AMD Ryzen 5 Summit Ridge 1600 OEM 12 nm (YD1600BBM6IAF)

For PCs based on AMD components, we continue to recommend the updated version of the Ryzen 5 1600, which AMD moved to 12nm rails in the spring of 2020. Due to numerous improvements, the updated Ryzen 5 1600 has actually turned into a more status Ryzen 5 2600, but with slightly lower frequencies and a more delicious price tag. In order not to confuse the old and new versions, AMD added the AF index to the name of the new product. Older 14nm Ryzen 5 1600 models had the AE designation in the title. Fortunately, they have already disappeared from sale, so do not confuse.

Ryzen 5 1600 turns into Ryzen 5 2600

Despite its venerable age, the Ryzen 5 1600 still inspires respect purely in terms of characteristics: 6 physical cores + 6 virtual ones, auto overclocking to 3.6 GHz, 16 MB of third-level cache and an unlocked multiplier. At the same time, the difference in frequencies between it and the Ryzen 5 2600 is easily leveled by manual overclocking on a stock turntable. In this case, you get an almost complete analogue of the Ryzen 5 2600, which can still be bought for adequate money. A big plus of such an assembly is the use of a single AM4 socket. Thanks to this, a PC upgrade in the future can be carried out pointwise without changing the motherboard, as is the case with the Intel platform. Recall that there the socket changes every two years and you will not be able to install a 12th generation processor in a 10th generation motherboard.

Unplanned rise in price

The main disadvantage of this processor, like all Ryzen processors in 2021, is pricing and availability. At the end of the year, the number of offers decreased noticeably, and options with price tags under $250-300 that are inadequate for this category often flash on the market. There is reason to believe that after the holidays the situation will settle down a bit, prices will return to normal and the updated Ryzen 5 1600 with the AF index will again relevant. If not, then we advise you to try your luck in the secondary market, for sure there will be offers from people who once bought it at a normal price. Another disadvantage is the support for Windows 11. Microsoft was too smart with the system requirements for the new operating system and the first generation of Ryzen chips is not on the list of supported processors at all. Windows users did not understand this decision (as well as the stories with the TMP chip) and flooded all the imageboards of the planet with rage, so Microsoft will either have to back down, or everyone will remain on Win 10. However, that's another story.