➤ AMD Ryzen 5 3400G, the review 🎮

The moment of review also arrived for the Ryzen 5 3400G, 12 nanometer evolution of the Ryzen 5 2400G with which it shares 4 cores, 8 threads and integrated graphics Vega 11. And with the previous model it also shares the particularity of not being part of the latest family of AMD processors using, despite the name, the technology of the previous generation of desktop CPUs. In fact, we are talking about Zen + architecture which, however, involves some improvements compared to Zen, especially as regards latencies and frequencies, even if it cannot count on the increase in terms of IPC of the processors based on Zen 2 architecture.

full package

Already available for just over 140 euros, the Ryzen 5 3400G is already cheaper than the Ryzen 5 2400G at launch. And this despite the use of a more advanced production process, improved latencies for the cache with that of level 2 that gains 34% and another upgrade which, while not directly linked to the processor silicon, undoubtedly contributes to the achievement of higher frequencies. Open the familiar package, different from those of the previous generation just for the case that contains the CPU, we are in fact faced with a higher-end heatsink. While the 3200G maintains the Wraith Stealth, the Ryzen 5 3400G can count on a more powerful one Wraith Spire, however modest but characterized by superior performance help to make a jump of 300MHz possible for frequencies that reach 3.9GHz base and 4.2GHz in boost. And the GPU clock also grows from 1250MHz to 1400MHz, with 150Hz of gain which as we have seen by overclocking the Ryzen 3 2400G is enough for a noticeable performance boost.

And these, as for all Ryzen are markedly subject, thanks to the Infinity Fabric interconnection, also to the memory clock. The maximum performance, in fact, is obtained once the 3200MHz, a reference value that does not change compared to the Ryzen 2000 deskop CPUs, as well as the native support for 2933MHz memories, the 6MB of total first and second level cache, the 384KB first level cache, the 65W TDP and the PCIe 3.0, with PCIe 4.0 which is the prerogative of CPUs based on Zen2 architecture. And this means that the vast majority of AM4 motherboards in circulation guarantee full support, provided you have the necessary video outputs, for this AMD processor, tested with a GIGABYTE Aorus Master X570 and with 16GB of G.Skill Flare X memory a 3200MHz, which focuses on a modest but still largely integrated graphics solution top to those of the competition. This could answer shortly, but in the meantime we have a quad core capable of excellent performance in relation to the range to which it belongs, which allows you to play even in 1080p, with less demanding titles.

Performance, overclocking and temperatures

With 26 degrees at idle and 60 under load, the AMD APU is cooler than the Ryzen 5 2400G, despite the actual consumption being slightly higher. And this is an indication of the effect of the 12 nanometers and the higher-end heatsink that allowed us to obtain with Cinebench R20 1969 points in multithread and 418 in single thread with stock frequencies, reaching 6020 points in PCMark 10 and grinding an average of 52fps with our converted 3.7GB file with H.264 coded in Handbrake. And it is enough to outline the possibilities of a processor that cannot compete with 6-core solutions, also suffering the limitations of IPC compared to the new Ryzen CPUs, but it stands above the Ryzen 2400G by a good 10%, at least in the case of synthetic benchmarks and applications. In the game, in fact, the gain is less constant, but still evident with some titles such as Fortnite that scrapes a dozen fps, reaching about 75 images per second, obviously with the classic highs and lows typical of a genre that takes us in front of an immense map and situations that are profoundly different from each other. In any case, the Epic title regularly holds above 60fps, resulting fully playable with settings almost to a minimum. A consideration that unfortunately does not apply to Apex Legends even if we have often touched 60fps, always in 1080p and with the graphics settings at a minimum, however, falling to 37fps on average during the fights. Few for such a title that forces us to 720p to guarantee more than 40fps stable in all conditions

. And the same goes for Battlefield V which is spectacular even lowering the settings, weighing a significantly higher optimization, but it puts us in difficulty in multiplayer by turning between 34 and 40fps in the heaviest maps. Also in this case, therefore, the 720p is recommended which is not necessary with titles such as Grand Theft Auto V and DOOM, both playable in 1080p thanks to the over 50fps average which in the case of the id Software title becomes 56 rather stable by bringing the settings to a minimum. All seasoned withoverclock that by pushing the CPU by 100MHz and by 200MHz the GPU gains less than the Ryzen 5 2400G, but still puts in place an 8% increase in performance, often even in the game, without any temperature problems despite this rising by a dozen degrees approximately. Among other things we are talking about a processor that does not look bad thinking about an upgrade with a discrete GPU, putting in place, with a video card to take care of the graphics, performance at stake close to a Ryzen 5 1600X. The overall power is inevitably lower than that of the 6-core CPU, but the frequencies have a net weight that can be important in choosing a CPU of this type. On the other hand, while remaining an excellent product and while being undoubtedly superior to its predecessor, it has less appeal than the latter, both due to the increase in hardware requests also for arena shooters, and due to the decrease in the price of CPUs and Low-end GPUs that allow you to assemble configurations capable of guaranteeing excellent performance in 1080p at a relatively higher expense.

Comment

Resources4Gaming.com

8.0

The Ryzen 5 3400G is an excellent processor with integrated graphics, perfect for compact solutions and capable of leaving more processor space even for a possible discrete GPU. The gain, however, is not so marked, so much so as to make us wonder if it was not the case to add some compute unit to the integrated GPU, while more powerful processors and excellent video cards have dropped significantly in price, offering far more performing solutions in the face of a higher expense, but in any case now decidedly contained.