Ryzen Release Thread

[SteelCrysis]

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/thats-...m-makeover

AMD's first-gen Ryzen processors are selling at all-time low pricing, but it turns out that some of these chips are filtering out into the hands of enthusiasts with an unexpected surprise: The 12nm process, which is more efficient and faster than the original manufacturing process used with AMD's freshman Ryzen chips.
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First, you need to look no further than the box, or the chip itself, to spot a new AF model. The original 14nm Ryzen 5 1600 models (released in 2017) come with the YD1600BBAEBOX product identifier, while the new models (released circa November 2019) come with the YD1600BBAFBOX part number.
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Even though these chips come with the 12nm process, AMD has left the clock rates for the 1600 the same as before, so you don't get any top-line improvement there.
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The newer AF models also come with the Wraith Stealth cooler, which is a lesser cooler compared to the Wraith Spire that came with the original 1600 models.

All of this begs the question: Why has AMD suddenly introduced 12nm die to the first-gen Ryzen processors? There are several theories, with the most obvious being that these are, in fact, 14nm processors that have been mistakenly programmed to identify as 12nm. Another likely explanation is that these are simply Ryzen 5 2600 die that didn't make the cut for that class of chip due to frequency targets, but because they meet the criteria required for a 1600 model, it is simply more economical for AMD to use the die in the older chips.

We expect to learn more about the capabilities of this apparent new revision as more chips land in the hands of enthusiasts.

It will be interesting to see if AMD begins updating other first-gen Ryzen chips to the 12nm process. We've reached out to AMD for comment and will update as necessary.