We learned that there will be three series of AMD Ryzen CPUs coming out namely R3, R5 and R7 just like the Intel naming scheme goes, but now we have more details about what you can expect at launch as the whole AMD Ryzen CPUs lineup has been leaked online and it turns out that there will be 17 different models to choose from. These new CPUs will be coming out for the new AMD AM4 platform early March so the wait is not long.
Also check out: AMD Shares Increase 16% Due To Upcoming Ryzen, Vega Hype
AMD Ryzen Processor Lineup Leaked
Here is what you will be getting at launch in terms of cores and threads:
- 8 core, 16 threads
- 6 cores, 12 threads
- 4cores, 8threads
- 4cores, 4 threads
The tech savvy people among you may have noticed that there is no 8 core, 8 thread version and that is right.
AMD Ryzen R7 1800X Black Edition Flagship CPU
At the high end, we have the AMD Ryzen R7 series CPUs that will have a premium price and will be aimed at PC enthusiasts that need higher core counts and overclocking headroom. The Ryzen R5 and R3 series will comprise of more price oriented AMD Ryzen CPUs that will have 6 and 4 cores.
According to AMD CEO, Dr. Lisa Su:
“We should see Ryzen doing very well in the high-end as well as Vega and by nature, since both of those high-end markets are markets that we don’t have a significant presence today, there will be an opportunity to both gain share as well as increase attach rates in those markets.”
We have seen Black Edition versions of CPUs in the past and same will be the case with AMD Ryzen CPUs. The Black Edition versions will be able to clock higher and will be aimed at overclocking enthusiasts. When it comes to these special edition AMD Ryzen CPUs the top of the line version will be the AMD R7 1800X processor. This CPU has 8 cores and 16 threads with a base clock of 3.6 GHz and can boost up to 4.0 GHz and I am sure you can get that higher with overclocking on the AM4 platform. This special edition CPU should be able to take on the Intel Core i7-6900K.
AMD Ryzen R7 1800X Vs Intel Core i7-6900K
We have seen an AMD Ryzen CPU take on the 6900K in the tech demos that AMD hosted and it is possible that the AMD Ryzen CPU that we saw in that demo was, in fact, the AMD R7 1800X. Seeing how the launch is close by we should find out details soon enough. Other specifications include the AMD R7 1800X having a TDP of 95W and it also has L2 + L3 cache of 20 MB. We do not expect this chip to be cheap so expect a price of $499-$699 US.
If that is indeed the price then the performance you are getting is pretty good as compared to the price to performance number of the Intel Core i7-6900K. Until we have confirmation about the price we cannot be sure how much value the AMD R7 1800X offers and for that we need the official confirmation and hands-on tests of the AMD R7 1800X. Stay tuned for that if you are interesting.
Application of the AMD Ryzen R7 1800X
When it comes to gaming it is a firm belief that all you need is 4 cores but when money is no object and you want to live life on the bleeding edge then you can opt to go for the AMD Ryzen R7 1800X and sleep soundly at night knowing that there is not bottleneck in your system when it comes to your CPU and that you have the best that money can buy, from team red.
Besides gaming applications, this CPU can be used by content creators, YouTubers that deal with loads of videos and need quicker rendering times. More cores will help render videos faster. I can see this CPU being used for development purposes as well.
AMD R7 CPU Lineup
Other processors in the AMD R7 series are as follows:
- R7 PRO 1800
- R7 1700X
- R7 1700
- R7 PRO 1700
The rest of the R7 family of processors will also feature 8 cores and 16 threads. These processors will be competing against Intel Core i7-7700K and Core i7-6800K, specifically, the R7 1700 will be going up against the Core i7-7700.
