-device AI features. We also compare real mini PCs built on these chips, with dimensions and port counts checked against each vendor’s current product page for the exact SKU, since chassis design is a vendor decision, not a CPU spec. Cooling choices affect how each chip behaves in practice, since AMD lets vendors configure both chips anywhere from 35W to 54W of TDP — always check a given product’s own listed specifications to see where it actually lands in that range. By the end, you’ll know whether the Ryzen 9’s clock speed bump is worth paying for, or whether the Ryzen 7 gets you nearly the same performance for less.
Quick Facts
| Spec | Ryzen 7 8845HS | Ryzen 9 8945HS |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 |
| Base Clock | 3.8 GHz | 4.0 GHz |
| Max Boost Clock | up to 5.1 GHz | up to 5.2 GHz |
| Total Cache | 24 MB (8 MB L2 + 16 MB L3) | 24 MB (8 MB L2 + 16 MB L3) |
| Integrated GPU | Radeon 780M, 12 CU (RDNA 3) | Radeon 780M, 12 CU (RDNA 3) |
| NPU Performance | up to 16 TOPS | up to 16 TOPS |
| Configurable TDP | 35W-54W | 35W-54W |
| Process Node | TSMC 4nm (N4) | TSMC 4nm (N4) |
Source: AMD’s published specifications for the Ryzen 7 8845HS and Ryzen 9 8945HS (Ryzen 8040 “Hawk Point” mobile series).
Meet the Chips: Same Silicon, Different Bins
Both the Ryzen 7 8845HS and Ryzen 9 8945HS belong to AMD’s “Hawk Point” Ryzen 8040 mobile series, launched in January 2024. Hawk Point reuses the same die as the earlier “Phoenix” Ryzen 7040 series, built on TSMC’s 4nm process, but ships with an updated NPU driver stack and higher clock speed bins. AMD sorts individual dies by how well they handle higher voltages — a practice called binning. Dies that clock higher and stay efficient at those speeds become the Ryzen 9 8945HS; the rest ship as the Ryzen 7 8845HS. You’ll find both chips in similar mini PC chassis designs, including the Beelink SER8 (8845HS) and the Minisforum UM890 Pro (8945HS).
This matters for buyers because the Ryzen 9 chip isn’t a different processor with extra cores or a bigger GPU — it’s the same silicon with a factory-verified higher clock ceiling.
Full Spec Sheet Comparison
Here’s the complete spec sheet for both chips side by side.
| Spec | Ryzen 7 8845HS | Ryzen 9 8945HS |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Zen 4 | Zen 4 |
| Process Node | TSMC 4nm (N4) | TSMC 4nm (N4) |
| Cores | 8 | 8 |
| Threads | 16 | 16 |
| Base Clock | 3.8 GHz | 4.0 GHz |
| Max Boost Clock | up to 5.1 GHz | up to 5.2 GHz |
| L2 Cache | 8 MB | 8 MB |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB | 16 MB |
| Total Cache | 24 MB | 24 MB |
| Default TDP | 45W | 45W |
| Configurable TDP (cTDP) | 35W-54W | 35W-54W |
| Integrated GPU | Radeon 780M | Radeon 780M |
| iGPU Compute Units | 12 (RDNA 3) | 12 (RDNA 3) |
| iGPU Max Engine Clock | up to 2700 MHz | up to 2700 MHz |
| NPU | AMD Ryzen AI (XDNA) | AMD Ryzen AI (XDNA) |
| NPU Performance | up to 16 TOPS | up to 16 TOPS |
| Memory Support | DDR5-5600 / LPDDR5-7500, dual channel | DDR5-5600 / LPDDR5-7500, dual channel |
| PCIe Lanes | PCIe 4.0, 20 total lanes | PCIe 4.0, 20 total lanes |
| USB Support | USB4 (40 Gbps) | USB4 (40 Gbps) |
| Socket | FP7r2 (soldered BGA) | FP7r2 (soldered BGA) |
| Overclockable | No | No |
| Launch Date | January 2024 | January 2024 |
Clock Speed: How Much Does 100-200 MHz Actually Matter?
