Advanced Micro Devices is launching its low-end Ryzen 3 processors today as it completes its broadside against Intel in consumer and gaming PCs.
Both of the chips use AMD’s Zen cores, which can process 52 percent more instructions per clock than the previous generation. Zen-based processors are AMD’s most competitive chips in a decade, and the sales of the initial Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 5 processors helped boost AMD’s second-quarter earnings, which were reported yesterday.
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AMD said the new Ryzen 3 1300X will sell for $129. It offers four cores, four threads, and performance of 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) at base speed 3.7 GHz at boost speed.
It is also debuting the Ryzen 3 1200 processor for $109. It offers four cores, four threads and performance of 3.1 GHz at base speed and 3.4 GHz at boost speed.
In a press briefing, AMD said that the Ryzen 3 processors can outperform the competing Intel processors in gaming settings. The Ryzen 3 1300X can run Tom Clancy’s The Division 10 percent faster than Intel’s Core i3 7300 processor.