Budget build apu /motherboard wait.

[Conrad Webster]

I was hoping to update last year with an AMD 7nm desktop apu, coupled with a B550 motherboard but the wait goes on. I have seen one timeline which puts the former around July, with no mention at the recent CES, and the budget motherboards are delayed once again. Anyone have better information?

 

[SpyderTracks]

I was hoping to update last year with an AMD 7nm desktop apu, coupled with a B550 motherboard but the wait goes on. I have seen one timeline which puts the former around July, with no mention at the recent CES, and the budget motherboards are delayed once again. Anyone have better information?

There’s no news yet on either.

what budget are we talking?

 

[Conrad Webster]

Asus B550, 16Gb DDR4 3200MHz RAM, Ryzen 4000 APU with standard cooler, 500GB Samsung 970 EVO SSD, Soundblaster Zx 5.1, Logitech MK540 keyboard and Creative T40 speakers from PC Specialist. Probably a Canon Pixma TS5050. I have looked at far too many monitors but will probably settle on the Dell U2518D. So it's about £1100 from PC Specialist. Probably over-specced as I don't play games, but have the option and it's worth futureproofing and buying quality parts that will last. Current PC is eleven years old.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Asus B550, 16Gb DDR4 3200MHz RAM, Ryzen 4000 APU with standard cooler, 500GB Samsung 970 EVO SSD, Soundblaster Zx 5.1, Logitech MK540 keyboard and Creative T40 speakers from PC Specialist. Probably a Canon Pixma TS5050. I have looked at far too many monitors but will probably settle on the Dell U2518D. So it's about £1100 from PC Specialist. Probably over-specced as I don't play games, but have the option and it's worth futureproofing and buying quality parts that will last. Current PC is eleven years old.

The desktop Ryzens aren't due until mid year I believe.

 

[Oussebon]

Why do you want the 4000 series APU? It will presumably be Zen 2, as the APUs lag an iteration behind the regular CPUs which will be Zen 3 by then. I've not been following the 4000 APUs for desktop but assume they will have Navi as the graphics rather than Vega. Are you after it for the Zen 2 cores or for the improved graphics?

It may command a bit of a premium when launching - PCS's prices of APUs have often made it not quite worth having versus a CPU and a budget GPU.

And why B550 over B450?

 

[Conrad Webster]

The 4000 series Apu is based on the 7nm process rather than the current 12nm. The performance benefits seen for discreet cpu's going from 14nm to 7nm make it worth waiting for as a desktop apu. Plus it will avoid the potential security flaws of zen 1. The graphics are reported to be enhanced Vega, but could be Navi. Reading reviews of graphics cards, there are always compromises in budget offerings, pushing towards more expensive cards with higher tdp's and associated extra fans and cooling solutions. An apu has a low tdp with included adequate cooler and should run cool and quiet which is what I want.
The B550 should be a more reasonably priced cut back version of the X570 and, being a novice, I would assume a new motherboard will include features to take advantage of other new components, making it a better buy than the older B450.

 

[SpyderTracks]

The 4000 series Apu is based on the 7nm process rather than the current 12nm. The performance benefits seen for discreet cpu's going from 14nm to 7nm make it worth waiting for as a desktop apu. Plus it will avoid the potential security flaws of zen 1. The graphics are reported to be enhanced Vega, but could be Navi. Reading reviews of graphics cards, there are always compromises in budget offerings, pushing towards more expensive cards with higher tdp's and associated extra fans and cooling solutions. An apu has a low tdp with included adequate cooler and should run cool and quiet which is what I want.
The B550 should be a more reasonably priced cut back version of the X570 and, being a novice, I would assume a new motherboard will include features to take advantage of other new components, making it a better buy than the older B450.

Why not just opt for a B450 with Ryzen 3000 and discrete GPU? Budget wise I don't think there would be much in it? The only thing you may miss out on mobo wise is PCIe 4, but on a system like that not sure how relevant that would be anyway?

 

[Oussebon]

I gather B550 won't have PCIe 4.0 which is the main 'new feature' especially with regards to taking advantage of newer components.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I gather B550 won't have PCIe 4.0 which is the main 'new feature' especially with regards to taking advantage of newer components.

That's what I assumed, doesn't really make sense at the budget end.

 

[Conrad Webster]

Thanks for the replies. I think a wait, then a comparison between 7nm Apu versus Ryzen 3000 plus graphics card and B550 versus B450 before I decide which is best for my requirements.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks for the replies. I think a wait, then a comparison between 7nm Apu versus Ryzen 3000 plus graphics card and B550 versus B450 before I decide which is best for my requirements.

You realise Ryzen 3000 is 7nm?

 

[Conrad Webster]

Yes indeed. If I was wanting budget gaming I would opt for the Ryzen 5 3600 (£133, tdp 65W), 4GB Radeon RX570 (£135, tdp 150W) and a Noctua NH-U14S cooler (£61). The current APU is the Ryzen 5 3400G plus Wraith Spire (£120, tdp 65W), so probably for me, the next generation APU should be cheaper, even if I add the Noctua cooler, and it remains to be seen how it will perform in any gaming demands