AMD Ryzen R5 Series CPUs
Moving on to the mid-range AMD Ryzen CPUs we have the R5 series of CPUs. These CPUs will be a mix of 6 core and 4 core variant with SMT. The AMD Ryzen R5 series CPUs are as follows:
- R5 PRO 1600
- R5 1500
- R5 PRO 1500
- R5 1400X
- R5 PRO 1400
- R5 1300
- R5 PRO 1300
R5 Series Fastest CPU, AMD R5 1600X, 6 Cores, 12 Threads
The fastest CPU in the R5 series of AMD Ryzen CPUs is the AMD R5 1600X. Note the X is an indication of higher overclocking headroom. The CPU has 6 cores and 12 threads. The base clock for the model is 3.5 GHz and the boost frequency is 3.9 GHz. The AMD R5 1600X will be taking on the Core i5-7600K.
Application of the AMD Ryzen R5 1600X
If 4-core do not cut it for you and you need the sweet performance that only physical cores can provide then this could be something to look into. If you are a gamer and also a content creator then this could be the perfect balance for you. I see this coming in handy for streamers and YouTube gaming channels where the user need to play the games, record them and stream them as well.
This CPU will provide more than enough power for gaming, combined with multiple cores for multi-threaded workloads such as video rendering and photo editing.
AMD Ryzen R5 1400X, Fastest Quad-core Processor
When it comes to the 4 core variant, the R5 1400X will be the fastest version in the R5 lineup. This variant has 4 cores and 8 threads. This AMD Ryzen CPU will be competing with the Core i5-7400. When it comes to gaming I think that this will be the most attractive model from AMD looking at how AAA games now require 4-cores, not all games but some. Plus this is optimized for price so it will be good value for money. I am sure that budget gamers will be looking out for the AMD R5 1400X.
Application of the AMD Ryzen R5 1400X
If you are going to be strictly gaming and nothing else and are touchy about having 4-cores for those demanding AAA titles then this is something for you. The AMD Ryzen R5 1400X has overclocking potential so you can squeeze out more performance if you opt for an overclocking compatible motherboard.
AMD Ryzen R3 Series CPUs, Quad-core Without SMT
At the end, we have the AMD Ryzen R3 series CPUs that feature 4 cores without SMT. These are entry level CPUs that will be competing with the i3 and Pentium series from Intel. The R3 series is as follows:
- AMD R3 PRO 1200
- AMD R3 1100
- R3 PRO 1100
The frequency for the AMD Ryzen R3 series range from 3.1 base clock and 3.4 boost clock. You can expect these to be very efficient and have a low power draw. Like the entry-level specifications, you can expect the pricing to compete with the Pentium series as well. If you are in the market for an entry level CPU for small tasks like esports games and light photo editing then this could be the option for you.
Also check out: AMD Conference Call Confirms Ryzen, Vega On Track, Release Date Set
AMD Ryzen R3 1200X, Fastest R3 Series CPU, 4 Cores, 4 Threads
The fastest of the AMD Ryzen R3 series is the AMD R3 1200X, much like the Kaby Lake 7350K this can be overclocked as well so you can squeeze out a bit more out of this entry level processor if you opt for an overclocking compatible AMD AM4 motherboard. The AMD R3 1200X has 4 cores, 4 threads, it has a base clock of 3.4 GHz and can boost to 4 GHz.
Application of the AMD Ryzen R3 1200X
The fastest R3 processor is a CPU that will appeal to entry level gamers that are on a budget or are entering into the world of PC gaming and are not sure whether or not they want to commit. If you fall into that category then you could opt to go with this entry level CPU and test the water before you commit to putting in a lot of money on higher end products.
This processor will be able to manage esports titles pretty well and you will be able to get some decent performance in games depending on your GPU and how well the game is optimized. So it really depends on the game that you are considering running on this CPU.
AMD Ryzen Benchmarks
Ashes of the Singularity
An Ashes of the Singularity benchmark was leaked online recently and though we do not know which specific AMD Ryzen CPU it was that was tested the benchmarks are still impressive. You can take a look below:
AMD Ryzen CPUs Launching 2nd March 2017
AMD Ryzen CPUs will be coming out starting 2nd of March and you can expect AMD AM4 motherboards to be out by then as well. The AMD R7 series enthusiast-grade chips will be the first to roll out, followed by the R5 and R3 series close behind.
