Ryzen 8000G: Fusion of Zen4 and RDNA3 Ready for Desktop
Based on Phoenix 1 and 2, the Ryzen 8000G lineup is the successor to Ryzen 5000G or Cezanne. We have already seen a glimpse of these APUs in the mobile segment, particularly on laptops and handhelds. More specifically, the ASUS Rog Ally is a noteworthy mention, powered by AMD’s Z1 series, a derivative of Phoenix. These APUs arrive in both Phoenix 1 and Phoenix 2 flavors, though only the Ryzen 7 8700G and the Ryzen 5 8600G are based on the former. All Ryzen 8000G series APUs feature a base TDP of 45W/65W, with the Ryzen 8000GE series limited to 35W. As self-explanatory as it may be, these APUs are supported by AMD’s latest AM5 platform.
CPU Based on Zen4iGPU Based on RDNA3Up to 8 Zen4 Cores / 16 ThreadsUp to 12 Compute Units (6 WGPs)TDP of 45W/65W (G Series) | 35W for GE SeriesUp to 5.1GHz Boost ClocksSupport for PCIe Gen 5.0Inclusion of Ryzen AI on Phoenix 1 APUs
We’re not just witnessing a CPU architectural upgrade from Zen3 to Zen4, rather the iGPU is also seeing a huge leap from Vega to RDNA3. Prior generations of RDNA were skipped on desktop (As iGPUs) due to a lack of sufficient memory bandwidth. With the inception of fast DDR5 memory, that no longer remains a constraint.
Ryzen 8000G Specifications
Let’s quickly go over the specifications, then we’ll talk about performance. The flagship Ryzen 7 8700G packs 8 cores / 16 threads with base and boost clocks of 4.2GHz and 5.1GHz. It hosts the Radeon 780M iGPU with a maxed-out 12 CU configuration, clocked at 2.9GHz. The Ryzen 7 8700G will come in at $329. From the Ryzen 5 family, the Ryzen 5 8600G offers 6 cores / 12 threads operating at 4.35GHz and 5GHz (Base/Boost). The iGPU is stepped down to the Radeon 760M with 8 CUs at 2.8GHz, still adequate for most if not all eSports titles and even a few AAA games. Priced at $229, the Ryzen 5 8600G will hit shelves later this month. Both the Ryzen 7 8700G and Ryzen 5 8600G include Ryzen AI since they are based on a Phoenix 1 die. Now come APUs based on Phoenix 2, which are a hybrid of Zen4 and Zen4C cores. The Ryzen 5 8500G has 6 cores (2 Zen4 + 4 Zen4C) / 12 threads running at 3.55GHz and 5GHz respectively. A 4 CU version of the Radeon 740M is present as the graphics solution. The Ryzen 5 8500G has been listed with a price tag of $179. The Ryzen 3 8300G follows with 4 cores (1 Zen4 + 3 Zen4C) / 8 threads clocked at 3.45GHz (Base) and 4.9GHz (Boost). Much like the Ryzen 5 8500G, AMD has opted for the Radeon 740M (4 CUs) for this APU as well. This processor can be found in OEM-only PCs and will be available by the end of Q1 24. The Ryzen 5 8500G and Ryzen 3 8300G do not feature Ryzen AI.
Performance
In the first set of tests, AMD striked a comparison between Intel’s i7-14700K and the Ryzen 7 8700G/8600G. The i7-14700K features UHD Graphics 770 with 32 EUs, based on the Xe-LP architecture, the forerunner to Xe-LPG seen on Meteor Lake. When normalized to the i7-14700K, the Ryzen 7 8700G pushes performance as high as 4x the Intel CPU in Hitman 3. Apart from the extremes, there is a huge average performance gap, with most of the chart ranging from 2-3x, Far Cry 6 being the exception. The next benchmark features a $410 mid-range PC from Newegg with the i5-13400F and NVIDIA’s GTX 1650 4GB. This is a modest PC, yet the Ryzen 7 8700G demolishes it, again justifying our point of making entry-level dGPUs obsolete. A few games such as GTA V, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Lies of P see the Newegg system pull ahead. However, that lead diminishes it titles such as Star Wars Jedi: Survivors, Alan Wake 2, and Starfield where the AMD system is up to 1.31x faster than the GTX 1650/i5-13400 combo. Productivity is where AMD has a remarkable lead, not faltering in any of the shown tests. In softwares such as Handbrake and LAME, Ryzen 8000G smokes its counterpart by up to 4.6x. A similar, though slightly small lead can be seen in other tests as well.
Conclusion
Let’s be realistic, given what AMD has shown, new mid-rangers such as the one showcased above should be superseded by APUs like the Ryzen 8000G. While sounding a bit gloomy, this significant leap in APU performance should and will drive GPU manufacturers to put more effort in sub-75W offerings. The Ryzen 8000G lineup will launch on the 31st of January, alongside other AM4 CPUs. Moreover, since these are APUs, they heavily rely on fast, low-latency DDR5 kits. Be sure to get an appropriate memory kit if you plan on purchasing these APUs.
