Describing its new line of Ryzen 4000 G and Ryzen Pro 4000 G chips with graphics cores as the “ultimate” desktop chips, AMD released no fewer than 18 new processors on Tuesday. However, there is a downside: they will be available only on pre-built systems from large PC manufacturers.
Six of the new Ryzens, as well as three new Athlons, are aimed at consumers who want leading multi-core performance and the ability to play games at 1080p resolution, the company said. Reflecting the nine new Ryzen and Athlons for consumers, AMD also introduced nine Pro models with enhanced security and manageability features.
The new chips are essentially desktop cousins of the company’s impressive Ryzen 4000 chips found in notebook computers, tuned for the highest thermal and power capabilities of a desktop computer. The new processors are built using a single matrix design, with x86 cores alongside Radeon graphics cores.
As such, they have an x8 PCIe Gen 3 connection to the GPU and are not PCI Gen 4 compliant. The chips are compatible with the 500 series motherboards and are expected to primarily pair with the B550 and B550 Pro motherboards. .
Although AMD did not test the new G-series of desktop chips in Adobe’s updated Premiere Pro, we assume the parts should get the same boost as its mobile cousin. You can read about it here, where AMD tested multiple Ryzen 4000 laptops using the latest version of Premiere.
AMDSorry DIYers: No Ryzen 4000 G for you!
Unfortunately, DIY builders won’t have a chance to buy them, as consumer chips will only be sold through big PC makers like HP, Dell, or Lenovo. According to AMD, smaller system integrators such as CyberPower PC and iBuypower will also be out of this round. However, smaller SIs will have access to Ryzen Pro chips intended for commercial sales. This morning, in fact, Velocity Micro published a website for Ryzen Pro-based desktops on its website. Initially, some confusion arose at AMD’s press conference that system integrators would not get any of the new chips, but AMD officials clarified that they would actually get the professional lineup. However, one thing is for sure: Consumers will not get the parts directly.
AMD knows it’s disappointing for some fans, and it responded with a message of hope. “We understand and appreciate that there are many DIY builders who have APUs and want to upgrade those APUs,” said Robert Hallock of AMD during a news conference on the new chips. “And while I can’t get into the details of our roadmap, there is a next-generation APU for DIY customers, and it will fit 400 and 500 series boards.”
AMDMost tech companies never make promises, but Hallock broke that rule and actually swore an oath to me. “So if those enthusiasts are reading the news tomorrow and thinking ‘where’s my update ?!’ I promise it will come, ”Hallock said.
Meanwhile, Hallock said, AMD is targeting these Ryzen 4000 G parts at more mainstream customers buying big-brand PCs. It is an important market. DIY customers talk, tweet and videotape their new APUs and CPUs, but they’re a small (albeit vocal) community. AMD roughly calculated that the OEM sales of large PC companies to major consumers and corporate customers are four to five times greater than sales to DIY customers.
Those mainstream customers should be pretty happy with the new chips. Performance appears to be expected, given AMD’s advantage with its efficient 7nm chips versus Intel’s 14nm CPUs.
AMDThe “hero” chip of the consumer line is the Ryzen 7 4700G. At 8 cores and 16 threads, AMD’s numbers show it beats the 65-watt Core i7-9700 on most multi-threaded tasks.
The weakest part of Intel’s desktop CPUs has been its built-in graphics, which haven’t compromised much in performance. The Radeon cores in the Ryzen 7 make the Ryzen 7 4700G capable of playing popular titles like Counter Strike: Global Operation, Rocket leagueor DOTA 1080p with reasonable frame rates, AMD said.
AMDOne could successfully argue that, on the high end, graphics cores on a chip don’t really matter much, because most gamers who buy high-end CPUs almost always pair them with discrete graphics cards. Conventional PC users generally skip the expensive upgrade.
In fact, for those conventional users, even the Ryzen 7 4700G might be too rich for their blood. That’s why AMD also offers the Ryzen 5 4600G midrange, which pairs nicely with the older 9th generation Core i5-9500.
