AMD Ryzen 3 2200G, 4 Cores & 4 Threads Unlocked Processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics

Incredible value and a great performer. The new AMD APU's are touted as a great entry level gaming setup while the insanely high video card prices continue. While I don't use mine for gaming but for a Home Theater PC (HTPC) to drive my 42" bedroom TV, I would agree. I did run some games through it and was impressed. Some were concerned that because these CPU dies are not soldered to the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) but instead some thermal compound (usualled called TIM (Thermal Interface Material)) was used to help save cost they would run hotter I think that it's a non-issue. Sure the processor and integrated graphics solution are overclockable with The B and X series motherboards, and a soldered die would perform better in this situation, people are overclocking these and they are doing well. I'm using a very basic A320 motherboard that doesn't support overclocking and I'm not an overclocker anyway. Anyway again I'm mainly using this as an HTPC so gaming is not a focus. To see gaming benchmarks there are plenty on Youtube.Installation was a little bit complicated because I was using an motherboard I had laying around for the past few months. That mobo was originally intended for use on my Linux workstation but they just didn't really get along. I used a different motherboard for that Ryzen 3 1300X build and this one went into a box. I had to install the latest BIOS on this A320 mobo in order for it to work with the new APU. I borrowed the CPU out of my linux machine, got into the BIOS and updated it. Put the CPU back in my linux machine and put it back together, and the next day the 2200G arrived from Amazon. I installed the CPU and admittingly didn't use the included cooler. It's a great cooler honestly but I had the larger CPU cooler from the Ryzen 7 1700 that's in my Windows gaming PC. Yeah I have a lot of Ryzen based systems now. :DAnyway, I downloaded the latest Windows 10 64bit ISO from Microsoft, used a programmed called Rufus to put the ISO into a 16GB USB flash drive and installed it onto a 250GB SATA SSD. Windows ran poorly at first. Very slow. I installed the chipset drivers. This improved things. Video performance was also better but it still was not running 100 percent smoothly. I then downloaded the latest video drivers from AMD specifically for the integrated Vega GPU and it ran MUCH better, but still seemed a bit sluggish. I also noticed at 4K via HDMI it defaulted to 30FPS. I was able to go into the driver and up it to 60 FPS. After that there was a Windows 10 update that wanted to be installed. Now it was running as quickly as I expected. All that was left to do was transfer my Windows 10 license via my Microsoft account. This was fairly easy.The very first 4K YouTube video I played worked fine at first but got corrupted for some reason in full screen. Taking it out of full screen and reloading the page seemed to fix this. It has happened one other time since I built this PC the day after launch day up to now. It's an odd issue but seems like it's a driver thing and I'm sure it will go away after a few updates.SO that was my method that I would normally do while building a PC anyway, download the latest Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft, install Windows, install Chipset driver, then video driver. This was later confirmed because Gamers Nexus and some other early reviewers had a lot of trouble doing it any other way. So.. yay me?Finally, at the time of writing this, this seems to be the method for a good experience building a PC on this platform. I think as the drivers, BIOS, & Windows get caught up with this new release it will go much easier. Also, it's super nerdy but if you are reading this you are probably buying this CPU to build a PC and would be checking on this anyway, but keep a close eye on still newer BIOS releases for your motherboard and I would avoid any beta BIOS releases. Just check the product support page for your mobo from time to time to make sure you're always current.Hope all this helps. I couldn't be happier with my purchase.

I bought this the day of the official release as an impulse upgrade to a mini ITX build I was making to be the new general home computer/file server. So far so good. The install involved putting a lot of force on the retaining screws for the Wraith (seems like more than the Ryzen 5 1500 I put in my work computer). This processor will almost certainly require a BIOS update, my Mobo required two! This will be a problem for new builds unless you have a spare Athalon available--see AMD for a free loaner (seriously). I anticipate this issue gradually being resolved as new Mobos with new BIOS installed make their way into the channels. In my case I had an A8-9600 installed previously so I put it back in for the update. The new Mobo BIOS lost my m.2-2280 widows bootable SSD making this build a royal PITA and requiring a number of workarounds and orders of parts. I guess the Mobo OEM left that out in the rush to field a working BIOS for the new processor but I can't hold that against the processor. Overall the Ryzen 3 2200G is noticably faster than the A8 and boots and operates nicely. Not as fast as the 1500 or an i5 but I think it will do great for several years as the house computer. If you crunch a lot of data or play a lot of games you will want a more powerful processor. The 2200G does not support multithreading(!) and therefore is limited to 4 virtual cores and lags behind an equivalent processor with a separate graphics card that is free to multi thread (1200?). I bought this for $99 and the integrated GPU was important to my build so I am quite happy with it's performance. The processor is running 2-8% at idle or browsing the interwebs and usually doesn't get too taxed. In my build 8gb of RAM is the limiting factor most the time. The 2200G processor clocked around 6850 on passmark. GPU was great for 2D but failed the 3D. Probably needs some adjustments to the firmware but I don't know that it matters. This thing can run my 47" HD TV as a monitor like a champ and I'm not planning on much gaming. All in all great purchase, great value, impressive system for $99.

First off I am a little bit techy, I have built several pc's from bare box out. I scoured the www looking for THE deal. I had a lightning strike blow out ALL my electronics, so budget was utmost. I spotted the MSI board first that this processor (CPU) matches to. and found this cpu. I was sold. I love MSI. the I hunted memory, and had settled on 16ggskill ripjaw. But there was something niggling at me so I re-read the specs on the mobo and cpu, and BAM it hit me the memory wasn't right speeds so I finally asked google the right question and found the right memory for the Ryzen line of cpu's. It is still gskill which imo is gold standard, Trident is the line name. Which imo Amazon could/should have linked to the Ryzen CPU's I almost missed it. w/o having followed the itch that I had missed something, I would have had the wrong speed memory and missed an opportunity to have a rig that is tuned for it's components.The video being integrated on board is fantastic deal! and the cooler is included! I was amazed at the value! when I started installation I read thru the booklet and I Freaked! as I said I have built several computers from the bare case so it all should be pretty standard. WELL, the booklet is confusing as, and looks far more complicated than it isn't. I mean it isn't complicated at all. same same as usual. that done it fired up first try which is rare. and has been running ever since like a sweet bell!I don't do heavy gaming, this rig with 16g mem wouldn't handle a heavy duty online game imo. I haven't tried. it handles the hidden object games I like some torrenting and 2 browsers with 20+ tabs open each All at once. so yeh it's a work horse imo. I LOVE this cpu with all its features the price makes it a steal. ease of install check runs well check, workload check, great value check. I would buy this setup again and again!