AMD is apparently looking at bringing out more budget Athlon or Ryzen 3 CPUs on its new AM5 platform, especially for DIY PC builders. Apart from last year’s refreshed 3000G for the DIY market in both PRO and non-PRO versions, there has been little to no movement on the AM5 Athlon series. The Athlon brand, of course, is intended to denote an entry-level CPU for customers who either don’t need much performance muscle or can’t spend too many dollars.
AMD Introducing Budget Athlon or Ryzen 3 CPUs on AM5
Bits & Chips reports that it seems AMD is getting ready to launch new CPUs directed at the AM5 platform with a very budget-minded DIY builder likely in their sights. Its exercise seems to be bringing out the best & cheapest option on offer. The specifics indicate that AMD will be launching a minimum of two CPUs for its entry-level Athlon or Ryzen 3 series, making full use of TSMC’s leading-edge 7nm process node and pricing them south of $100 USD.
AMD’s current Ryzen 7000 Desktop CPUs, based on the Zen 4 architecture, use 5nm process technology with a 6nm IO die while upcoming Ryzen 9000 CPUs with Zen 5 cores will adopt 4nm process technology, retaining the 6nm IO die. If TSMC does fab these new CPUs on a 7nm node, the cost savings could be substantial and this would further allow them to compete at consumer pricing. The older 7nm node also speeds up with a lower defect rate and yield during mass production.
On another note, AMD has acknowledged that its new Ryzen 7000 and next-gen Ryzen 9000 CPUs begin at a minimum of core configurations beginning with the Athlon and going all the way up to their highest tier parts. However, efficient production on the 7nm node might even enable 6-core variants at lower clock speeds. The report clarifies that while there won’t be a new die technically, these CPUs will effectively introduce a new die due to their deployment on a fresh process node, maintaining the Zen 4 core architecture internally.
Overall, these entry-level Athlon or Ryzen 3 CPUs are poised to stimulate the adoption of the AM5 platform. AMD is also preparing to launch new mainstream and low-end chipsets within its 800-series family, enticing users to upgrade. This move will mark the retirement of the long-serving AM4 platform, which has dominated the market for 8 years. Meanwhile, AMD is set to introduce two new Ryzen 5000 CPUs for the AM4 platform this month: the Ryzen 9 5900XT and Ryzen 7 5800XT.
