Here’s your cheat sheet for AMD’s Zen-based CPU nomenclature
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You’re probably familiar with terms like Ryzen and Zen when it comes to the best CPUs for gaming, but the deeper you dive into AMD’s modern processor architectures, codenames, and product releases, the more confusing it can be. Zen 2, for example, is actually the third generation of Zen, while a Ryzen 3000 series CPU can be either a second-gen or third-gen part. It can be a bit overwhelming for casual observers, and still difficult to navigate even if you follow tech more closely. Not to worry, though, I’ve put together a handy cheat sheet that you can reference as needed.
Let’s start with Zen. That is the name of the underlying CPU architecture that AMD uses nowadays for the chips slotted into the best AMD motherboards, and has been since the introduction of its first-generation Ryzen processors, like the Ryzen 7 1700. There are now three generations of Zen, each built on a smaller manufacturing node than the last (which in turn has led to faster clockspeeds, improved power efficiency, and better performance). Here they are:
- Zen (14 nanometers)
- Zen+ (12 nanometers)
- Zen 2 (7 nanometers)
If things go to plan, there will be Zen 3 CPUs next year, built on a refined version of 7nm (called 7nm+). That will be the fourth generation of Zen.
This only slightly confusing, because logically, it would seem that Zen 2 is a second-generation product, but that slot is filled by Zen+. Where things take a turn for the quirky is with the numbering series that AMD uses for its APUs (Ryzen processors with integrated graphics) and desktop processors. Here’s how it breaks down on the desktop, along with the codenames:
- 1st generation Ryzen (1000 series): Zen, 14nm—Summit Ridge
- 2nd generation Ryzen (2000 series): Zen+, 12nm—Pinnacle Ridge
- 3rd generation Ryzen (3000 series): Zen 2, 7nm—Matisse
From that, it’s easy to tell that a Ryzen 7 1700 is a first-gen Ryzen processor based on 14nm Zen, whereas a Ryzen 7 2700X chip is a second-gen Ryzen CPU based on Zen+, and so on.
APUs are different though. There two generations of APUs:
- 1st generation Ryzen APU (2000 series): Zen, 14nm—Raven Ridge
- 2nd generation Ryzen APU (3000 series): Zen+, 12nm—Picasso
This is where the main confusion stems from, because the numbering scheme doesn’t align with AMD’s regular desktop Ryzen CPUs. For example, a Ryzen 5 2600H (APU) is based on first-gen Zen (14nm), but a Ryzen 5 2600 is a second-gen Zen+ (12nm) CPU. Also note that there are no second generation desktop APUs.
It’s a bit much to keep track of, so to make things easier, I’ve listed every Ryzen CPU and APU, noting the architecture and codename. It’s a long list, but here goes, starting with every first-gen Zen (14nm) processor (not including embedded offerings):
- Ryzen 3 1200—Zen (14nm), Summit Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 3 1300X—Zen (14nm), Summit Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 5 1400—Zen (14nm), Summit Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 5 1500X—Zen (14nm), Summit Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 5 1600—Zen (14nm), Summit Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 5 1600X—Zen (14nm), Summit Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 7 1700—Zen (14nm), Summit Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 7 1700X—Zen (14nm), Summit Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 7 1800X—Zen (14nm), Summit Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen Threadripper 1900X—Zen (14nm), Whitehaven (HEDT)
- Ryzen Threadripper 1920X— Zen (14nm), Whitehaven (HEDT)
- Ryzen Threadripper 1950X—Zen (14nm), Whitehaven (HEDT)
- Athlon 200GE—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Athlon Pro 200GE—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Athlon 220GE—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Athlon 240GE—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Ryzen 3 2200GE—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Ryzen 3 Pro 2200GE—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Ryzen 3 2200G—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Ryzen 3 Pro 2200G—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Ryzen 5 2400GE—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Ryzen 5 2400G—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Ryzen 5 Pro 2400G—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (desktop APU)
- Athlon Pro 200U—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 3 2200U—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 3 2300U—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 3 Pro 2300U—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 5 2500U—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 5 Pro 2500U—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 5 2600H—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 7 2700U—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 7 Pro 2700U—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 7 2800H—Zen (14nm), Raven Ridge (mobile APU)
Now here’s a list every second-generation Zen+ (12nm) processor to date:
- Ryzen 3 2300X—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 5 2500X—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 5 2600E—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 5 2600—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 7 2700E—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 7 2700—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 7 Pro 2700X—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 7 2700X—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen Threadripper 2920X—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (HEDT CPU)
- Ryzen Threadripper 2950X—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (HEDT CPU)
- Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (HEDT CPU)
- Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX—Zen+ (12nm), Pinnacle Ridge (HEDT CPU)
- Athlon 300U—Zen+ (12nm), Picasso (mobile APU)
- Athlon Pro 300U—Zen+ (12nm), Picasso (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 3 3200U—Zen+ (12nm), Picasso (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 3 3300U—Zen+ (12nm), Picasso (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 5 3500U—Zen+ (12nm), Picasso (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 5 3550H—Zen+ (12nm), Picasso (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 7 3700U—Zen+ (12nm), Picasso (mobile APU)
- Ryzen 7 3750H—Zen+ (12nm), Picasso (mobile APU)
And finally, here are the newly announced third-gen Zen 2 (7nm) processors.
