There are various CPUs from AMD. The company uses the primary name of Ryzen for its CPUs. But it can become hard to keep track of AMD’s Ryzen processors as there are many options available. It is necessary that you know what lies under the hood before you spend your money on it. AMD similar to Intel doesn’t have a convention of straightforward naming. However, if you understand Intel’s Core i3, i5, i7, and i9 naming scheme then you will be able to handle the AMD CPU naming scheme too. Now let’s move forward to AMD Ryzen naming scheme.
In this blog, we will discuss what various AMD CPU numbers mean, AMD CPU Ryzen naming scheme, Ryzen generations, etc. We hope that you get all the necessary information before going to market for a new PC.
Also Read: Cores vs logical processors: Everything you need to know
What do AMD CPU numbers mean?
AMD’s Ryzen and Intel’s Core are the two most famous CPU lingos you will hear in PC communities. So, now whenever you see Ryzen, you will understand that they are referring to an AMD CPU. Ryzen naming scheme is similar to Intel – 3, 5, 7, and 9.
Below mentioned are four AMD Ryzen processor brackets:
- Firstly, Ryzen 3 have upto 4-core processors.
- Secondly, Ryzen 5 have upto 6-core processors.
- Thirdly, Ryzen 7 have upto 8-core processors.
- Lastly, Ryzen 9 have upto 16-core processors.
- Additionally, Threadripper have upto 64-core processors.
So, you must have understood that each Ryzen processor bracket connotes a particular amount of maximum core processors that you can expect. As the number increases, the number of core processors and performance also increase and vice versa. For instance, AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is more potent than the model Ryzen 9 5900X. On the other hand, AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is less potent than both models of Ryzen 9 5950X and Ryzen 9 5900X.
The processors of Ryzen 3 target the mainstream market and Ryzen 5 the mid-range performance market. On the other hand, the processors of Ryzen 7 and 9 target pro-consumers such as gamers.
AMD CPU Ryzen naming scheme
You should have a better understanding of everything included in the Ryzen 5950X name as it will help you in looking at Ryzen CPU generations.
Explanation of Ryzen generations
Even though the announcement of Zen microarchitecture by AMD came on 17 August 2016, it was not until March 2017 that its first CPUs hit the market. So, finally, in March 2017, we saw the first generation of Zen-based processors. Now there are four different generations of Ryzen. The fourth-gen CPUs that are the latest in the series are based on the Zen 3 architecture launched on October 28, 2020.
Now let us give you a breakdown to help you understand how we got to Zen 3 architecture when Ryzen CPUs are fourth-gen. The breakdown consists of various architecture and when they were launched.
- First Generation: 14nm Zen architecture which was released in March 2017.
- Second Generation: 12nm Zen+ architecture which was released in April 2018.
- Third Generation: 7nm Zen 2 architecture which was released in July 2019.
- Fourth Generation: 7nm Zen 3 architecture which was released in November 2020.
This is how the whole confusion began regarding the Ryzen CPU generations. Also, there are various types of Ryzen CPUs for various purposes. AMD contains Ryzen CPUs for mainstream desktop users, laptops, and high-end desktop users. Let’s start with AMD’s mainstream desktop processors.
1. AMD Ryzen Mainstream Desktop CPUs
AMD Ryzen 1000 Series
Ryzen 1000 Series was the first generation of Ryzen CPUs which was based on the 14nm Zen architecture. They were known as “Summit Ridge.” For instance, mainstream desktop CPUs of 1st-gen Ryzen include Ryzen 7 1800X, Ryzen 7 1700X, Ryzen 7 1700, etc.
AMD Ryzen 2000 Series
The Ryzen 2000 Series is the second generation of Ryzen CPUs which was based on the 12nm Zen+ architecture. For instance, Ryzen 5 2500X, Ryzen 2600X, and Ryzen 5 2600. These CPUs were only marginally better than the above-mentioned series provided minimal improvement in the processing technology.