AMD will be facing against Intel and the Kaby Lake series processors and from what I have seen so far that should not be an issue assuming that the pricing for AMD Ryzen CPUs are done right. Looking at Intel Kaby Lake series CPUs, they are just better optimized Skylake CPUs and the performance increase is not as significant as we hoped for. I see no reason why AMD can not have a great year when it comes to AMD Ryzen CPUs as well as AMD Vega GPUs.
Multi-generational Roadmap For AMD Ryzen CPUs, Upcoming Zen 2 And Zen 3 Architecture
We recently found out that the upcoming AMD Ryzen CPUs are not the end of the line and that AMD has a multi-generational roadmap in mind when it comes to AMD Ryzen CPUs. We learned that the roadmap comprised of Zen 2 and Zen 3. We already know about the existence of Zen+ and we do not know if that is the same thing as Zen 2 but at least we know that there will be something down the line as well and AMD will not just release some new CPUs and forget about the series altogether.
We also know that the AM4 platform will continue to be relevant at least till 2020, this implies that the upcoming AMD Ryzen CPUs that will feature Zen 2 and Zen 3 will feature the same socket that will match the AM4 platform. That gives users that buy AMD Ryzen CPUs future-proofing, so to speak.
This has been an issue with previous AMD processors as users complained that there was no point in buying an AMD processor due to the poor upgrade path that was being provided. It seems that that will change with the introduction of AMD Ryzen CPUs and the AMD AM4 platform. Kaby Lake is an optimized version of Skylake so it is possible that Zen 2 and Zen 3 will be optimized versions of the AMD Ryzen CPUs that we will be getting come March 2nd.
AMD AM4 Platform, Partner Motherboards Already Leaked Ahead Of Time
The AM4 platform will be the one that will support the upcoming motherboards and while there are plenty of partners working on AM4 motherboards, as seen at CES 2017, there have been leaks regarding AMD AM4 motherboards from Asus and Gigabyte. Asus is one of the most respected motherboard manufacturers in the world and some would even go as far as to say that the company makes the best motherboards in the industry. Asus motherboards have broken plenty of overclocking world records this year and I am sure more will follow.
Also check out: AMD Vega Products Shipping Confirmed For Q2 2017
Asus AMD AM4 Motherboards Leaked Presentation
The leaked slides that provide the details of the AMD AM4 motherboards from Asus are as follows:
The Asus CROSSHAIR VI HERO is the top of the line AMD AM4 motherboard from the company. As RGB is all the hype these days it should come as no surprise that the motherboard comes with RGB lighting compatibility. The motherboard also features ROG exclusive PCB and VRM design.
The motherboard has 2 Aura RGB headers for case lights that you can sync with the motherboard. Assuming that you buy this motherboard I am sure you will also have a modern GPU, you can sycn the GPU lights with the Motherboard as well. These are cool features for all those people that are touchy about these small details.
If you are not willing to put in a lot of money for a gaming motherboard then you can opt for the more mainstream PRIME X370 AMD AM4 motherboard. The motherboard has a white and monochrome color scheme so it will go with many cases and themes if you are into color coordination. Even though This is a mainstream motherboard if does come with USB 3.1 and M.2 SSD support for fast data transfers and booting.
Gigabyte AMD AM4 Motherboards Leaked Presentation
The leaked slides of Gigabyte AMD AM4 motherboards are as follows:
Aorus is the premium hardware brand from Gigabyte and we have already seen laptops and GPUs from the brand but this is the first time that we are seeing a motherboard from it. The Aorus AMD AM4 motherboard is a premium product and it has all the bells and whistles that you would expect from an enthusiast level motherboard.
This was the breakdown of all the AMD Ryzen CPUs that will be hitting the market and the premium motherboards that will be coming out for the AMD AM4 platform. It will be interesting to see what kind of an impact these AMD Ryzen CPUs will have on the market and how well they will tackle their Intel counterparts. Let us know what you think about these AMD Ryzen CPUs and whether or not you would be interested in buying an AMD CPU this year.