This list is short at the moment, but will undoubtedly grow in the near future:
- Ryzen 5 3600—Zen 2 (7nm), Matisse (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 5 3600X—Zen 2 (7nm), Matisse (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 7 3700X—Zen 2 (7nm), Matisse (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 7 3800X—Zen 2 (7nm), Matisse (desktop CPU)
- Ryzen 9 3900X—Zen 2 (7nm), Matisse (desktop CPU)
Hopefully some of you will find this helpful. When in doubt about a particular CPU/APU model, just refer to the above to know what generation of Zen it is based on.
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Paul has been playing PC games and raking his knuckles on computer hardware since the Commodore 64. He does not have any tattoos, but thinks it would be cool to get one that reads LOAD»*»,8,1.
In his off time, he rides motorcycles and wrestles alligators (only one of those is true).
Pinnacle Ridge — Cores — AMD
Pinnacle Ridge is codename for AMD’s mainstream through high-end desktop (HEDT) microprocessor line based on the Zen+ microarchitecture serving as a successor to Summit Ridge. Pinnacle Ridge processors are fabricated on GlobalFoundries 12 nm process and introduces a number of enhancements over its predecessor.
Pinnacle Ridge processors are a refresh of Summit Ridge, fabricated on an enhanced process in order to provide a modest frequency bump. Those processors are a complete system on a chip with both the northbridge and southbridge on-die. Pinnacle Ridge chips offer 16 PCIe lanes (generally for the GPU) along with four additional 4 PCIe lanes for SATA and four USB 3.0 links. Those processors use Socket AM4 and can be extended in functionality with the Socket AM4 chipset which provides support for additional resources (i.e., more PCIe lanes and USB ports).
| 2300X | Ryzen 3 | 10 September 2018 | 4 | 4 | 8 MiB
8,192 KiB |
3.5 GHz
3,500 MHz |
4 GHz
4,000 MHz |
65 W
65,000 mW |
✘ | |
| 2500X | Ryzen 5 | 10 September 2018 | 4 | 8 | 8 MiB
8,192 KiB |
3.6 GHz
3,600 MHz |
4 GHz
4,000 MHz |
65 W
65,000 mW |
✘ | |
| 2600 | Ryzen 5 | $ 170.00
€ 153.00 |
19 April 2018 | 6 | 12 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
3.4 GHz
3,400 MHz |
3. 9 GHz
3,900 MHz |
65 W
65,000 mW |
✘ |
| 2600E | Ryzen 5 | 10 September 2018 | 6 | 12 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
3.1 GHz
3,100 MHz |
4 GHz
4,000 MHz |
45 W
45,000 mW |
✘ | |
| 2600X | Ryzen 5 | $ 229.00
€ 206.10 |
19 April 2018 | 6 | 12 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
3.6 GHz
3,600 MHz |
4.2 GHz
4,200 MHz |
95 W
95,000 mW |
✘ |
| PRO 2600 | Ryzen 5 | 6 September 2018 | 6 | 12 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
3.4 GHz
3,400 MHz |
3.9 GHz
3,900 MHz |
65 W
65,000 mW |
✔ | |
| 2700 | Ryzen 7 | $ 299.00
€ 269.10 |
19 April 2018 | 8 | 16 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
3.2 GHz
3,200 MHz |
4.1 GHz
4,100 MHz |
65 W
65,000 mW |
✘ |
| 2700E | Ryzen 7 | 10 September 2018 | 8 | 16 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
2.8 GHz
2,800 MHz |
4 GHz
4,000 MHz |
45 W
45,000 mW |
✘ | |
| 2700X Gold Edition | Ryzen 7 | $ 329. 00
€ 296.10 |
29 April 2019 | 8 | 16 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
3.7 GHz
3,700 MHz |
4.3 GHz
4,300 MHz |
105 W
105,000 mW |
✘ |
| 2700X | Ryzen 7 | $ 329.00
€ 296.10 |
19 April 2018 | 8 | 16 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
3.7 GHz
3,700 MHz |
4.3 GHz
4,300 MHz |
105 W
105,000 mW |
✘ |
