AMD keeps AM4 platform on life support with 2020-era Zen 3 CPU — Ryzen 3 5100 surfaces, nine years after AM4 launch

The Ryzen 3 5100 is among the processors known to exist but not previously observed in person. That situation has now changed, as hardware leaker momomo_us has shared a photograph confirming the existence of the Ryzen 3 5100, which was previously regarded as a unicorn in hardware circles.

The quad-core processor with simultaneous multithreading (SMT) originates from AMD's long-gone Zen 3 days, specifically from the Ryzen 5000G series (codenamed Cezanne). Typically, these Cezanne series chips are equipped with Vega graphics; however, the Ryzen 3 5100, along with the Ryzen 7 5700 and Ryzen 5 5500, belongs to a distinctive subset that does not include integrated graphics. This absence is evidenced by the processor model names, which lack the "G" suffix.

As depicted in the photograph, the Ryzen 3 5100 possesses an Ordering Part Number (OPN) code of 100-00000456, which appears somewhat fictitious as it is not readily available in any known sources. AMD does not list the Ryzen 3 5100 on its official website, although occasional references to OEM components can sometimes be found there. The copyright year associated with the Ryzen 3 5100 is 2020, suggesting that the initial production of the chip commenced in that year. This timeframe is consistent with the Cezanne series.

Confusion frequently arises regarding the Ryzen 5000G series and the primary Ryzen 5000 (codenamed Vermeer) series, due to AMD's similar branding for both series. Certain SKUs within the Vermeer lineup, such as the Ryzen 5 5600 or Ryzen 7 5800, lack a suffix, which may lead to misunderstandings, such as perceiving the Ryzen 3 5100 as a Vermeer processor. Although Cezanne and Vermeer share similarities, including the use of Zen 3 execution cores and the AM4 socket, they are inherently different. Cezanne employs a monolithic design, whereas Vermeer utilizes AMD's chiplet architecture.

According to listings from motherboard manufacturers, the Ryzen 3 5100 is confirmed to feature the monolithic Cezanne die. The Ryzen 3 5100 serves as the direct successor to the previous Ryzen 3 4100 (codenamed Renoir). The enhancements encompass a transition to the Zen 3 core architecture, an increase of 200 MHz in boost clock speed, and a doubling of the L3 cache size. Alternatively, from another perspective, the Ryzen 3 5100 can be regarded as an underclocked variant of the Ryzen 3 5300G, distinguished by a 200 MHz lower base clock and the absence of integrated graphics.

The Ryzen 3 5100 is an OEM processor, which largely explains why it took so long for it to smile for the camera. However, make no mistake, the Zen 3-powered chip has likely been available for purchase in China for some time now. With sufficient knowledge of where to search, one can almost invariably locate various items in China, including unreleased hardware, engineering samples of upcoming processors, or OEM components.

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