Forget Ryzen AI! AMD launches its SLOWEST processor in years, because 'not
all customers can afford a new PC' 2019 Zen+ CPU will at least be compatible with Windows 11

Date:
Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:35:00 +0000

Description:
AMD's latest move seems to be two steps backward for budget laptops in a bid to cater to price-sensitive consumers

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter AMD has 'relaunched' three processors that use legacy cores to address demand at the lowest end of its mobile and desktop CPU offerings The CPUs range from 2 to 8 cores and
leverage its older Zen+ and Zen 2 core technology as the chip designer grapples with memory and storage shortages to serve an increasingly cash-strapped budget segment All three processors support Microsoft Windows
11 and leverage cheaper DDR4 memory as manufacturers aims to 'hold the fort' in the face of rising AI demand creating challenges for entry-level PC buyers AMD 's latest Ryzen CPU offering might not be one that most of its performance-centric consumers would appreciate in 2026.

The company is looking to reintroduce three budget-centric mobile CPUs that were last seen over half a decade ago, using legacy Zen+ and Zen 2 cores. The move comes at a time when assemblers and consumers alike are grappling with increasing chip, memory and storage costs, even as lower-end options continue to grow increasingly limited for price-conscious users. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: A Dual-core CPU in 2026? AMD is reintroducing the
Ryzen 3 3100U, Ryzen 5 3501U, and Ryzen 7 4700LE to consumer markets, according to reports. The CPUs offer dual, quad, and octa-core options.

While the Zen 2-based desktop-class Ryzen 7 4700LE has a listed launch date
of 25th March 2026, the other two SKUs were launched more recently, in June 2026, according to AMD's own listings. You may like PC pricing pressures 'aren't going away anytime soon' warns AMD exec The best AMD processors 2026 AMD announces Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 CPU with dual 3D V-Cache technology

The Ryzen 3100U and the 3501U both use AMD's legacy Zen+ architecture on a 12nm process node, making them less power-efficient than the 7nm-based Ryzen
7 4700LE.

In an emailed statement to PC World , AMD stated, "The Ryzen 3100U and Ryzen 3501U are additional SKUs based on AMDs existing Picasso architecture that were developed to support specific OEM requirements in the value segment. These processors are intended to address targeted customer demand for lower-cost solutions and will be available in limited volumes through select OEMs". Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar
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As OEM components are made directly available to laptop assemblers, AMD does not disclose prices for these models, even as rival chipmaker Intel seems to be taking a similar route .

What might rankle some users in particular is not the fact that the 3100U and the 3501U are rebadged CPUs that will still lag behind pretty much even the most basic laptop CPUs available in the last few years, but the fact that AMD might be thinking it is acceptable to offer a 2-core, 4-thread CPU in 2026 as a baseline for new, entry-level laptops.

The Ryzen 3 3100U is getting considerable ire, as Redditors are already drawing unfavorable comparisons to current-generation Athlon CPUs. While it offers the same iGPU (Vega 8), TDP (15W), and memory configuration (DDR4-2400), along with the same socket (FP5) as its quad-core sibling, it is noticeably weaker than most, if not all, recently launched mobile CPUs. Unsurprisingly, it does make the cut for Windows 11 by offering support for fTPM, allowing for secure boot, and just pulling ahead of Microsoft's stated requirements for its OS (1 gigahertz (GHz)orfaster with 2 or more cores),
even as most users will struggle to do anything but the bare minimum on a laptop sporting a CPU essentially rebadged from 2019.

AMD's move, however, is predicated on the fact that rising RAM, SSD, and cutting-edge silicon prices all create a void that must be addressed for the foreseeable future, even as its target audience seems to be getting an increasingly short end of the stick as part of the solution. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/forget-ryzen-ai-amd-launches-its-slowest-process or-in-years-because-not-all-customers-can-afford-a-new-pc-2019-zen-cpu-will-at -least-be-compatible-with-windows-11


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