| PRO 2700 | Ryzen 7 | 6 September 2018 | 8 | 16 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
3.2 GHz
3,200 MHz |
4. 1 GHz
4,100 MHz |
65 W
65,000 mW |
✔ | |
| PRO 2700X | Ryzen 7 | 6 September 2018 | 8 | 16 | 16 MiB
16,384 KiB |
3.6 GHz
3,600 MHz |
4.1 GHz
4,100 MHz |
105 W
105,000 mW |
✔ |
0156 GiB Which generation
Ryzen should I choose? | Price Catalog E-Katalog
Thanks to the excellent price/performance ratio, the first and second generation Ryzen 5 was able to win the hearts of many users. True, there were some compromises. If in most work tasks previous generations of Ryzen 5 confidently outperformed competitor solutions, then in games a serious advantage was on the side of Intel. With the release of new chips based on the Zen 2 microarchitecture, AMD has made another leap forward, catching up and overtaking Intel in many respects.
And now for many, the question when choosing a processor has changed from “AMD or Intel” to “which generation of Ryzen to choose”? nine0003
In this article, we will try to understand the key differences between all three lines in order to understand which generation of Ryzen is the most profitable to buy right now.
What is the difference between Zen, Zen+ and Zen 2 architecture chips
Each generation of Ryzen is based on a different architecture. Ryzen 1000-series are the first generation of Zen, which was created by experienced engineers of the company, including the legend Jim Keller. Ryzen 2000-series received an improved Zen + architecture, which is more of a work on the bugs, an update, and not a step forward. In the case of the third generation of Zen 2, AMD engineers have made a revolution. Instead of a single chip, they moved to the concept of a “chiplet”, essentially dividing the responsibilities into several different chips, thereby simplifying and reducing the cost of the production process, and also added a bunch of new improvements.
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We will make comparisons on the basis of three variations of the “folk” six-core Ryzen 5.
The AMD Ryzen 5 Summit Ridge 1600X BOX is a junior six-core processor based on the Zen architecture, which is a direct competitor to the popular Intel Core i5-7600K. It has 6 physical cores and 12 virtual cores, the base frequencies of which are set at 3.6 GHz. When operating in turbo mode, the clock frequency reaches 4.0 GHz. The third level cache is 16 MB.
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AMD Ryzen 5 Pinnacle Ridge 2600X BOX Price from UAH 10,959 to UAH 11,785 became a refinement of what is already there, and in terms of numbers it does not differ too much from its ancestor. In fact, clock frequencies increased by 200 MHz during automatic overclocking, plus support for faster RAM was added. But the appearance of the Precision Boost 2, XFR 2 and Precision Boost Overdrive features changed the very algorithm of processor operation under various loads, allowing the processor to maintain a higher average frequency during automatic overclocking.
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The new AMD Ryzen 5 Matisse 3600X BOX belongs to the Matisse family. Under the cover, it has two semiconductor crystals (an eight-core 7nm CCD chip + 12nm cIOD chip), which are interconnected by an Infinity Fabric bus. The total L3 cache has doubled (up to 32 MB) and caught up with the eight-core Ryzen 7 in terms of level. The clock frequencies have also grown: by 200 MHz basic and by 300 MHz dynamic.
