Understanding AMD Ryzen Processor Models With and Without Integrated Graphics

It is not difficult to get confused in the names of modern AMD processors, because the company itself in no way contributes to the education of its potential customers. For example: In the first generation of 14nm Ryzen processors, for some reason, there are no chips with integrated graphics, in the second, if you look in the information, along with 12nm CPUs there are 14nm with integrated GPUs. But this is the second generation? Right?

Below is a brief table by which you can easily determine to which architecture this or that generation of processors belongs. But, if you need additional clarification, I will try to provide them.

Generation of processors	Ryzen 1000	Ryzen 2000	Ryzen 2000G	Ryzen 3000	Ryzen 3000G	Ryzen 4000	Ryzen 4000G
Architecture	Zen 1	Zen 1+	Zen 1	Zen 2	Zen 1+	Zen 3	Zen 2
Built-in video core	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Technical process	16нм	12 нм	14 нм	7нм	12 нм	7нм+	7нм
Availability	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Autumn 2020	Summer 2020

So. In the first, 14nm generation of Ryzen chips based on the Zen architecture, there was no APUs (processors with integrated graphics). In the second generation, they appeared, however, they were based on the previous, outdated, 14nm process technology and Zen architecture, while the rest of the 2000 line – on the 12nm process technology Zen+ architecture. Further, as is already clear from the table, there are modern, 3-generation Ryzen processors built on the 7nm Zen 2 architecture. Zen+ architecture.

In other words, chips with integrated graphics are one generation behind classic CPUs. It is not yet known whether this trend will continue with the release of the Ryzen 5000, but with one hundred percent accuracy we can say that this is the case now.

If you are looking to get an APU based on the Zen 2 architecture, then you should wait until the Ryzen 4000G processors are released, since all existing APUs are based on the relatively old Zen or Zen+.