The Ryzen 9 8945HS’s base clock is 200 MHz higher (4.0 GHz vs. 3.8 GHz) and its boost clock is 100 MHz higher (5.2 GHz vs. 5.1 GHz) — roughly a 5% higher base clock and a 2% higher boost clock. For single-threaded tasks like browsing or opening apps, that difference is barely noticeable. For sustained multi-threaded loads such as video encoding or compiling code, the published clock specs suggest the 8945HS should hold a modest edge, in the range of 3-5% depending on the workload, since its higher clock floor means it spends more time near peak frequency before thermal limits kick in. Actual sustained clocks in either chip depend heavily on the mini PC’s cooling design, covered below.
Radeon 780M iGPU: Identical Graphics Hardware
Both chips use the exact same Radeon 780M integrated GPU: 12 compute units built on RDNA 3 architecture, a maximum engine clock of up to 2700 MHz, hardware AV1 encode and decode, and DirectX 12 Ultimate support. Neither chip has a cut-down or upgraded graphics core relative to the other.
For mini PC buyers, this means graphics-bound tasks — light gaming, video playback, multi-monitor productivity — should perform almost identically between the two chips, since the GPU is usually the bottleneck at higher resolutions, not the CPU. Both chips also support USB4 at 40 Gbps, commonly used for external GPU enclosures or fast external storage.
TDP and Thermal Design: Why the Chassis Matters More Than the Model Number
Both chips ship with a default TDP of 45W and a configurable TDP (cTDP) range of 35W to 54W set by AMD. The mini PC manufacturer, not AMD, decides where in that range to run the chip — a thin, fan-limited box might dial it down toward 35W, while a design with a larger heatsink and dual fans might push it toward 54W for higher sustained clocks.
This is the point the model number alone won’t tell you: based on clock speed and TDP specs alone, a Ryzen 7 8845HS configured toward the high end of its range in a well-cooled chassis would logically be expected to outperform a Ryzen 9 8945HS configured toward the low end in a thermally-limited chassis. This is an inference from the published clock-and-power figures, not a tested benchmark result. The vendor’s chosen TDP setting matters more than the CPU model when comparing two specific products, so check each manufacturer’s own specifications for the actual configured TDP of a given model. Because these chips can draw up to 54W under load, use only the power adapter specified by the manufacturer.
NPU and AI Features (Ryzen AI)
Both chips include AMD’s first-generation Ryzen AI neural processing unit (NPU), based on XDNA architecture, rated at up to 16 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of AI inference performance. This NPU handles background AI tasks in Windows 11, such as Windows Studio Effects, without taxing the CPU or GPU.
Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC program calls for NPUs rated at 40 TOPS or higher, so neither chip qualifies for Copilot+ certification. If on-device Copilot+ features like offline Recall matter to you, look at AMD’s newer Ryzen AI 300 series chips instead, rated by AMD at up to 50 TOPS.
Memory, Storage, and Expansion Support
Both chips officially support dual-channel DDR5-5600 or LPDDR5-7500 memory, along with 20 total PCIe 4.0 lanes for storage and expansion. Mini PC vendors typically pair these chips with either two SO-DIMM slots (user-upgradable DDR5) or soldered LPDDR5 (thinner, non-upgradable) — that’s a chassis decision, not a CPU limitation. Storage is usually handled through one or two M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 slots, with slot count varying by motherboard design.
Real Mini PCs Using These Chips: Physical Specs Compared
Dimensions, weight, and port counts are chassis specs, not CPU specs, so treat them as vendor-specific rather than tied to the processor itself. Beelink sells the SER8 chassis with the 7840HS, 8840HS, or 8845HS depending on region; the row below reflects the 8845HS configuration.
| Model | Chip | Dimensions | Weight | USB Ports | Video Outputs | Ethernet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beelink SER8 (8845HS SKU) | Ryzen 7 8845HS | 135 x 135 x 44 mm (~5.3 x 5.3 x 1.7 in, ~0.80 L) | Check manufacturer product page for exact weight | 1x USB4 (Type-C), 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen2, 2x USB-A 2.0 | 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort | 1x 2.5GbE |
| Minisforum UM890 Pro | Ryzen 9 8945HS | Check manufacturer product page for exact dimensions | Check manufacturer product page for exact weight | 2x USB4, 2x USB-A 3.2, 2x USB-A 2.0 | 1x HDMI + 1x DisplayPort + 2x USB4 (up to 4 displays total) | 2x 2.5GbE |
Specs above are drawn from each manufacturer’s current product page and public retailer listings; confirm exact dimensions, weight, and configuration for your region before buying.
