What we previously knew about the Raven Ridge Desktop APUs
AMD are once again gearing up for a significant processor release in the very near future, and for the first time in quite a while we'll be seeing brand new Raven Ridge APU architecture for desktop PCs. Formally announced at CES 2018, the Ryzen 2000G-series APUs incorporate four Zen cores and Vega graphics into one package, and perhaps most importantly is compatible with existing AM4 motherboards (following relevant BIOS updates). Now we know that the APUs will launch on February 12th 2018, barely three weeks from today.
Unsurprisingly the actual silicon for the desktop Ryzen APU range has in large part been inherited from Raven Ridge APUs already present in laptops, but with performance scaled up thanks higher TDP tolerances. These APUs officially launched this past autumn in select laptop models where demand was likely to be greater, also giving motherboard manufacturers more time to develop BIOS updates for 300-series AM4 motherboard models already in-situ.
The entry-level member of the Ryzen 2000G-series is the Ryzen 3 2200G. On the CPU side it's a very straightforward 4-core, 4-thread part with 2MB L2 cache and 4MB L3 cache. By implication therefore the 2200G utilises only a single CCX rather than the dual-CCX parts of prior Ryzen CPU models. It's clocked at a more than healthy 3.5GHz Base/3.7GHz XFR, the same as the Ryzen 3 1300X, and has the potential to be a very nippy little processor.
On the graphics side, the 2200G is equipped with what AMD are calling Vega 8. That 8 refers to the number of compute units (similar to their desktop GPU naming conventions), which represents 512 stream processors. The integrated GPU will be clocked up to 1100 GHz.
Higher up the food chain will be the Ryzen 5 2400G. Once again 4 CPU cores is the order of the day, but thanks to SMT it will support up to 8 independent threads. Unsurprisingly cache levels remain the same with the maximum 6MB total. Both base and boost frequencies have as 200MHz bump over the 2200G, so all around you're getting a more capable and higher performing processor.
It's the graphics of the 2400G which sees the largest bump however. With Vega 11 graphics the 2400G has 704 stream processors, each of which are clocked at 1250MHz. It will be very interesting to see how these two APUs compare performance wise and if they're fully capable of budge gaming.
AMD 300-series Motherboard Features
Both APUs in the 2000G-series support dual-channel DDR4 memory up to 2933MHz. Typically AMD APUs have benefited enormously from higher clocked memory, and given Ryzen's teething issues with RAM support we won't be surprised if there is a focus on this aspect of the processor in reviews. It's also noteworthy that due to only having one CCX neither APU will be limited by cross-CCX communication (which typically scaled with RAM frequency).
In terms of TDP, both APUs sit within a 65W envelope, making them ideal candidates for the AMD Wraith cooler which is supplied in retail units. The Ryzen 3 2200G will be priced at an MSRP of $99, whilst the Ryzen 5 2400G will be available for $169 when it's released in February.
Many motherboard manufacturers have already released BIOS updates for the APUs, and you can expect more in the coming weeks.
