Ryzen 7000 starts comparatively cheap. The cost trap lies elsewhere.
AMD presented its new processor generation Ryzen 7000 last week and made many players happy with low starting prices. At the time of release, all models are either just as expensive as their predecessors or even slightly cheaper.
But if you take this as an opportunity to jump right in and build a new system based on Ryzen 7000, you should be careful. Because while the processors themselves shine with low prices, the total price of your brand new computer could still make you swallow.
Ryzen 7000 is cheap, the trappings are not
Anyone who decides on a Ryzen 7000 also chooses a new mainboard and, in most cases, new DDR5 memory.
Because with Ryzen 7000, AMD is switching to a new socket: The AM5 will replace the AM4 that has been in use for many years. This makes a new mainboard mandatory, because old devices of the type B550 and Co. are no longer compatible with Ryzen 7000.
However, the mainboard manufacturers only start with their high-end range for the release. This consists of mainboards with the chipset X670 or X670E. As the first manufacturer, MSI yesterday confirmed US pricing for its X670(E) lineup.
You will look in vain for cheap offers. While the flagship MEG X670E Godlike costs almost as much as an entire mid-range computer at $1,300, it doesn’t really get any rosier down the line either. Even the cheapest mainboard X670-P WiFi is only available from 290 US dollars. And due to the weak euro exchange rate, the prices for Europey are likely to be even higher.
At around $1300, the MSI MEG X670E costs almost as much as an entire gaming PC.
In addition, the new Ryzen 7000 CPUs only support DDR5 RAM for the main memory. The last desktop CPU generation Ryzen 5000 relied exclusively on DDR4. So if you switch from an old AMD system, you can’t take over any memory blocks here. Only those who own a 12th generation Intel processor may already have DDR5 RAM.
DDR5 is currently still a good bit more expensive than comparable DDR4 kits – and that with a manageable added value in games. This is set to change in the coming months, as you can read in the following article. To start Ryzen 7000 you have to pay extra here too.
more on the subject
DDR5 RAM cheaper: Are the days of DDR4 numbered?
Will PCs with Ryzen 7000 remain so expensive?
Luckily, if you’re not willing to pay high prices for a new motherboard and RAM for your new computer, all you have to do is wait. If you can wait until October or even until 2023, you will also find cheaper alternatives.
The B650 and B650E mainboards designed for the mainstream market are expected for October. Although they do without some features designed primarily for overclockers and enthusiasts, they are much more affordable.
And if the prices of DDR5 and DDR4 align in 2023, you will also have to spend less on memory.
Ryzen 7000 is out of the question for you anyway because you prefer to stay loyal to Intel? In our large overview you will find all the important information about the upcoming 13th generation processors Raptor Lake
.
More cores, more power, more clock: what the new Intel CPUs can do
Are you getting a new computer with Ryzen 7000 right at the start despite the expensive prices? Or do you prefer to wait for the prices to drop? Write us your opinion in the comments!