All three models are otherwise similar: support for SMT logical multithreading technology, TDP 95 W and are completed with a cooler. All three processors work with motherboards based on socket AM4. That is, when updating the processor, it will not be necessary to change the motherboard.
AMD Zen Summit Processors (1st Generation)
General Benchmarks
To compare the overall performance, let’s run all three stones in several popular synthetic tests in single-core and multi-core mode. Let’s start with CPU Mark.
CPU Mark multi
As we see in the «all guns to battle» mode, the 3600X is gaining 20.
521 parrots, seriously breaking away from its predecessors. It’s no joke, in comparison with the first Ryzen, it turns out to be 54% faster. But the difference between the first and second is 9%.
CPU Mark single core
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In single-core mode, the picture is exactly the same: 3600X flies ahead, and 2600X bypasses 1600X by 8%.
Cinebench multi
In Cinebench, the gap is not so impressive, but it is there. And quite decent. The Ryzen 5 1600X scores 2728, the 3600X scores 3684, and the 2600X is pretty much in the middle with a score of 3028.
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Cinebench single core
As a result, in single-core performance, the gap between the Ryzen 5 3600X and its predecessors has slightly decreased, and there is a difference of 13% between the first and second generation.
Premiere Pro
4K video encoding in Premiere Pro shows similar results, which allows us to draw a rather generalized conclusion that the Ryzen 5 3600X is faster than the first generation in most workloads by an average of 35%. And the difference between 2600X and 1600X fluctuates within 10%.
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Compared to Intel’s competitors, the power gap tends to increase. If the 1600X competed with the Core i5-9400F, then the 3600X outperforms the Core i7-8700K in some cases. But this is already a different level, and a completely different price.
AMD Zen+ Pinnacle (2nd generation) processors
Game results
It makes no sense to dwell on each game separately, so let’s sum up the results at a time.
When playing at Full HD resolution and Ultra settings, the difference in FPS between 1600X and 3600X in most games is between 20 and 35 fps. And it’s great, because AMD has always lagged behind Intel in terms of gaming capabilities, and now we see almost parity.
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Another question is that in games the video card plays a much larger role than the processor. Therefore, purely for a gaming computer, it would be more expedient not to overpay for a third-generation processor, but to focus on a video card. Especially since both the 1600X and 2600X are suitable for an RTX 2060 Super or RTX 2070 caliber model.
AMD Zen2 Matisse Processors (3rd Generation)
Turbo Boost and Overclocking
Many hoped that Ryzen 5 would overclock better than their older brothers. This would make sense: fewer cores means less heat and more room for voltage and frequency scaling. As it turned out later, the limitations of the frequency potential are not due to temperatures, but to the capabilities of the semiconductor crystal itself and the LPP process technology.
Therefore, it is more correct to talk here not so much about overclocking, but about obtaining a stable operating frequency with turbo boost.
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When replacing the stock cooler with a Zalman CNPS9X Optima , we managed to achieve the following numbers:
The
- 1600X delivered a maximum of 4 GHz at 1.3 V.
- 2600X hit 4.2 GHz.
The - 3600X, despite 7 nm and higher frequencies in the specifications, failed to rise above 4.3 GHz and reach the declared 4.4 GHz.
But here it is important to understand two nuances. First: AMD did a very good job on automatic overclocking, so most often the conditional 4.3 GHz for all cores and for a short period of time will be better than 4.2 GHz for all cores constantly. Second: from the second generation, AMD began to equip Ryzen with rather high-quality coolers manufactured by Cooler Master, so there is not much point in changing it to a more powerful one for the sake of a 100 MHz increase.
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Given this, the purchase of Ryzen 5 can be recommended to beginners or inexperienced users who do not plan to overclock the processor, but act according to the scheme: buy, insert, work. Enthusiasts, on the other hand, can save a lot of money by taking the younger models of the first and second generations and overclocking them well. Matisse overclocking is more difficult, since AMD squeezed almost the maximum out of these chips on the assembly line, so even younger models like the Ryzen Matisse 3500 will at best give an additional 5 — 9% power.
Outlook
From a perspective, AMD has no problem. Unlike Intel, the «red» ones do not change the socket every 2 years, but continue to use the good old AM4 for both old and new stones. Therefore, in which case, you can easily install the profitable first-generation Ryzen into the system, and then “move” to a more modern Matisse. Fortunately, most AM4 motherboards are friendly with Ryzen 3 after a small BIOS update.
