The Ryzen 3 2200G specs disillusionment thread

[Mo Facta]

Must admit I'm slightly annoyed.

I build a few PCs a year for people I know, usually friends, or friends of friends. I almost always order from Rebel Tech and I use Game Debate (www.game-debate.com - in my opinion the best hardware comparison site out there) to compare hardware specs and make purchasing decisions.

On Rebel Tech's site they list the 2200G as having four cores and eight threads. "WOW!", I thought. "For R1570?!" Fantastic, let's get it cuz my brother's friend gave me a R10k budget to build him an entry level gaming PC and the budge is tight.

AMD Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz (Turbo 3.7GHz) 4 Cores (8 Threads) 6MB (L2...

I check Game Debate - same thing. Four cores, eight threads. I do some comparisons to other processors (came up 13% proportionally worse in performance than my i7-3770) and think, excellent, great entry level processor for gaming.

http://www.game-debate.com/hardware/index.php?pid=2523&cpu=Ryzen 3 2200G

I place the order.

Then, like I probably should have done in the first place, I checked AMD's site. Four cores, four threads. Not a huge train smash, but that means it totally skewed the comparison calculations. However the processor did get good reviews with the Vega 8 on-chip GPU and it seems to handle most games pretty well without a discrete GPU. I paired it with the Asus PRIME B350 PLUS mobo, Ballistix 8GB DDR4-2666 and an Asus RX 550 2GB DDR5 so it should be fine at 1080p and with games at various settings.

Just a little bummed the info was wrong, which influenced my purchase. You live and learn, eh? Check the manufacturer's site first, kids!

Cheers

 

[Star_22]

I'm not sure that getting the Rx 550 was a wise choice to pair with the build.

Source:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/7xhr4r

 

[ambroseg1]

So no issue with the false advertising?

 

[PhireSide]

They probably got their links confuddled with the 2400G which has SMT with 8 threads and 11 Vega cores versus 4 threads and 8 Vega cores in the 2200G.

You aren't missing much - with some creative overclocking the 2200G will bite the heels of the 2400G anyway.

But yeah, why did you get an APU if you're using a dGPU? They reckon the 2400G is just below the RX550 in terms of performance anyway so it's much of a muchness

 

[Mo Facta]

I'm not sure that getting the Rx 550 was a wise choice to pair with the build.

Source:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/7xhr4r

Thanks for the info but I'm a little confused. The video on the left shows the 2200G with the integrated Vega 8 GPU and the video on the right shows the previous generation Ryzen 3 1200 with an RX 550. So the numbers make perfect sense, IMO.

Are you making the point that the RX 550 is not going to be much of an improvement over the Vega 8? According to my research it will be roughly equivalent to an R9 270x and the 2200G with a slight overclock will be more than enough to minimise bottlenecking.

Please let me know what you think.

Cheers

 

[Mo Facta]

They probably got their links confuddled with the 2400G which has SMT with 8 threads and 11 Vega cores versus 4 threads and 8 Vega cores in the 2200G.

You aren't missing much - with some creative overclocking the 2200G will bite the heels of the 2400G anyway.

Good points.

But yeah, why did you get an APU if you're using a dGPU? They reckon the 2400G is just below the RX550 in terms of performance anyway so it's much of a muchness

Budget, mainly. The cheapest Ryzen 3 1200 is slower and R100 more expensive than the 2200G and this is the best build I could come up with for under R10k.

Also, the 2400G is over R1000 more than the 2200G.

Cheers

 

[PhireSide]

Budget, mainly. The cheapest Ryzen 3 1200 is slower and R100 more expensive than the 2200G and this is the best build I could come up with for under R10k.

Also, the 2400G is over R1000 more than the 2200G.

Cheers

I hear you. The 2200G is insanely good value for money if you don't need more than four threads and runs quite a few games very well with some details turned down. Alternatively, slap a nice big cooler on it and bring the GPU core up to 1500MHz for some very smooth gameplay in most 1 - 2 year old titles (at 1080p). The 2400G is nice to have but at that price point I would rather opt for a Ryzen 5 1600 from Carb and go with a dGPU instead.

That being said, the other benefit of the Raven Ridge chipset is that the IMC has been updated (versus original Ryzen) which means that the default memory frequency goes up to 2933MHz froom 2666MHz. With specific RAM modules using Samsung b-die chips you can reach 3200MHz and beyond. Sadly, the APUs are limited by memory bandwidth as even the fastest DDR4 memory won't come close to the speeds, latencies and throughput that the slowest GDDR5 can provide.

Enjoy the chip!

 

[Mo Facta]

Budget, mainly. The cheapest Ryzen 3 1200 is slower and R100 more expensive than the 2200G and this is the best build I could come up with for under R10k.

Also, the 2400G is over R1000 more than the 2200G.

Cheers

I hear you. The 2200G is insanely good value for money if you don't need more than four threads and runs quite a few games very well with some details turned down. Alternatively, slap a nice big cooler on it and bring the GPU core up to 1500MHz for some very smooth gameplay in most 1 - 2 year old titles (at 1080p). The 2400G is nice to have but at that price point I would rather opt for a Ryzen 5 1600 from Carb and go with a dGPU instead.

