AMD’s new Zen 4 Ryzen 8000G desktop APUs featured two CPU core types. A total of four APUs have been launched. They are Ryzen 7 8700G, Ryzen 5 8600G, Ryzen 5 8500G, and Ryzen 3 8300G. The entry-level Ryzen 3 8300G and Ryzen 5 8500G have the core combination of Zen 4c and Zen 4 architecture.
However, high-end Ryzen 5 8600G and Ryzen 7 8700G APUs have full Zen 4 cores enabled for better performance. Don’t confuse Zen 4c in APUs with Intel’s hybrid architecture. Unlike Intel, the core architecture of both Zen 4 and Zen4c are similar. The only difference is the lower clock speed in the Zen 4c core. To some extent, we can say that it is a hybrid CPU consisting of fast and slow-performing cores.
AMD Ryzen 5 8500G & Ryzen 3 8300G Core & GPU Specs
The Ryzen 3 8300G has one Zen 4 and three Zen 4c cores (total 4-cores/8-threads). The Zen 4 has a max boost clock of up to 4.9 GHz, while the Zen 4c can max boost up to 3.6 GHz. Similarly, the base clock of Zen 4 and Zen4c is 4 GHz and 3.2 GHz, respectively.
The Ryzen 5 8500G has two Zen 4 and four Zen 4c cores (a total of 6-cores/12 threads). The Zen 4 has a max boost clock of up to 5.0 GHz, while the Zen 4c can max boost up to 3.7 GHz. Similarly, the base clock of Zen 4 and Zen4c is 4.1 GHz and 3.5 GHz, respectively.
In the spec sheet, AMD has also mentioned the average base frequency of all the cores, including Zen4 and Zen 4c cores of the Ryzen 3 8300G and Ryzen 5 8500G, which is 3.4 GHz and 3.5 GHz, respectively.
Both Ryzen 5 8500G and Ryzen 3 8300G feature a 4-core AMD Radeon 740M integrated GPU. The lower graphics core count might not provide decent FPS in most gaming titles but may perform decent in some less intensive games. Other high-end Ryzen 8000G series will offer better performance and will obviously cost more.
Ryzen 5 8600G & Ryzen 7 8700G are superior
AMD launched four SKUs under the Ryzen 8000G APU series. The top two models that feature all Zen 4 cores are the Ryzen 5 8600G and the Ryzen 7 8700G. These two APUs offer the AMD Ryzen AI Engine (NPU) for better AI workloads, which is missing in the 8300G and 8500G. The Ryzen 7 8700G has an AMD Radeon 780M GPU with 12 graphics core count, while the Ryzen 5 8600G has 6 graphics core in the AMD Radeon 760M GPU.
Availability Dates
AMD Ryzen 8000G Series (except Ryzen 3 8300G) desktop processors are available to DIY customers from January 31st, 2024, and System Integrators (SI) are expected to get in Q2 2024. However, AMD Ryzen 3 8300G is only for System Integrators (SI) and would not retail for individuals.
The top tier Ryzen 7 8700G and Ryzen 5 8600G can be a good option for budget gamers as it has all Zen 4 cores and a powerful Integrated GPU. However, for a true gaming experience, you would need a dedicated graphics card setup in your PC build. The 8700G and 8600G can deliver good FPS at 1080p low to medium settings in various gaming titles.
