Tag Archives: AMD Ryzen 5 3500X

Smart Access Memory Now Enabled For Ryzen 3000 CPUs!

AMD just enabled Smart Access Memory for select Ryzen 3000 desktop processors!

Find out what Smart Access Memory does, and how to enable it for a FREE boost in performance!

 

Smart Access Memory Now Enabled For Ryzen 3000 CPUs!

When AMD launched the Radeon RX 6700 XT graphics card, they also mentioned that Smart Access Memory is now enabled for Ryzen 3000 desktop processors, except :

  • AMD Ryzen 5 3400G
  • AMD Ryzen 3 3200G

This would give those older processors a small but FREE boost in performance, when paired with Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards and AMD 500 series motherboards.

To enable Smart Access Memory for your Ryzen 3000 / 5000 series PC, please follow the steps! 

Unfortunately, AMD has not enabled Smart Access Memory for Radeon RX 5000 series graphics cards, or AMD 400 series motherboards yet.

Recommended : AMD Smart Access Memory (Resizable BAR) Guide

 

Smart Access Memory : How Does It Boost Ryzen 3000 Performance?

Smart Access Memory is AMD’s marketing term for their implementation of the PCI Express Resizable BAR (Base Address Registers) capability.

What does that mean exactly?

CPUs are traditionally limited to a 256 MB I/O memory address region for the GPU frame buffer. This of it as an “data dump” for stuff like textures, shaders and geometry.

Since this “data dump” is limited to 256 MB, the CPU can only send texture, shader and geometry data as and when the GPU requires them.

This introduces some latency – delay from when the GPU requires the data, and the CPU send them.

Turning on Resizable BAR or Smart Access Memory greatly expands the size of that data dump, letting the CPU directly access the GPU’s entire frame buffer memory.

Instead of transferring data when requested by the GPU, the CPU processes and stores the data directly in the graphics memory.

Graphics assets can be transferred to graphics memory in full, instead of in pieces. In addition, multiple transfers can occur simultaneously, instead of being queued up.

While this AMD graphic above suggests that Smart Access Memory will widen the memory path (and thus memory bandwidth) between the CPU and GPU, that is not true.

Smart Access Memory / Resizable BAR will not increase memory bandwidth.

What it does is let the CPU directly access the entire GPU frame buffer memory, instead of using the usual 256 MB “dump”. That reduces latency because the graphics assets are now accessible by the GPU at all times.

 

Smart Access Memory For Ryzen 3000 : Requirements

This is what you currently require to enable AMD Smart Access Memory for Ryzen 3000 desktop processors :

Hardware

Software

  • AMD Radeon Software Driver 20.11.2 or newer
  • Latest Motherboard BIOS (AMD AGESA 1.1.0.0 or newer)

AMD currently recommends these X570 motherboards, because they have updated BIOS available :

 

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AMD Ryzen 5 3500X : China-Only Model Goes Global!

The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X processor, previously reserved for China only, is going GLOBAL!

Here is everything you need to know about the newish AMD Ryzen 5 3500X!

 

The AMD Ryzen 3000 Processor Family

The AMD Ryzen 3000 processor family, also known as the 3rd Gen Ryzen processor family, is based on the new AMD Zen 2 architecture, and fabricated on the 7 nm process technology.

The Ryzen 3000 processors boast significantly better single-threaded performance, with an L3 cache that is twice as large as the last-generation 2nd Gen Ryzen processors.

They are also PCIe 4.0-ready, offering 24 lanes that can be increased to 40 lanes, when paired with the new AMD X570 motherboard.

But the best part about these 3rd Gen Ryzen processors (for current AMD users) is their backward compatibility. As long as your AM4 motherboard has an updated BIOS, you can just upgrade to a brand-new Ryzen 3000 class processor!

Recommended : The AMD 3rd Gen Ryzen Deep Dive Tech Briefing!

 

AMD Ryzen 5 3500X : China-Only Model Goes Global!

The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X was quietly released on 24 September 2019 for the OEM market in China.

It is basically a cheaper version of the six-core Ryzen 5 3600 without SMT (Simultaneous Multi-Threading) capability, allowing it to process only 6 threads at the same time.

In China, it comes bundled with the Wraith Spire, but for the global market, AMD is bundling it with the Wraith Stealth cooler that shipped with the Ryzen 5 3600X.

Therefore, if you want the better Wraith Spire cooler, you should get the Chinese model.

Recommended : ASUS Blames AMD For Overheating ROG RX 5700 Cards!

 

AMD Ryzen 5 3500X Specifications

With the addition of the Ryzen 5 3500X, there are now three 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen 5 models, and here are their key specifications :

Specifications Ryzen 5 3600X Ryzen 5 3600 Ryzen 5
3500X
Process 7 nm + 12 nm
Cores / Threads 6 / 12 6 / 6
Base Clock 3.8 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.6 GHz
Boost Clock 4.4 GHz 4.2 GHz 4.1 GHz
L2 Cache 3 MB
L3 Cache 32 MB
PCIe Support 24x PCI Express Gen 4
TDP 95 W 65 W
Bundled Cooler Wraith Stealth Wraith Spire Wraith Stealth (Global)
Wraith Spire (China)

 

AMD Ryzen 5 3500X Price + Availability

The AMD Ryzen 5 3500X will be available here in Malaysia with an SRP of RM 639, which is roughly US$154 / £118 / A$229 / S$214.

Retail availability will begin next week – from 24 February 2020 onwards. Here are some online purchase options :

 

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