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Conclusions based on prices
Summing up, it is easy to conclude that each generation of Ryzen is in many ways better than the previous one. And the gap between the first and third is even more impressive — here you have a serious increase in FPS in games, and just an impressive performance jump when working in Cubase, Premiere Pro and other pro software. And this is not to mention a bunch of promising features like the same PCI-E 4.0 bus, which appeared in new motherboards based on the X570 chipset. However, everything always comes down to price. And here it is difficult to draw unambiguous conclusions.
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The first-born Ryzen Summit Ridge, although not too impressive compared to the new Matisse, but the prices for them are much more tempting. The new 1600X can be found in stores for $140.
When buying from hand, you can keep within $90 — 100. This is a great option for budget users who are not ready to invest in a powerful assembly right now, but plan to do so in the future.
The second generation Ryzen Pinnacle Ridge sits right in the middle both in terms of price and performance — the new 2600X is asking $155 in stores. That is 10% more than its predecessor. Although, he has more average power gain. The only problem is that the “stone” turned out to be so successful that it is almost impossible to find it on the secondary market. All things considered, the 2600X seems like the sweet spot for those who don’t want to pay extra for the extra power of the 3600X right now.
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If the question of saving is not worth it, then it’s easier to immediately take a brand new Matisse and not forget about the problems with the upgrade in the future, possibly with a flashing of the motherboard, etc.
The $235 price tag is not entirely justified by the increased power, and so far this is more of an overpayment for the future. But it doesn’t look too big. Well, or as an option, take a simpler Ryzen 5 3600 without the “X” prefix, which is quite a bit behind in speed, but will cost $ 25 — 35 cheaper.
TOP 7 Best AMD Processors — Ranking 2023
The integrated circuit, which is the central computing element, ensures the coordinated work of all computer devices. Performance, speed and other important characteristics of the device depend on its quality. One of the best chipset manufacturers is AMD. Its models are valued for good power, energy efficiency, low price compared to Intel products. Choosing the right option from the company’s assortment is not easy, so the analysis of comparative tests and user reviews made it possible to select the best AMD processors in the rating. nine0003
Contents
Company information
The company, which is considered the second largest manufacturer of central processing units, was founded in America in 1969.
The range also includes adapters, motherboards, chipsets for them. The company’s products are able to solve the most complex issues in computing and visualization. They are developed taking into account innovative technologies that provide high computer performance for any task.
The company’s policy is based on the principle of maintaining the quality of manufactured products. The purpose of the work is to provide the buyer with high-level products. AMD employees constantly conduct research in the field of integrated circuit design, computer architecture, software development. This allows us to produce technologies of the future that are accessible to the average consumer. nine0003
The peculiarity of the production is the use of solder, not thermal paste. The heat-distributing cover is soldered to the crystal with a special composition, which makes it possible to exclude overheating of the element and increase the comfort of its use. The range includes various models that differ in the type of software interface, number of cores, clock speed.
The parameters of indicators often determine the price of the device, but it is much lower than that of the products of the main competitor. The company’s processor, the equivalent of an Intel Core i7, can be bought for the price of a Core i5. nine0003
AMD processor rating
Each line of models has characteristic features that determine the peculiarities of using the chipset. AMD graphics processors are recommended for creative users, powerful devices from the Ryzen series are suitable for game lovers, Athlone is mainly used in office equipment. When choosing the best options, you need to take into account the characteristics that affect the quality of the element. The review is based on comparative tests of the following parameters:
- Clock frequency;
- Bit depth;
- Dimension of technological process;
- Socket type;
- Number of cores;
- Cache level;
- Energy consumption;
- Heat dissipation;
- Operating temperature;
- Integrated graphics core.
Review of AMD processors takes into account the price / quality ratio in the nominees. The company’s devices are considered the best in this category. Most experts will confirm the reliability, functionality of the models, which are divided into 3 categories in the rating. The sections provide a description, pluses and minuses of each element. nine0003
Best AMD Ryzen
Processors
Models of this series are designed to be installed in motherboards with an AM4 or PGA socket that supports 1331 pins. They produce devices in a square or rectangular case. A comparison of AMD Ryzen and Intel processors indicates the high performance of the former in multi-threaded tasks. The test results made it possible to single out 2 best models of the middle and premium class out of 5 nominees.
