Fresh in with the news of AMD’s Ryzen 3 launch today, we are presented with another announcement. AMD has today released its low-end Bristol Ridge processors to retail availability. This includes 8 APU‘s and 3 Athlon chips.
Originally back in 2016 when the Bristol Ridge line up was announced, it was intended only for OEM use. This means that the processors were found in pre built store bought systems, mostly due to their low cost and high resell value. However, as of today, AMD has officially brought Bristol Ridge to mass availability. Of course, this means now that you can purchase the processors individually. This makes it the ideal choice if you were wanting to create a low budget system.
The built in Graphics Processing component of the APU range make these processors perfect for entry level gaming rigs. Starting with a Radeon R5 Series on the lower models all the way up to an R7 Series on the top end. The inclusion of the graphics component allows the user to play games and perform most relatively graphic intensive tasks without the need for a separate GPU, again cutting down on costs. The range starts from a 576 MHz GPU Base all the way up to 800 MHz with a turbo boost. The turbo boost can reach up to 1108 MHz which makes the graphics chips a relatively decent performer. Of course, when comparing to previous generations we see as much as a 28% increase in GPU frequency. Combine all of this with the support for DDR4 technology then the combination of the two will allow for a much more pleasant experience.
Images Courtesy of anandtech.com
The GPU specifications of each model
Considering the processors are in the budget range, all of which estimated to be under $130. The display output capabilities are actually relatively impressive. The supported display modes are:
This means that the processing chips will actually support up to three displays with a mix of any of the above.
So, moving on now to the processor’s themselves. We take a look at the models available.
AMD’s 7th Gen Bristol Ridge Processor Line up
As you can see the ranges all vary quite significantly. Naturally, the pricing will follow the trend of more expensive at the top to lower at the bottom. You will notice the different TDP ranges between the lineup, the lower TDP chips all have an ‘E’ at the end of their model numbers to help distinguish them from the others. These would be better for the more energy conscious user.
See also: AMD Launches 7th Gen APUs – Bristol Ridge
Prices were not mentioned at the announcement but we imagine the processors will fall between $50-$130 making them the perfect budget option. Combined with the fantastic AM4 support and DDR4 technology, we could be set for a treat that could see lots of custom low-cost rigs that will still perform relatively well. This could be the link to more affordable gaming systems. The performance we are yet to see, other than the benchmarks from existing OEM systems. We will update as the line up is released and further testing is completed.
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