AMD has announced the immediate release of its Ryzen 5 2500X and Ryzen 3 2300X processors… within a single OEM PC. These two CPUs almost complete the Ryzen 2000-series lineup, with only the Ryzen 7 1800X, the very best mainstream Ryzen part AMD launched last year, yet to be given the 12nm treatment.
AMD looks to be targeting the 2500X and 2300X right OEMs and system integrators rather than PC builders and consumers. That explains the lack of cooler, the fact the launch has been rather underwhelming, and why the Acer Nitro N50-100 desktop PC is the first, and only, product available right off the bat with the new Ryzen 5 2500X chip in tow.
Yep, AMD has forgotten to include a cooler in the box with either of the two new processors. While the Ryzen 3 1300X featured a Wraith Stealth cooler and the Ryzen 5 1500X a Wraith Spire, the Ryzen 3 2300X and Ryzen 5 2500X will require third party coolers to function. That’s one less thing for AMD to worry about, and is more convenient for OEMs and system builders who have their own deals and coolers ready to ship regardless.
As for what consumers will be able to get their hands on, however indirectly, let’s start with the specs of the Ryzen 5 2500X. This is a mid-range four-core / eight-thread processor coming in with a total 65W TDP.
The chip starts out at a base clock of 3.6GHz, but will boost up to a 4GHz peak when possible. That’s a pretty considerable boost from the 1500X’s 3.5GHz base clock and 3.7GHz boost clock. These processors also come with the unique 12nm enhancements included within the SenseMI suite, including XFR 2 and Precision Boost 2.
| Model | Cores | Threads | Base | Boost | L3 Cache | TDP | Price (USD) | Cooler |
| Ryzen 7 2700X |
8 | 16 | 3.7GHz | 4.3GHz | 20MB | 105W | $329 |
Wraith Prism (RGB)
|
| Ryzen 7 2700 |
8 | 16 | 3.2GHz | 4.1GHz | 20MB | 65W | $299 |
Wraith Spire (RGB)
|
| Ryzen 5 2600X |
6 | 12 | 3.6GHz | 4.2GHz | 19MB | 95W | $229 | Wraith Spire |
| Ryzen 5 2600 |
6 | 12 | 3.4GHz | 3.9GHz | 19MB | 65W | $199 | Wraith Stealth |
| Ryzen 5 2500X |
4 | 8 | 3.6GHz | 4GHz | 16MB | 65W | – | Not included |
| Ryzen 3 2300X |
4 | 4 | 3.5GHz | 4GHz | 8MB | 65W | – | Not included |
The same goes for the four-core / four-thread Ryzen 3 2300X, which, along with the SenseMI improvements, features a hefty bump in boost clockspeeds from its predecessor. The Ryzen 3 1300X’s, rather paltry in comparison, 3.7GHz boost has been stepped up to a 4GHz boost with the Ryzen 3 2300X. The Ryzen 2 chip does feature an identical base clock to the 1300X, however, at a modest 3.5GHz.
We at least know Lenovo will be joining Acer and launching its ThinkCentre M725 desktop PC with the two Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5 processors installed at some time or another. These two chips were first spotted in a Lenovo PC product brief just over a month ago.
Hopefully there will be word on standalone pricing and availability from AMD pretty soon. However, the decision to retract any coolers from the box does seem like a pretty firm answer to whether these chips will ever launch independently. For the time being it looks pretty unlikely we’ll see boxed retail versions on the shelves.