If you’re a first-time PC/Desktop buyer in search of a high-performance product, and after hours of internet searching, you’ve come across options from brands like HP, Dell, Lenovo, Asus, or others, featuring processor names like AMD Ryzen 7 6300G that seem confusing, this guide is here to help you understand and make the right choice!
In a few words, this guide is about understanding the names of AMD processors, specifically the AMD’s Ryzen series.
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First, have a look at the image below:
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I think you already got it. If not, you are free to read below.
AMD (Company name):
Advanced Micro Devices is a semiconductor company primarily known for designing and manufacturing semiconductor products, including CPUs (Central Processing Units) and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). They manufacture both consumer-grade and server-grade hardware solutions.
AMD is a major competitor to Intel in the consumer CPU market and NVIDIA in the GPU market.
Ryzen (Processor brand):
Ryzen, a CPU family or CPU brand name crafted by AMD, has played a significant role in the consumer-grade CPU market in recent years (after release of their Zen architecture on 2017). Praised for its high-speed and competitive multi-core performance, Ryzen processors are consistently recognized for providing excellent value for money according to user ratings.
Ryzen 3 (CPU segment):
You might have also seen Ryzen 5, 7 or 9. These numbers typically refer to tiers and performance level of processor within a particular generation (CPU Generation — we’ll see that in a bit).
Here are the insights:
- Ryzen 3 (Entry-level): processors, generally suitable for basic computing tasks. Enough for browsing, watching some movies and running 2 to 3 applications simultaneously.
- Ryzen 5 (Mid-range): processors offering a balance of performance for both gaming and productivity. Minimum requirement for video editors or simple modeling and rendering.
- Ryzen 7 (Higher end): processors with more cores and threads, suitable for demanding tasks like content creation and gaming.
- Ryzen 9 (High-performance): processors with more cores and threads, designed for heavy multitasking, content creation, and gaming.
Similar to Intel series but gamers prefer Ryzen, as they have good integrated graphics (Radeon) in their pocket which is better than Intel's integrated cards such as Intel HD, UHD, Iris etc.
But when it comes to dedicated card you should probably go with NVIDIA.
1300 (CPU generation):
The ‘1’ in ‘1300’ signifies the CPU generation, denoting the series as part of a broader set: 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, and 7000. These numerical identifiers correspond to distinct generations, each embodying architectural advancements and enhanced performance. For instance, 7XXX designates the most recent chips, while 1XXX may denote older or outdated models.
While the CPU generation may not be a critical factor in the immediate purchase of a new PC/Desktop, staying with the latest generation is advantageous for adapting to evolving technologies.
1300 (Performance level):
‘3’ in ‘1300’ signifies the CPU performance level. They are categorized as follows:
Performance Level 3 (≤ 3):
- Very low performance indicator.
- Suitable for tight budgets or simple processing tasks.
Performance Level 4, 5, 6:
- Medium performance level indicators.
- Preferred for normal use cases, such as gaming that doesn’t require top-tier performance.
Performance Level 7, 8, 9:
- High-performance level indicators.
- Typically used for professional scenarios, including high-end applications, content creation, and demanding gaming.
Segment Dependence:
- Ryzen 3: Usually falls within performance levels 3 or 4.
- Ryzen 5: Within performance levels 5 or 6.
- Ryzen 7: Within performance levels 7 or 8.
- Ryzen 9: Within performance levels 8 or 9.
‘00’ in ‘1300’ (Model number):
This model number serves to distinguish various versions. The last digit might signify differences in clock speed or other features compared to earlier versions. Occasionally, it may indicate the product’s association with a specific SKU variant or updates. However, these details generally have minimal impact on your overall user experience during the purchase.
The power suffix:
The power suffix in AMD represents some of the extra features of the processors. Below is list of suffixes good to know -
- G: Integrated with AMD Radeon Graphics
- GE: Integrated Radeon graphics with lower performance level
- X: Higher clock-speed (processing speed) of processor
- XT: Higher-clocked desktop processor with superior performance than X
- S: Energy-efficient desktop processor with integrated AMD Radeon Vega Graphics
- T: Turbo and higher clock speed (not like X or XT) with low power
- H: High-performance mobile processors with integrated graphics for laptops
- HS: High-performance processors with integrated graphics and lower power consumption
- U: Lower-clocked mobile processors for thin-and-light laptops
- M: Low power mobile
- NO SUFFIX: Standard CPU.
All done, I think. Thanks for reading up to this point. Feel free to leave comments for suggestions, corrections, or to help others.
