AMD Ryzen 3 3200G Review

The Ryzen 3 3200G is one of AMD's entry-level Desktop processors. It was released in 2019 with 4 cores and 4 threads. With base clock at 3.6GHz, max speed at 4GHz, and a 65W power rating. The Ryzen 3 3200G is based on the Picasso 12nm family and is part of the Ryzen 3 series.

Ryzen 3 3200G is also the successor of AMD's last gen Ryzen 3 2200G processor that was based on the Zen and 14nm process and was released in 2018.

AMD Ryzen 3 3rd Generation, and the Zen+ architecture itself, is notable because it leads 12nm processors to the mainstream for the first time. But, there’s a lot more going on under the hood than just a smaller manufacturing node.

AMD's Zen+ series has landed, upping the ante with Intel in its high-stakes game for desktop PC market dominance with a well-rounded lineup of new chips that push mainstream platforms to higher core counts and more raw compute than we've ever seen. As a result, Intel's commanding presence in the enthusiast space is threatened in a way we haven't seen in over a decade.

The Ryzen 3 3200G takes the basic ingredients of the Zen+ microarchitecture, which brings an average of 15% more instructions per cycle (IPC) throughput, and 12nm process and melds them into a high-performance chip that is impressive across our test suite, especially when we factor in the competitive pricing, backward compatibility with most AM4 socket motherboards, unlocked overclocking features, and bundled cooler.

As we've seen, gaming remains an advantage for Intel, so if squeezing out every last frame is all you care about, Intel's processors are a good choice. Much of that performance advantage will be less noticeable when gaming at higher resolutions, or if you pair the processors with a lesser graphics card.

AMD Ryzen 3 3 Generation is finally here, and the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G might just be the poster child for what this generation of processors has in store for consumers. Sure, it might have stuck with the 4-core, 4-thread setup, which it inherited from its predecessor, the Ryzen 3 2200G. However, with the new 12nm manufacturing process, it delivers a far better performance at lower power consumption.

This decision to 12nm has brought a beefy 15% boost to IPC (instructions per clock) performance. Effectively, compared to a Ryzen 3 2-Generation processor at the same clock speed, you will get a straight 15% increase in performance. That’s not big enough to be evident in day-to-day workloads, but it does still mean something.

AMD has been having some trouble as of late which has made it even harder to compete with the incoming wave of Core i3 processors. That has forced the chip maker to be a little more creative and make do with their current product lines. Today we have the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G on hand, which in itself isn’t anything new. It’s basically a refreshed Ryzen 3 2200G with a clock speed boost. We say basically because it’s not a straight refresh however, there’s another change.

One of the nice things about the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G processors is that the retail boxed models come with a CPU cooler. So, you can pick something like the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G up for $89 and don’t need to spend any extra money on CPU cooling.

The AMD Ryzen 3 3200G retail boxed processor comes with the traditional ‘pancake’ CPU cooler. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done on this processor which is rated at 65W TDP. You do not need to have an aftermarket cooling solution unless you want to.

Our look today at the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G showed that it is a very capable processor. A 4-core processor sounds like it would be really under-powered these days, but we were pleasantly surprised with a snappy and very capable system. Having just 4 cores had this processor coming in at the back of the pack for heavily threaded workloads, but it performed better than some of its more expensive siblings in lightly threaded workloads where it shined thanks to its high base clocks.

The AMD Ryzen 3 3200G seems to be a decent performing chip that is readily available for $89 at your favorite retailer. The main competition for this processor is the Core i3-9100 4-Core unlocked desktop processor with Intel UHD Graphics 630 graphics ($122 shipped).

Bottom Line, the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G does not get much media attention since it is entry-level 3 Gen Core Picasso processor, but it is a very capable processor that still delivers a good computing experience for entry-level users.

That said, AMD still lags behind in frequency when the Core i3-9300 operates at 3.7GHz at any given moment and 4.3GHz when push comes to shove.

By comparison, Intel’s current 4-core processor is the Core i3-9300, which runs for a significantly higher $143 price tag. Going back a generation to Coffee Lake doesn’t make 4-core processors that much cheaper either, with the ageing Intel Core i3-8300 running for $138.

The Ryzen 3 3200G clocks up to 4Ghz just as it promises on the box, and with AMD’s software you can take one of the cores all the way up to 4.1GHz. However, don’t expect to get much beyond that without seriously upgrading your cooling solution and manually tweaking voltages behind the operating system level.

That said, to squeeze out all the potential of this surprisingly potent entry-level chip, you’ll want (and need) to splurge on an enthusiast-grade X370, X470, X570 motherboard.

Fresh from a successful roll-out of mainstream Ryzen 3 CPUs, AMD's attack on Intel now extends down into the entry-level with its Ryzen 3 3200G processors, which the company is making available as of Jul 2019.

Although the 65W-rated cooler doesn't feature a copper base or the LEDs found on AMD's higher-end thermal solutions, it does handle Ryzen 3's heat output deftly enough to facilitate XFR-triggered frequencies. This gives you an extra 200 MHz. We were even able to overclock the Ryzen 3 3200G to 4.2 GHz within a reasonable temperature range. The fan also blows down onto the motherboard, which provide additional cooling around the socket. If you need more bling, AMD recently announced that it now offers the LED-equipped cooler separately.

Like all other Picasso chips, the Ryzen 3-series CPUs drop into any Socket AM4 motherboard. But most will find a home on boards equipped with the A320 chipset, which has provisions for overclocking and offers plenty of connectivity options. Unlike Intel, AMD plans to utilize its current socket until 2023, so upgrading to future models shouldn't require a new motherboard.