AMD Ryzen 3000 Series
The announcement for these was made on 27 May 2019 at Computex. They leveraged the third-gen Zen 2 architecture which was based on the 7nm processing technology. This series uses Matisse’s micro-architecture. There were massive improvements presented to mainstream Ryzen 2000 series chips in this series. It made a massive jump from the previous 12nm Zen+ architecture to TSMC’s 7nm FinFET fabrication node. Some examples of this series are Ryzen 5 3500 and Ryzen 5 3500X.
AMD Ryzen 4000 Series (APUs)
Some things start to get complicated with Ryzen 4000 series as AMD maintains consistency in confusion. AMD’s Ryzen 4000 series goes by the name of APUs that is an abbreviation for Accelerated Processing Unit.
Ryzen 5000 Series
Ryzen 5000 Series are fourth-gen chips that have their basis on the Zen 3 microarchitecture. For instance, the Ryzen 5 5600X, Ryzen 7 5800, Ryzen 9 5900X. Their fabrication is done with the help of 7nm architecture and provides high performance to previous generations. The mainstream Ryzen 5000 series chips from AMD go by the code name of Vermeer.
2. AMD High-end Desktop (HEDT) CPU
AMD’s HEDT CPUs popularly go by the name of Threadripper. They contain high-performance chips that can do almost anything. For instance, gaming, editing videos, bitcoin mining, etc.
Ryzen Threadripper 1000 Series
The first generation of AMD HEDT CPUs was this series which was based on the Zen architecture. For instance, Ryzen Threadripper 1950X CPU.
Ryzen Threadripper 2000 Series
There was an addition of higher clock speeds in the second-generation Threadripper chips. It was relative to their first-gen counterparts due to the new 12nm process and “Zen+” architecture. Let’s take a look at the comparison of the 1st gen AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X CPU vs. 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X CPU.
Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Series
This was the third generation of AMD’s HEDT CPUs containing the Zen architecture. For instance, the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X launched in the US at the price of $3990 in February 2020.
Ryzen Threadripper 5000 Series
This series is yet to come out and there is no exact information available about its launch. A lot of anticipation surrounds it as to what AMD has in store for its HEDT CPUs based on the Zen 3 architecture.
3. AMD Mobile Processors
Additionally, AMD has mobile chips along with mainstream Ryzen and high-end Threadripper CPUs. The naming convention is similar to the mainstream desktop APUs. There is one basic that you will notice that there is a new addition of H, HS, HX, or U suffixes to the regular chip name.
What AMD CPU you should get?
You can get an answer to this question by depending on your budget and choices only. If you are focusing on high-performance gaming then the mid-range Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 CPU with higher clocks will suit your needs. The cost will be between $200-$300. If you are thinking ‘Why not the high-end Core i7 or Ryzen 7 chip?’ It is simply because gaming is not entirely dependent on a CPU. A CPU is necessary but so is a high-end GPU that can ensure that you gain the most out of your chip.
You will easily be able to afford a budget AMD CPU such as a Ryzen 3000 series chip. We recommend this series to those who are tight on budget and don’t require any heavy tasks. If you have a high budget and require more power then we recommend you to go for a Ryzen 7 chip. A Threadripper will be best for workstation needs.
The Best AMD CPUs in 2021
- Firstly, AMD Ryzen 3 3300X – It is the best entry-level AMD CPU.
- Secondly, AMD Ryzen 5 3600X – It is the best mid-range AMD CPU.
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X – It is the best AMD gaming CPU.
- AMD Ryzen 9 5950X – It is the best high-perfomance AMD CPU.
- Lastly, AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X – It is best for professionals and no-nonsense gamers.
Conclusion of Ryzen naming scheme
In this blog of the Ryzen naming scheme, we discuss everything related to AMD Ryzen. We hope that you now understand the Ryzen naming scheme which will help you in buying the CPU of your choice. Thank you for reading our blog!