Athlon 200GE - the ultimate great place-holder CPU?

[VirtualLarry]

What do you all think about the possibility of using the 200GE, not as a mini-ITX browser-box / terminal / business box (for which it WOULD be great, assuming that low-cost ITX mobos materialize in the next few months), but as a place-holder, with a really nice full-size ATX mobo, probably a B450 or even X470, with the intent of dropping in a 2600(X) or 2700(X) in six to twelve months down the road, when they will be cheaper?

The only thing that gives me pause, about doing something like that, is I read that the PCI-E x16 3.0 for a dGPU, is cut down to only four lanes on the 200GE, and if that was cut to four lanes, then what about the dedicated x4 for the NVMe M.2 socket? I really hope that wasn't cut altogether. (Two lanes would be enough for most M.2 drives, not to suffer too much unnecessarily.)

I guess, I'm primarily thinking of things like F&F build, where they can get into a nice AM4 mobo NOW, and an APU CHEAP, and then drop in something more powerful, maybe in six months to a year, we'll get Ryzen 3000-series CPUs on TSMC 7nm, with 12-core/24-thread on AM4 (three CCXs). Could happen, I hope that it does.

At that point, they would likely be set, CPU-wise, for the next five years or longer.

 

[VirtualLarry]

From:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138466

1 x M.2 Key M 32Gb/s Connector:
- Supports PCI-E & SATA SSD (Ryzen series - Summit Ridge / Pinnacle Ridge / Raven Ridge)
- Supports SATA SSD (A-series APU - Bristol Ridge)

I'm guessing, that based on the new Athlon logo, having the same "Zen" circle background, and being derived from Raven Ridge dies, I assume that the 200GE in this board, WILL support PCI-E M.2, but ... I still have some nagging doubts.

Edit: This Gigabyte B450 board doesn't mention that sort of limitation. Also specifically lists HDMI2.0 and 4K UHD @60 support. I think that I have found my next board.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16813145083

 

[DrMrLordX]

Well, it's cheap. If you need something bootable for UEFI flashing, it would work. Might have to boot off a SATA or USB drive though.

 

[dark zero]

That Athlon can be overclocked?
If that so... BEHOLD! To the ultimate budget overclocker experimental processor!

 

[nismotigerwvu]

That Athlon can be overclocked?
If that so... BEHOLD! To the ultimate budget overclocker experimental processor!

Sadly, it won't. https://www.anandtech.com/show/13332/amd-athlon-200ge-55-usd

"AMD states that the new part will offer 4K display output (due to the integrated Vega graphics), native USB 3.1 support, as well as NVMe SSD support. The processor is AM4 socket compatible, which means that it can be enabled for at least DRAM overclocking (AMD confirmed that the CPU is locked for frequency overclocking though, like the Pro CPUs)."

 

[paperfist]

They brought the Athlon name back? Does it also come in cartridge form?

 

[ao_ika_red]

Now we need cheap (and probably Chinese) DRAM to accompany this. I suspect dual 2400-rated DRAMs are probably enough for this little chip.

 

[SPBHM]

the only negative is that for b350 it might require a bios update to boot... but yes... other than that it's a nice place holder,
it should run most games OK and be quick enough for most basic usage, and AM4 should still have a couple of years left with new CPUs, so not a bad deal, use it for now and get some 7nm Ryzen 2 later on...

the PCIE limitation, well, excluding your m2 consideration it should be fine, x4 3.0 should perform OK for the graphics card, it will have some hit to performance, but probably not all that noticeable.


as for OC, if your board can handle BCLK OC it's possible I guess... but it's probably complicated to get some good results

as for ram speed, it probably still gains performance nicely for memory sensitive applications if you can go high, but, it makes perfect sense to pair it with the cheapest ram you can find.

 

[cbn]

Now we need cheap (and probably Chinese) DRAM to accompany this. I suspect dual 2400-rated DRAMs are probably enough for this little chip.

Since it only has 2C/4T and 192sp iGPU it would probably also work really well with one DDR4 2400 stick.

 

[NostaSeronx]

You know what would be hilarious...
Sempron 100GE-140GE, those will the the ultimate great place holder CPUs.

