What just happened? AMD on Tuesday welcomed three new members to its third-generation Ryzen desktop processor family across mainstream, performance and enthusiast segments. They're the first Ryzen chips to carry the XT branding and are optimized with higher boost frequencies to deliver "elite-level performance that dominates gaming and content creation."
The new CPUs include the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT, the AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT and the AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT.
The Ryzen 5 3600XT features a base frequency of 3.8GHz and can boost up to 4.5GHz, slightly higher than the 4.4GHz boost clock of the standard Ryzen 5 3600X. Similarly, the Ryzen 7 3800XT can hit 4.7GHz when boosting, a bit more than the 4.5GHz that the Ryzen 7 3800X is rated for. The Ryzen 9 3900XT, meanwhile, can also reach 4.7GHz when boosting, more than the 4.6GHz of its Ryzen 9 3900X counterpart.
According to AMD, the Ryzen 9 3900XT offers up to a four percent increase in single-threaded performance over previous AMD Ryzen 3000 desktop processors and is up to 40 percent more power efficient than the competition.
AMD said it recommends using an AIO solution with a minimum 280mm radiator or equivalent air cooler to get the most out of its new chips. The company maintains a list of recommended coolers that can be found on its website.
Today's introduction could be used as further evidence that AMD may be in no hurry to introduce Ryzen 4000 series CPUs. Indeed, with the 3000 series continuing to sell well and this new round of optimized CPUs launching soon, that does appear to be the case.
Suggested pricing is set at $249, $399 and $499 for the 3600XT, 3800XT and 3900XT, respectively. All three are slated to launch on July 7.
In related news, AMD motherboards featuring the B550 chipset are now available worldwide from a variety of manufacturers across a range of form factors. Motherboard based on the AMD A520 chipset, meanwhile, will launch in August 2020 from partners including Asus, Asrock, MSI and Gigabyte.