AMD's third-generation Ryzen processors have been something of a revelation in the PC hardware space, offering a winning blend of price and performance for content creation and gaming alike - but these chips haven't been available at all price points. While AMD added to its high-end options with the release of the 3950X, builders of budget systems have had to either stump up $200 for the mid-range Ryzen 5 3600 or accept the compromises of an older first or second-gen Ryzen CPU. That changes today with the release of the $100/£95 Ryzen 3 3100 and $120/£115 Ryzen 3 3300X.
These mainstream processors could become a fast favourite with system builders, and look much more capable than their predecessors thanks to a few key advancements. Firstly, both CPUs boast four Zen 2 cores, so they should offer noticeably better single-threaded performance than their Zen and Zen+ predecessors from earlier Ryzen generations. The efficiency advantages inherent in switching from a 12nm to a 7nm process also allow for higher boost frequencies, which are set at 3.9GHz on the 3100 and 4GHz flat on the 3300X. These CPUs also support SMT (simultaneous multithreading), a first for a Ryzen 3 processor. Having eight threads available should make these chips better suited for content creation roles, and could help in games built on more modern engines as well.
These changes alone should result in a big shift in performance, but there are more subtle upgrades here too. The L3 cache on the 3300X has doubled in size compared to the 2300X, for example. This means that these processors don't need to rely on data being streamed in from RAM as often, which speeds up processing and helps these chips pair better with slower-frequency RAM. Despite these advancements, TDP remains at 65W, with the included Wraith Stealth cooler obviating the need for a third-party AiO or air cooler for most use cases.
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