 

[cbn]

One thing I like about 200GE is that unlike the current Celeron and Pentium it can use the cache (actually auto-tier) software. In fact, in this way I look at it as sorta of a 20th Anniversary Celeron stand in.

However, It would nice if the iGPU were bigger. In fact, if it were 65W the 2C/4T could easily handle even the full size 704 sp iGPU. Unfortunately IMO due to the presence of the R3 2200G and R5 2400G such an APU will probably never exist unless AMD can increase the usage of quad core APUs on BGA mobile. Perhaps better lableing of the specs for those APU could help.

 

[Shivansps]

One thing I like about 200GE is that unlike the current Celeron and Pentium it can use the cache (actually auto-tier) software. In fact, in this way I look at it as sorta of a 20th Anniversary Celeron stand in.

However, It would nice if the iGPU were bigger. In fact, if it were 65W the 2C/4T could easily handle even the full size 704 sp iGPU. Unfortunately IMO due to the presence of the R3 2200G and R5 2400G such an APU will probably never exist unless AMD can increase the usage of quad core APUs on BGA mobile. Perhaps better lableing of the specs for those APU could help.

Well, the 220GE and 240GE are petty much confirmed, to me those have bigger igps, with the possibility of the 240GE to be a desktop version of the 2300U. I hoping for a $65 2C/4T Vega 6 220GE.

 

[dark zero]

Wondering if we will see Sempron and Duron..

Sempron 150 GE - Dual Core 3.5 Ghz - 3 Vega IPG @ 1.1 Ghz - 25 W - USD 45
Duron 100 GE - Dual Core 2.2 Ghz - 2 Vega IPG at @ 800 Mhz - 15 W - USD 35

 

[cbn]

One thing I like about 200GE is that unlike the current Celeron and Pentium it can use the cache (actually auto-tier) software. In fact, in this way I look at it as sorta of a 20th Anniversary Celeron stand in.

However, It would nice if the iGPU were bigger. In fact, if it were 65W the 2C/4T could easily handle even the full size 704 sp iGPU. Unfortunately IMO due to the presence of the R3 2200G and R5 2400G such an APU will probably never exist unless AMD can increase the usage of quad core APUs on BGA mobile. Perhaps better lableing of the specs for those APU could help.

Well, the 220GE and 240GE are petty much confirmed, to me those have bigger igps, with the possibility of the 240GE to be a desktop version of the 2300U. I hoping for a $65 2C/4T Vega 6 220GE.

2200GE and 2400GE will be 35W versions of R3 2200G and R5 2400G.....so 4C/4T 8CU and 4C/8T 11CU respectively/

With that mentioned, maybe AMD will release a 2C/4T 6CU (or better than 6CU iGPU) in the form of 65W Ryzen 1 2100G? or maybe a 35W 2100GE?

EDIT: I see the mistake I made. You mentioned 220GE, not 2200GE. (My apologies).

 

[cbn]

I wonder if the 220GE will be 4C/4T with 3CU iGPU and the 240GE will be 4C/8T with 3CU iGPU.....this to differentiate from 2200GE and 2400GE? (re: Athlon name representing cut down IGPU).

EDIT: Or maybe 220GE and 240GE are 4C/4T and 4C/8T, both without iGPU.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I saw mention of "Vega 6" somewhere, in reference to the new Athlon GE Ryzen APU CU counts.

 

[ao_ika_red]

Since it only has 2C/4T and 192sp iGPU it would probably also work really well with one DDR4 2400 stick.

Is Infinity Fabric applied to this chip? Because IF is tied to DRAM speed and, as we know, using slow DRAM will drag its performance significantly.

 

[cbn]

I saw mention of "Vega 6" somewhere, in reference to the new Athlon GE Ryzen APU CU counts.

It would be great if 220GE and 240GE were 2C/4T with 6 and 8 (or more) CUs respectively.

I do have some hope this could happen based on the A6-9500 having 2C and 6CU (out of 8CU), but I am thinking they might be quad cores.