That being said, the other benefit of the Raven Ridge chipset is that the IMC has been updated (versus original Ryzen) which means that the default memory frequency goes up to 2933MHz froom 2666MHz. With specific RAM modules using Samsung b-die chips you can reach 3200MHz and beyond. Sadly, the APUs are limited by memory bandwidth as even the fastest DDR4 memory won't come close to the speeds, latencies and throughput that the slowest GDDR5 can provide.

Enjoy the chip!

That’s exactly where my mind was too. But this is a build for a friend of my brother’s (that I haven’t met) with limited budget so I felt obliged to buy new kit with warranties in tact. Otherwise, we could have stretched his budget a lot further on here with second hand offers.

I just don’t want him crying to me if something fails and I’m left having to replace old parts without a warranty out of my own pocket.

Cheers

 

[PhireSide]

I gathered as much that it wasn't for you so I think you did well, all things considered.

Maybe you could convince him to return the RX550 and get an RX560/RX570 instead? If the retailer will allow it - it being slightly used and all. He can always use the APU in the mean time and it should be 80% as fast as the RX550 anyways, while he saves up for a better card?

Just some thoughts I am throwing around for you to consider. Also, be warned that drivers for Raven Ridge under Windows 10 are pretty buggy still but I have had success using the AMD Adrenalin drivers and manually installing it via Device Manager. They seem rock solid in comparison with the drivers that AMD provide for Raven Ridge APUs.

There is a slight trick though - you need to download and extract driver 18.1.1, cancel the installer, then install it using the 'have disk' method, then select "Radeon RX Vega" from the drop down (Default location is C:\AMD). After which you can download the latest version (I think it's 18.3.3) and do the same with that version to force install 18.3.3 over 18.1.1.

Anyway, pop me a PM if you need more clarification with this - I'd be glad to help!

 

[Mo Facta]

I gathered as much that it wasn't for you so I think you did well, all things considered.

Maybe you could convince him to return the RX550 and get an RX560/RX570 instead? If the retailer will allow it - it being slightly used and all. He can always use the APU in the mean time and it should be 80% as fast as the RX550 anyways, while he saves up for a better card?

Just some thoughts I am throwing around for you to consider. Also, be warned that drivers for Raven Ridge under Windows 10 are pretty buggy still but I have had success using the AMD Adrenalin drivers and manually installing it via Device Manager. They seem rock solid in comparison with the drivers that AMD provide for Raven Ridge APUs.

There is a slight trick though - you need to download and extract driver 18.1.1, cancel the installer, then install it using the 'have disk' method, then select "Radeon RX Vega" from the drop down (Default location is C:\AMD). After which you can download the latest version (I think it's 18.3.3) and do the same with that version to force install 18.3.3 over 18.1.1.

Anyway, pop me a PM if you need more clarification with this - I'd be glad to help!

Much appreciated for the heads up! Will definitely do so.

There is also a chance that this motherboard is going to need a BIOS update to support Raven Ridge. Not sure if I can ask Rebel Tech to do that? Otherwise we're in a pickle of finding a previous gen AM4 CPU to update. The board is an Asus PRIME B350-PLUS.

Cheers

 

[PhireSide]

Asking them is worth a shot. If all else fails, you can always request a boot kit from AMD. They will send you a Bristol Ridge APU and fan that you can use to update your BIOS with, after which you send the CPU back to them via a prepaid shipping label.

That being said, they will request proof that you have dealt with the motherboard manufacturer and requested them to assist first. Only after you have proof that the motherboard manufacturer cannot assist will AMD ship you the boot kit.

AMD Raven Ridge 'Boot Kit' Includes Unnamed Bristol Ridge Chip, Heatsink

 

[Mo Facta]

Good old Rebel Tech. They said they will need to do a BIOS update on the board. Charged me R50. I said go for it please!

Cheers

 

[Eon]

Never pair an APU with a dGPU...

 

[PhireSide]

Never pair an APU with a dGPU...

While it's not the most efficient way of doing things, in the OP's case it was the best move he could make given the price point and performance required.

A Ryzen 3 1200 is worse off performance-wise while being pricier than the 2200G. The 2200G also officially supports 2933MHz RAM out the box, while the 1200 only supports (IIRC) up to 2666MHz. The APU also has the benefit of running without a GPU, which means you won't be stuck without a working PC if you had to send the dGPU away for an RMA, seeing as Gen 1 Ryzen chips don't support onboard video at all.

The only downside I can see is that the PCIe lanes for your dGPU slot is limited (8x vs 16x with Gen 1 Ryzen), but this will only be applicable when running a much more powerful card which will be bottlenecked by the entry-level APU anyhow, so a moot point.

 

[Mo Facta]

Never pair an APU with a dGPU...

Normally I would agree with you but @PhireSide nailed it perfectly.