Which Should You Buy? Use-Case Recommendations
- General office work, web browsing, HTPC/media center: The Ryzen 7 8845HS (e.g., in the Beelink SER8) covers this comfortably and is usually the better value, since these tasks rarely use more than a few cores at moderate clocks.
- Light gaming at 1080p on the Radeon 780M: Performance should be nearly identical between both chips since the same GPU does the work; save the extra money and get the 8845HS.
- Video editing, code compiling, multitasking-heavy workflows: The Ryzen 9 8945HS’s higher sustained clock ceiling may shave a small amount of time off repeated multi-threaded tasks, but only if the specific mini PC is actually configured toward the higher end of its 35W-54W TDP range — check the manufacturer’s specifications to confirm.
- On-device AI features like offline Recall (Copilot+): Neither chip qualifies at 16 TOPS; look at newer Ryzen AI 300-series mini PCs instead.
- Budget-constrained buyers: The Ryzen 7 8845HS delivers roughly the same performance as the Ryzen 9 8945HS in most workloads — within the 3-5% gap described above — for a lower price.
Price-to-Performance Verdict
Across current mini PC listings, Ryzen 9 8945HS models like the Minisforum UM890 Pro typically carry a noticeable price premium over otherwise comparable Ryzen 7 8845HS models like the Beelink SER8. Given that the measurable difference between the two chips amounts to a 200 MHz base clock and a 100 MHz boost clock — roughly a 3-5% real-world performance gap in most workloads — the Ryzen 7 8845HS is the stronger value pick for most buyers. The Ryzen 9 8945HS makes more sense only when the price gap is small, or when a specific model pairs it with notably better cooling than its 8845HS sibling.
Exact chassis dimensions and weight vary by SKU and region — check each manufacturer’s product page for the precise figures on your model.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the main difference between the Ryzen 7 8845HS and Ryzen 9 8945HS?
Core architecture, cache, iGPU, and TDP range are identical. The only published differences are clock speed: the 8945HS has a 4.0 GHz base clock and 5.2 GHz max boost, versus 3.8 GHz base and 5.1 GHz max boost on the 8845HS.
Do both chips use the same graphics chip?
Yes. Both use the Radeon 780M integrated GPU with 12 compute units built on RDNA 3, with a max engine clock of up to 2700 MHz.
Which chip is better for gaming in a mini PC?
Since both share the identical Radeon 780M GPU, gaming performance at typical resolutions should be very close, as the GPU rather than the CPU is usually the limiting factor.
Is the Ryzen 9 8945HS worth the extra cost?
For most buyers, no. The performance difference is a modest 3-5% in most workloads, while vendors often price the Ryzen 9 model disproportionately higher for that gain. It’s worth it mainly if the price gap is small or a specific model cools the 8945HS notably better.
Do these chips support Windows 11’s Copilot+ AI features?
No. Both include an NPU rated at up to 16 TOPS, well below the 40+ TOPS Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC program requires.
Can I upgrade the CPU in a mini PC later?
No. Both chips use the FP7r2 mobile socket and are soldered (BGA) to the motherboard in virtually all mini PC designs, meaning the CPU itself is not user-replaceable.
Which mini PCs actually use these chips?
The Beelink SER8’s 8845HS configuration and the Minisforum UM890 Pro (8945HS) are current examples, linked in the table above. Beelink also sells SER8 units with the 7840HS or 8840HS depending on region.
Can I upgrade RAM and storage on these mini PCs?
It depends on the vendor. Some, like the Minisforum UM890 Pro, use user-upgradable DDR5 SO-DIMM slots and swappable M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSDs, while others solder LPDDR5 memory for a thinner design. Check the specific model’s memory and storage section to confirm.
Reviewed and edited by Jason Paik. Spotted an error? Tell us — we verify and correct. See how we create content.