NOTE: A6-9500 was the first AMD dual core APU to have more than 50% of the maximum number of iGPU stream processors. Before this APU all desktop dual cores had at most 50% of the maximum number of stream processors.

 

[amd6502]

No, it seems just like a convenient placeholder. Bottom binning Raven Ridge dies; the 2c/4t salvage that didn't make too optimal a mobile product. It's good for the mix. For those that don't need a real gaming capable iGPU, it's not bad and can probably keep up with Bristol ridge quads. Office machine and email home pc stations.

 

[rancherlee]

Could the 220ge or 240ge possibly be a 3c/6t variant like the old Athlon X3 and Phenom X3? Maybe one with 3cu and the other 6cu?

 

[Shivansps]

I saw mention of "Vega 6" somewhere, in reference to the new Athlon GE Ryzen APU CU counts.

It was problably me on the other thread, no one had been saying this so far.

AMD dosent have enoght volume to make just speed bumps on the 220 and 240GE. To me the 220GE is a 2/4 with bigger Vega, probably Vega 6.

Now, for the 240GE, it will be in a wierd place, AMD does not need anything bigger than Vega 6 in sub $100, but it does need 4/4 as 2/4 will be slower than the Pentiums, BUT this may eat some of the 2200G market, so either 4/4 or Vega 8 at sub $100 eats 2200G market either way. Im guessing it will be the desktop version of the 2300U as it what it makes the most sence to fight the Pentiums.
Think of it this way, AMD targeted the 8th gen Celerons and the GT1 Pentium with the 200GE, it has both CPU/GPU avantage over Celeron and GPU avantage over GT1 Pentium.

But to target the remaining GT2 Pentiums at 70-90 they need to make Vega bigger, there is no other way and if they dont want to lagg too far behind in CPU 240GE would have to be 4/4.

Thats the way i see it.

BTW, the problem of the 240GE with Vega 8 is that any game that the 2200G runs, it will run petty much the same on a 2/4 CPU with the same igp. Thats has to be most of the 2200G market right there as 4/4 is neither a good choice to "add a dgpu later".

BUT a 4/4 whiout possibility of overclock and worse turbo clocks... And it will certanly make more appealing for office use than the Pentiums.

 

[amd6502]

Could the 220ge or 240ge possibly be a 3c/6t variant like the old Athlon X3 and Phenom X3? Maybe one with 3cu and the other 6cu?

Most likely it's what Shivansps says. More GPU and maybe slightly better frequencies.

I agree an Athlon X3 or Phenom X3 would be great (I'd actually go for that!!), especially for low wattage GE 35W-45W mITX application. It would be a totally killer high end Athlon that could keep up with an FX-6300 at (just under) half the wattage!! It'd be called more like an Athlon 280GE, or Phenom 2xx GE.

As with all AM4 chips inc'g Athlon 950, there is the potential for unlocked overclocking assuming the board/bios supports it. eg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpYwUVJUqGQ

 

[burninatortech4]

The 200GE could make a good budget box if the motherboard ecosystem was more diverse. I don't see the point currently with overpriced ITX boards (to pair with a SKU like this) and not wanting to put something so weak in a large rig.

Remind me why A300/X300 failed to launch? Why hasn't a vendor created an AM1-like ITX board with no external chipset? A board like that would be perfect for this.

 

[amd6502]

Then they should release it as a Ryzen!!

3c/6t probably will be more efficient (maybe considerably) than 4c/4t. Would be just perfect for budget mITX home servers and such.

Ryzen 2300GE ?!!

This would be more suited for non-gamers who don't care about having 8CU of graphics and want great multithread at low wattage.

As far as ITX I don't know anything about it, but it seems just like a matter of time. It's a smaller niche market so it's not surprising it hasn't been prioritized. They could squeeze more margin from a 2300GE than 2200g which looks razor thin. ~$130 retail.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Remind me why A300/X300 failed to launch? Why hasn't a vendor created an AM1-like ITX board with no external chipset? A board like that would be perfect for this.

I know, right? It's almost like... Intel is paying the mobo makers off, to not create the "killer low-end mobo" or something. Or maybe it's just "margins".