I used to run an A8-6600K and a Radeon HD 7750 and they worked great together, either in dual graphics mode or not. It was probably the most rock solid PC I've ever owned. Not one issue. I realise they're much older tech now but I felt the 2200G was the best option for my friend.

Also, I am almost certain there is the option of turning off the iGPU in the BIOS entirely.

Cheers

 

[Mo Facta]

Just thought I would update here.

The build went beautifully. Easy, straight forward and no issues. I was able to overclock the 2200G to 3.782GHz without too much hassle and temps are good.

Anything after that and the stock cooler can’t cope.

Was really impressed of the ease of this build and install.

Windows 10 Pro

 

[Mo Facta]

Final update. Ok, so I was having problems running GPU Tweak II. Got the vender.dll "Load VGA driver" error despite 18.3.4 (latest beta) being installed.

So I uninstalled all AMD software, updated the chipset drivers to the latest (which I missed, the chipset drivers I installed were outdated) and installed the 18.2.0 recommended driver. All worked great after that.

I further overclocked the CPU to a stable and constant 3.85GHz @ 1.35v (1.4v is default) and overclocked the GPU via GPU Tweak to 122% (1450MHz base clock, 1.035V).

Stressed the system with Prime95 for half an hour and the processor didn't exceed 68 degrees. During gaming load (Far Cry 3, high settings) with AMD Enhanced Sync (Vsync OFF in-game) FPS hovered between 80 and 102. GPU did not exceed 48 degrees. Win!

I'd say I've got a well-oiled entry level gaming machine here! Really impressed with the results and stability of the system and I think my friend will be impressed. It boots in sub-10 seconds too and purrs like a kitten.

Some notes: I really am a FAN of the new AMD kit. The cooler is MUCH sturdier and more effective than the stock intel variants and the parts in general, including the motherboard, feel military-grade. Bullet proof! Everything worked flawlessly (apart from my now resolved driver cock-up) and overall I am really pleased at the flexibility of the 2200G. It's a fantastic processor for the money!

Full system specs:

Ryzen 3 2200G
ASUS PRIME B350-PLUS
ASUS RX 550 2GB
8GB Corsair Vengeance DDR4-2666 (1 x 8GB)
WD Green 120GB SSD (System)
WD Blue 1TB (Games and data)
Raidmax Hybrid 530 PSU
Bit Fenix Comrade mid tower (black)

He also has a clear upgrade path, which is why I chose the motherboard and RAM that I did. He can at any point add another stick of RAM and upgrade to any other Ryzen CPU. Of course, the GPU upgrade path is clear too.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Cheers

 

[Senshi]

Pretty good budget build, my OCD just cannot cope with the 1x8gb memory and I cringed when I read it has a raidmax psu in it.

 

[JollyJamma]

I’d still be irritated if I was told I was getting a sports car and got a Lexus sedan.

Your money though.

 

[Mo Facta]

Pretty good budget build, my OCD just cannot cope with the 1x8gb memory and I cringed when I read it has a raidmax psu in it.

The idea is he can just buy another stick later.

Yeah, the Raidmax wasn’t my first choice either but for his budget I didn’t really have a choice. At least it has a full warranty.

I wanted to give the guy options down the line.


Cheers [emoji4]

 

[Mo Facta]

I’d still be irritated if I was told I was getting a sports car and got a Lexus sedan.

Your money though.

@JollyJamma, are you talking about the build or the incorrect info on the websites listed in my OP?

Cheers

 

[JollyJamma]

I’d still be irritated if I was told I was getting a sports car and got a Lexus sedan.

Your money though.

@JollyJamma, are you talking about the build or the incorrect info on the websites listed in my OP?

Cheers

The incorrect listings. Technically, by the consumer protection act, you can ask for your money back or an exchange to match what you were promised at no extra cost to you.

 

[Mo Facta]

The incorrect listings. Technically, by the consumer protection act, you can ask for your money back or an exchange to match what you were promised at no extra cost to you.

Hmm, it's a bit too late for that now unfortunately. Thanks for the info. But to be honest, wasn't really up for the fight and I didn't want to sour my relationship with @RebelTech. They've been good to me over the years.

Cheers

 

[JollyJamma]

It’s your money and time.

I also like Rebeltech and they pulled out all the stops for me so that I could build my mom a new computer when time was short.

Maybe just mention it to them to fix the listing?

 

[PhireSide]

The Rebeltech listing seems to state 4C4T, so I presume it has been fixed.

 

[Mo Facta]

Yup, they fixed it.

 

[Oops!!!]

Is this your first Raidmax PSU?

Ive only heard good things about them with the very limited reviews on net

 

[KiLLRoY]

Is this your first Raidmax PSU?

Ive only heard good things about them with the very limited reviews on net

I've actually been running the same one for the last 6 years lol. Probably time to replace that bad boy ey. It's starting to give me shit in intense games. But in all honesty I don't think a 6 year old PSU is supposed to be able to handle an old power hungry i7 and a GTX1070