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AMD Ryzen 2 Gets Release Date: Pre-Orders Open Now

The much anticipated follow up to AMD’s multi-core mainstream CPU line arrives on shelves next week.

Chris Jarrard

April 13, 2018 12:15 PM

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After floundering against Intel in the mainstream CPU market for years, AMD punched back in the spring of 2017, launching its Ryzen platform to critical and commercial acclaim. At the time, the first generation Ryzen CPUs simply offered more cores and better multi-threaded performance than Intel at all pricing tiers above the low budget category. The strong performance of the AMD parts seemingly forced Intel to launch counterattacks earlier than planned, leading to thin availability of the Coffeelake parts last fall. Now that we’ve entered spring of 2018, AMD is set to launch the second generation of Ryzen parts, dubbed Ryzen 2000, on April 19.

The new line of CPUs and motherboards generally match up with information gleaned from leaks back in March. There are 4 Ryzen 2000 CPUs ready to hit the streets: Ryzen 7 2700X, Ryzen 7 2700, Ryzen 5 2600X, and Ryzen 5 2600. The Ryzen 7 CPUs will have 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 CPUs will have 6 cores and 12 threads. Expect the Ryzen 7 line to compete with Intel’s Core i7-8700 and 8700K, while the Ryzen 5 lineup should compare favorably to Intel’s Core i5-8400 and 8600K.

Along with the new CPUs comes an updated motherboard chipset, known as Pinnacle Ridge. Motherboards based on this new chipset will carry the X470 designation. X470 motherboard will be the way to go for enthusiasts looking for the best power delivery systems and latest features. Many of last year’s B350 and X370 motherboard will be compatible with the new Ryzen 2000 CPUs after a BIOS update. You will need to check with your motherboard manufacturer for details on legacy board compatibility.

The embargo for reviews and performance measurements will be on April 19, so check back with Shacknews for the latest information once these new parts become available.

Chris Jarrard

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.