AMD Ryzen 5 Pinnacle Ridge
A six-core chip with a maximum clock speed of up to 4.2 GHz is positioned by the manufacturer as a gaming processor. The Wraith Stealth cooling system and Wraith Spire protection keep your device from overheating when multitasking.
The gadget is built on the basis of 12 nm process technology. In Pinnacle Ridge technology, there is no hard binding of limiting frequencies to the number of compute cores loaded with work, so it is able to accelerate faster. The volume of the first level cache is 576 KB, the second — 3 MB, the third — 16 MB. This allows each core to simultaneously perform more than 1 task, store large amounts of information. Operating temperature of the model — 95 degrees.
Advantages
- Low power consumption;
- 12 threads;
- 64-bit OS support;
- Average price;
- Intelligent performance tuning based on CPU load;
- Fast loading of games and applications;
- Managing resource-intensive tasks in virtual reality.
Drawbacks
- Weak box cooler. nine0218
Users highly rate the performance of the AMD processor, the model is recommended to buy by 96% of respondents.
They claim that the multi-threaded system will be relevant for gamers for at least another 5 years. The advantages include the ability to save energy well, low price compared to Intel counterparts.
AMD Ryzen 7 Summit Ridge
The 3000 series is one of AMD’s best processors for gaming. The device is released with 8 cores, but it is made according to the 14 nm process technology. Compared to the previous nominee, the amount of cache memory L1, L2 is slightly increased, L3 is left at 16 MB. The number of cores affected the number of threads, which in this gadget became 16. It also works on the basis of the AM4 socket with a frequency of 3 — 3.7 GHz. Precision Boost 2 technology automatically boosts the frequency of the top nominee to improve its performance at the right moment. nine0003
Advantages
- Powerful cooler with LED light;
- Quick launch of game programs;
- High performance architecture;
- Increased capacity;
- Efficient cooling system;
- Good graphics virtualization.
Drawbacks
- No thermal protection;
- High price.
The gadget is designed in such a way that it behaves like 2 processors with 4 cores and 8 threads each. These complexes are connected by a communication backbone 22 GB/s wide. Inside the core, they contact via L3 with a width of 175 Gb / s. If the third requests information from 4, then problems arise. They are not seen by the Windows scheduler, so performance drops. Users have no complaints about the rest of the characteristics. nine0003
Best AMD Athlon
Processors
Models in this series have low or no L3 cache, so they are not suitable for gaming computers. The devices are mainly used for office units. The advantages include high performance, low price, but the parameters of memory, heat dissipation, and cores are worse for Altons. Based on feedback from users and experts, 3 best AMD Athlon processors were selected from 10 nominees.
AMD Athlon 200GE Raven Ridge (AM4, L3 4096Kb)
Combines the processor part and powerful integrated graphics.
The base frequency is 3.2 GHz. They release a model with 2 cores based on the 14 nm process technology, Zen microarchitecture. Good graphics quality is provided by the Vega 3 video core with 192 threads and a nominal frequency of 1000 MHz. The kit includes a boxed cooler with an aluminum heatsink and an axial fan. On the reverse side there are legs for the Socket AM4 connector.
Advantages
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Drawbacks
- Dynamic overclocking not supported;
- 8 channels.
Users believe that the price of the device corresponds to its quality. The cooler works quietly, games up to 2016 pull easily, then it depends on the application. nine0003
He solves standard computational tasks quickly. The graphics level of the dual-core AMD Athlon processor is enough for simple network games at medium settings.
There is the possibility of manual overclocking up to 3.8 GHz.
AMD Athlon X4 Kaveri
The best entry-level processor built with innovative computing, graphics technologies for users who value high responsiveness. The architecture of the integrated graphics card allows you to take advantage of the element upgrade. It provides uninterrupted surfing on the Internet, video streaming without freezing, playing games in 720p resolution. At the same time, the model does not have a level 3 cache, so it is not suitable for games. nine0003
Advantages
- Unlocked for overclocking;
- Low price;
- Supports PCI-E x16 3.0;
- Good performance;
- Not heated;
- 4 cores.
