AMD
Ryzen 7 3700X 3,6 GHz (Matisse) Sockel AM4 - boxed

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X from the Matisse family of processors possesses 8 CPU cores based on the "Zen 2" architecture. After "Zen" and "Zen+", this represents the third generation of Zen-based microarchitecture. It brings with it the advanced 7 Nanometer node as well as significant frequency and performance increases alongside several new features. This chip is then paired with an AMD X570 chipset with Ryzen 7 3700X support, and this new series of chipsets also provides twice the bandwidth thanks to the new PCI Express 4.0 standard. All Ryzen 3000 processors use the highly respected AM4 platform and are capable of running on older chipsets.

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X possesses eight physical CPU cores which are, thanks to Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT), are each capable of processing two threads simultaneously. As a result, the total number of cores available for processing increases from eight to sixteen effectively. The top model, an octa-core processor with each core clocked to 3,6 GHz per core, uses Precision Boost 2 to adjust to the appropriate use case scenario while remaining within the 65 Watt Thermal Design Power (TDP) at up to 4,4 GHz.

The silicon of the CPU cores is forged using the advanced 7 nm FinFET manufacturing process complete with stapled transistors (also known as 3D transistors) with Extreme Ultraviolet Technology (EUV). Thanks to the node shrink, the increased space available on the processor die allows the integration of a total of 4 MB Level 2 Cache and a full 32 MB Level 3 Cache, which is especially important for games. The I/O chiplet responsible for the data lanes built into the CPU package is produced using a 12 nm FinFet process and has 24 PCIe Lanes at its disposal, four of which are available for connecting the motherboard chipset and NVMe SSDs. As such, 16 Lanes are left over for communications with the graphics card, while additional PCIe lanes for further drives, expansion cards and peripherals are available depending on the motherboard chipset.

In combination with a AMD X570 high-end chipset support, the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X also offers compatibility with the new PCI Express 4.0 standard. PCIe 4.0 is backwards compatible with expansion cards of previous generations. Each PCIe 4.0 Lane is, when compared to the older PCIe 3.0, capable of twice the transfer speeds. As a result, four PCIe 4.0 lanes are capable of providing theoretical Read/Write speeds of up to 7,8 GB/s when paired with an NVMe SSD.

The AM4 platform also features modern connectivity via USB 3.1 Gen 2 with type A and/or Type C connectors and high data transfer rates of up to 10 Gbit/s. The integrated memory controller of the CPU supports fast and energy-efficient DDR4 memory in dual-channel mode with or without ECC error correction at a native clock frequency of 3,200 MHz, and significantly higher clock rates are possible through overclocking.

With AMD Zen 2, hardly anyone has to worry about overclocking, because the CPU handles this all by itself: The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is equipped with the Auto-OC feature known as Precision Boost Overdrive, which can increase the processor clock up to 200 MHz beyond the factory set limit of the maximum boost clock, as long as an AMD X570 motherboard is used and sufficient CPU cooling is present.

High-end motherboards with an AMD X570 chipset typically have additional voltage converters (VRMs) so that the Ryzen 7 processor communicates with the X570 chipset to retrieve any unused power reserves from the motherboard and automatically increase its clock rates depending on CPU temperatures.

In addition, all AMD Ryzen CPUs are "unlocked" and feature a free multiplier, as is usual with the "Black Editions" and "K" variants of earlier model series, so that overclockers can easily increase the high clock rates directly by hand in the BIOS or UEFI or using software tools (e.g. AMD Ryzen Master). An appropriate motherboard with OC-capable chipset such as the AMD X570 and sufficient additional cooling is required.