AMD is set to launch the immediate follow-up to the series of processors that marked the company’s return to the high-end consumer desktop market. As reported by Engadget , the second generation AMD Ryzen CPUs will provide a slight improvement over its predecessors, which will, in turn, give a better value for those who are just starting out and those who want to upgrade their systems. The new processors are led by the company’s latest flagship CPU, the eight-core Ryzen 7 2700X. The latest flagship CPU directly replaces both the Ryzen 7 1800X and the 1700X, which were released last year.
The Ryzen 7 2700X boasts a slightly increased base clock and boost clock speeds. The base clock speed has been increased to 3.7 GHz from 3.6 GHz, while the boost speed has jumped from 4 GHz to 4.3 GHz. The increases in clock speeds are undoubtedly minuscule but with a lower price tag, buyers won’t find any reason not to go for the newer models. The top-of-the-line second generation AMD Ryzen CPU model is reportedly going to be priced at $329, which will be a relatively great bargain when compared to the 1700X and the 1800X, currently priced at $399 and $499, respectively. The new model is also competitively priced to go against Intel’s Core i7-8700K, which is being sold for around $350.
Experience ultimate performance with the 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen Desktop Processor. Pre-orders are officially open! https://t.co/OqkitrP3VB pic.twitter.com/6rUIOqsVyP
— AMD Ryzen (@AMDRyzen) April 13, 2018
AMD is also releasing new models for its lower-end variants, which will include a second gen six-core Ryzen 5 2600 CPU, reportedly priced at just $199. The particular CPU is a direct competitor to Intel’s Core i5-8500. All four new SKUs, namely the Ryzen 7 2700X, Ryzen 7 2700, Ryzen 5 2600X, and the Ryzen 2600, are built on the company’s 12nm Zen+ architecture, which means that they are only a slight upgrade to the original Ryzen CPUs. All new CPUs will run on the AMD X470 chipset, with support for StoreMI technology. AMD is expected to release the platform’s true follow-up models next year.
As an added bonus to buyers, AMD has announced that they will be including a free “Wraith” cooler with each CPU. According to a report from Kotaku , the top-of-the-line Ryzen 7 2700X will include a “Prism LED” cooler, which comes with a multi-colored LED backlight . The 2700 model will come with single-color Spire LED cooler, while the 2600X and 2600 will come with regular “Wraith” coolers. AMD is scheduled to launch the new Zen chips on April 19. Interested buyers may also pre-order the new processors on the company’s website .