Drawbacks
- Process 28 nm;
- Socket FM2+.
The AMD Athlon X4 Kaveri processor is inferior to the previous nominee in a number of characteristics.
The main advantage is the possibility of overclocking to 4.5 GHz, although it is better to work at 4.2. At the same time, the device heats up to 51 — 67 degrees, which increases its reliability and durability. 86% of users recommend buying a home desktop model. nine0003
AMD Athlon X4 Richland
The device with 4 cores is based on the 32 nm process technology. The core design is similar to the Trinity variant, but with an increased clock speed. In terms of performance, it is inferior to the Kaveri version. It consists of Piledriver architecture, VLIW 4 graphics core. AMD processor will provide fast system boot, wireless connection of TVs, gesture control, real-time video processing. Compared to its predecessors, the speed of cores and graphics has been increased by 5-10%, the memory controller has been improved. nine0003
Advantages
- Heavy multitasking;
- Low price;
- Speed;
- Overclocking possible;
- Good graphics.
Drawbacks
- Gets hot;
- L3 cache is missing.
Users have no complaints about the operation of the device. Pictures in Photoshop amaze with saturation, color depth. The main disadvantage is the noise of the cooler. At the same time, under a load of 100% and stock frequencies, it heats up to a maximum of 40 degrees. nine0003
Top AMD Fx
Processors
The Fx generation is manufactured using the 32nm process. The range includes inexpensive devices that are designed to solve simple tasks, improved options with 8 cores at a low price. The Fx series needs comprehensive overclocking, so to improve performance, you need to buy a good motherboard, upgrade RAM and other elements. The analysis of technical characteristics tests made it possible to single out 2 best AMD Fx Vishera processors from 6 nominees. nine0003
AMD FX-8350
Consists of 8 cores, the clock frequency does not exceed 4 GHz. An unlocked multiplier and Turbo Core feature allows you to overclock it up to 7.
4 GHz. The amount of cache memory 2 and 3 levels is 8 MB. The cooling system uses liquid nitrogen, the processor case does not heat up above 73 degrees. The Piledriver microarchitecture is inferior in performance to the Zen version, but reduces the price of the device. The advantages of the model include the ability to simultaneously open up to 20 tabs in the browser, Photoshop, a simple game and other utilities. nine0003
Advantages
- High reliability;
- Low degree of heating;
- Overclocking capability;
- Low price;
- Presence of 3 cache levels;
- Good heat dissipation.
Drawbacks
- Not intended for play;
- Graphics core missing.
Most buyers leave positive feedback about the top nominee. They confirm the compliance of the model parameters with the declared characteristics. Also note the good speed, low heat, low price.
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AMD FX-4300
Processor with 4 cores and a clock speed of 3.8 GHz. In appearance, the model does not differ from the previous nominee, but is inferior to it in terms of its main characteristics. The multiplier in it is also unlocked, so there is the possibility of increasing performance by using the Turbo Boost function. The operating temperature is 70.5 degrees, the amount of heat output does not exceed 95 watts.
Advantages
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Drawbacks
- No integrated graphics core;
- Low memory.
Users claim that the quality of the model matches the price. It is recommended to choose a device for solving simple tasks, since the characteristics of the core and memory are not intended for gaming programs, complex computing processes.
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Which AMD processor is better to buy
When choosing a model, an important criterion is its performance, which provides the possibility of using it for specific tasks. The value of the parameter allows you to determine which processors are suitable for games, complex computing programs. For people of creative professions, a necessary element of the gadget is the graphics core. If you need to overclock, you need to choose a device with an unlocked multiplier. The possibility of application for resource-intensive tasks depends on the number of cores. If there are less than 6 — 8, then the option is suitable only for simple office solutions. The following recommendations will help simplify the choice:
- AMD’s most powerful processor — Ryzen 7 Summit Ridge;
- Buy AMD Athlon X4 Kaveri for good graphics;
- Best in price/quality ratio — AMD FX-8350;
- AMD Athlon 200GE Raven Ridge is a good option for a low budget;
- Heavy gamers should choose the AMD Ryzen 5 Pinnacle Ridge.
