If one were critiquing AMD’s current line of Zen 2 processors, one of the things to note is that the cheapest option is $199, for the six-core Ryzen 5 3600. This puts the latest hardware from AMD out of reach for anyone building a gaming $900 system or below. In order to redress this balance, AMD is set to launch two new quad core designs in May, starting at $99. The new Ryzen 3 hardware will each feature one Zen 2 core chiplet, run at up to 4.3 GHz, and offer PCIe 4.0 connectivity.

A few years ago, the quad core processor was at the top of the market, and you would need $500 for one. When AMD started launching its quad core parts for as little as $99, the market became interested in what would become the new normal. These new Ryzen 3 parts from AMD, the new low-end quad cores, are helping define that normal, especially with high frequencies and taking advantage of the latest features such as high-speed DDR4, Zen 2 levels of IPC at high frequencies, and PCIe 4.0.

AMD 'Matisse' Ryzen 3000 Series CPUs
AnandTech Cores
Threads
Base
Freq
Boost
Freq
L2
Cache
L3
Cache
PCIe
4.0
Chiplets
IO+CPU
TDP Price
(SEP)
Ryzen 9 3950X 16C 32T 3.5 4.7 8 MB 64 MB 16+4+4 1+2 105W $749
Ryzen 9 3900X 12C 24T 3.8 4.6 6 MB 64 MB 16+4+4 1+2 105W $499
Ryzen 9 3900 12C 24T 3.1 4.3 6 MB 64 MB 16+4+4 1+2 65W OEM
Ryzen 7 3800X 8C 16T 3.9 4.5 4 MB 32 MB 16+4+4 1+1 105W $399
Ryzen 7 3700X 8C 16T 3.6 4.4 4 MB 32 MB 16+4+4 1+1 65W $329
Ryzen 5 3600X 6C 12T 3.8 4.4 3 MB 32 MB 16+4+4 1+1 95W $249
Ryzen 5 3600 6C 12T 3.6 4.2 3 MB 32 MB 16+4+4 1+1 65W $199
Ryzen 5 3500X 6C 6T 3.6 4.1 3 MB 32 MB 16+4+4 1+1 65W OEM
Ryzen 3 3300X 4C 8T 3.8 4.3 2 MB 16 MB 16+4+4 1+1 65W $120
Ryzen 3 3100 4C 8T 3.6 3.9 2 MB 16 MB 16+4+4 1+1 65W $99

This is all well and good, and AMD has plenty of options at these price points to compete against Intel, however AMD’s biggest competition is going to be with itself. At these prices, $105 and $120, there are a number of AMD processors from the previous generations on offer that might be more appealing. For example, the 12nm+ version of the Ryzen 5 1600, called the ‘AF’ because the processor descriptor ends in AF, has slightly lower frequencies and IPC but has six cores and is only $85. Users will have to decide between more cores for throughput with the 1600AF, or more frequency/IPC with the 3100 for $15.

Not only this, but we are also awaiting the launch of AMD’s new APUs, called Renoir, for the desktop space. The performance of these parts at 15 W, a quad-core Zen 2 up to 4.3 GHz with Vega8 graphics (and no extra latency due to the chiplet) is going to be a compelling option when it moves to 65 W on the desktop. As a result, we might see the Renoir processors priced above the Ryzen 3, in that $125-$190 area that AMD currently doesn’t have any Zen 2 processors in.

For the rest of the year it seems there’s going to be some interesting competition in this low cost space. Intel also has Comet Lake-S on the horizon we believe, taking another crack at 14nm, and these new Ryzen 3 products might result in some interesting line-ups due to price.

We're expecting to get these CPUs in for testing sometime soon. They are set to be launched in May.

B550 Launch Coming Soon

One of the often talked topics, since January, is when AMD is going to launch its more mid-range B550 motherboards for the Ryzen 3000 processors. Today AMD is announcing that B550 is coming on June 16th this year, with all the main motherboard manufacturers coming out with a variety of models, up to 60 for launch. AMD is also confirming that B550 will offer PCIe 4.0 connectivity. More details to come at a later date.

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  • Operandi - Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - link

    Kinda what I figured. Thats going to make them very low volume then, 7nm yields are supposed to be pretty good so I doubt there are many dies out there where half of them are defective.
  • Cooe - Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - link

    This isn't for sure guaranteed yet. Many speculate these chips are actually using a new quad-core "Matisse 2" die.
  • Nioktefe - Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - link

    No it would make no sense, if there's an igpu at least it could be used for laptops also, but it's surely not the case since there's twice the L3 of even renoir which is a 8 core cpu for laptop

    Also every other part use full L3 cache config, so if there's any defect in L3 or ccx interconection the only sku the chip can become is those 2 new skus. So it makes sense for amd, even with good yield they can now use nearly every die that are produced.
  • shirleymarquez - Saturday, May 2, 2020 - link

    These new chips have only half the L3 cache of the higher end 3000 series chips. We won't know for sure until somebody gets to run independent benchmarks, but that almost certainly means they are only using a single CCX.

    We could end up getting a mixture of parts. You could get either a high end Ryzen die with one CCX disabled or a new smaller die where the second CCX simply isn't there. You won't be able to tell which you have without doing an X-ray of your chip. And you won't care, because you will be getting the performance you paid for either way.

    The launch parts will be culls from production of the higher end models. But if there is enough demand for these low end CPUs so that they can't fill it all that way, AMD will surely do a smaller die if that lowers production costs enough to matter. It can't be all that hard to lop one CCX off the existing chip layout.
  • CrystalCowboy - Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - link

    Even 30-45 W would be a little nicer for small boxes.
  • not_anton - Wednesday, April 22, 2020 - link

    My mobo bios has a 45W "economy" option for Ryzen 3600; those 4-cores can totally run on 30-45W with a minor decrease in boost frequency.
  • Dr. Swag - Thursday, April 23, 2020 - link

    3700x has two four core chiplets but these only have one, so they only have four cores physically in the package
  • dsplover - Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - link

    Brilliant actually. I’m glad because I want a low powered Quad. Figured Tiger Lake would be my choice but this perfect for me. Due to their shared cache design extra Cores is added latency, and the 8 Cores surprisingly wasn’t bad. Above that was unacceptable and had diminishing returns. If the suite of apps I use liked the 8 core models, the Quad will be a real win win for me.
  • T1beriu - Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - link

    You forgot Ryzen 5 3500.
  • zodiacfml - Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - link

    Yeah, even quad core doesn't cut it for multiple tab browsing. I'd take the 1600 or 2600

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