AMDAMD pulled out a quick one
If you’re a close observer of Intel’s lineup, you’re probably ready to raise your hand and strongly object that AMD is shooting fast. For all of its comparisons, AMD compared its Ryzen G chips to Intel’s ninth-generation chips, such as the Core i7-9700, Core i5-9500, and Core i3-9100.
The following CPU performance chart looks similar to the ones above, with the Ryzen 3 4300G circling around the Core i3-9100.
AMDAMD fans might argue that Intel’s new 10th generation chips tend to offer slightly higher clock speeds, but that would ignore the more significant change Intel made with most of its 10th generation chips: Hyper-Threading. Hyper-Threading performance would probably put comparable Intel CPUs in much better performance compared to these Ryzen Gs.
For example, a Core i5-9600 with 6 cores and 6 threads is an easy combination for the Ryzen 5 4600G with 6 cores and 6 threads. The gap would be closed if compared to a Core i5-10600 with 6 cores and 12 threads in multi-core performance. A Core i3-10100 with 4 cores and 8 threads would require much less work than the Core i3-9100, which does not have Hyper-Threading.
When asked about using ninth-generation Intel parts for comparisons, AMD attributed this to the inability to get competitive CPUs on their hands in time. To some extent that is true. Looking at Amazon, the Intel Core i7-10700 would not arrive until early August if it was purchased yesterday. However, we were able to find the CPU at Newegg.com, and other 10th Gen Intel chips can be found at various stores if you looked hard enough this week.
Another thing to consider is the effect of the pandemic. Given the situation, it’s a great question to get competitive parts for testing with enough lead time to go through the usual corporate approval train.
Who is picking cherries?
However, messing with the old and ninth generation is not just poor sportsmanship, it was probably unnecessary as well. Intel’s 10th generation chips add considerably more multi-threaded performance by activating Hyper-Threading for the masses, but they still use the worn out Intel integrated graphics cores that were introduced literally three Avengers movies ago (short story). Captain America: Civil War like an Avengers movie.) AMD’s chart comparing a Ryzen 5 4600G vs. a 9th-gen Core i5-9500 probably wouldn’t change much even if it dropped a 10th-gen Core i7-10500.
AMDThe same can be said for the gaming results of a Core i3-9100. It would not improve much with a Core i3-10100. This situation is unlikely to change as Intel continues to roll out its built-in decrepit graphics.
AMDKnowing how irrelevant AMD’s numbers are to Intel chips, it might be better to compare them to another known quantity – AMD’s older G chips. There, the newer Ryzen 4000 Gs look pretty impressive. First there is the Ryzen 5 4600G against the popular Ryzen 5 3400G.
AMDThe new Ryzen 5 4600G benefits from additional core count, better 7nm process, and improved Vega graphics cores. The Ryzen 3 4300G budget also gets a little bump.
AMDLike the new APU Alpha, the Ryzen 7 4700G rules the chicken coop in multithreaded performance. On the previous high-end Ryzen 5 3400G, it is up to 152 percent faster.
Even more important in this release is AMD’s Ryzen Pro line. These chips are close cousins to the Ryzen 4000 G chips, but bring encrypted memory and fleet management features to the table. These are the chips that usually go into those small form factor boxes you see on the bank teller’s desk, or on a cart in your doctor or dentist’s office. They are typically sold in full containers to large corporations looking for stable, reliable companies, and non-conspicuous computing.
With few working in offices at the moment, the demand for commercial desks could be moderate. Still, it’s an important and profitable industry that AMD is tackling with chips that deliver far more graphics performance than typical office workers get.
If you’ve been patiently waiting to get the price and availability of the new chips, keep waiting. Since the chips will only be sold to large PC manufacturers, there is no public price. And because those same big PC makers announce when they’ll sell PCs using AMD’s newest chips, AMD can’t even say when it will be able to buy a new PC with Ryzen 4000 G chips inside.
Updated with confirmation from AMD officials that system integrator companies will sell the Ryzen Pro and Athlon Gold line.
AMD
