If you are looking to build a budget gaming PC that doesn't put a dent in your wallet, then AMD has got you covered with their latest Ryzen 5 1600 AF processor. Although AMD might be winning the CPU competition with it's enthusiastic, and of course pricey, ThreadRipper CPUs, the manufacturer hasn't forgotten those who just want to game on a budget.
When speaking of the Ryzen 5 1600 AF, most people might confuse it with the Ryzen 5 1600 that launched in April 2017, carrying a $220 price tag. We'll quickly recap the Ryzen 5 1600 so that it becomes easier to compare it with the flashy new tech. The Ryzen 5 1600 was based on the 14nm Zen architecture, featuring six cores and 12 threads, part of which was clocked at 3.2 GHz and an all-core boost clock up to 3.4 GHz. The CPU was cooled using AMD's Wraith Spire cooler.
After about a year, the Ryzen 5 1600 was replaced with the Ryzen 5 2600, which cost $200. This new chip from AMD also featured six cores and 12 threads, but it was based on the updated 12nm Zen+ cores. The CPU also ran at a 3.4 GHz base clock and an all-core boost clock of 3.7 GHz. Since this new processor was quite efficient, the cooler on this one was downgraded to the Wraith Stealth.
One year later, the Ryzen 5 2600 got a worthy replacement, the Ryzen 5 3600, for the same $200 price tag.
Well, now you might be wondering that why AMD went back to the Ryzen 5 1600? What it seems to us is that AMD just released a cheaper variant of the Ryzen 5 2600 and called it "Ryzen 5 1600 AF." In fact, the all-new processor is very different from the Ryzen 5 1600 AE.
If we forget the naming for a moment and compare the specs, the Ryzen 5 1600 AF shares similar specs with the Ryzen 6 2600, but with a decreased clock speed. You might be thinking that this is just another marketing stunt from AMD to sell more CPUs under a different name. Well, this is not the case at all. This underclocked Ryzen 5 2600 can be picked up for just $85.
Of course, the Ryzen 5 1600 and Ryzen 5 2600 were a great deal for a little over $100 and $120 respectively, the Ryzen 5 1600 AF doesn't let any of the two CPUs come any closer in terms of pricing. Currently, the CPU seems to be readily available in the United States, but it is not sold everywhere.
