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AMD Athlon Silver 3050GE (OEM Only)

AMD Athlon Silver 3050GE (OEM Only): Budget Processor for Compact Systems

April 2025

1. Key Specifications: Architecture and Key Features

Architecture and Process Technology

The AMD Athlon Silver 3050GE is a budget solution based on the Zen 2 microarchitecture, manufactured using a 14nm process. Despite the outdated manufacturing process (as 5–7nm chips dominate in 2025), it remains relevant for OEM builds due to its low power consumption and affordable price ($65–75 for OEM partners).

Cores, Threads, and Cache

- 2 cores / 4 threads — base configuration for simple tasks.

- 4 MB L3 Cache — minimum for multithreaded operations.

- Base clock speed of 3.4 GHz, Turbo mode is not available.

Integrated Graphics

The integrated GPU, Radeon Graphics (based on Vega 3 architecture), features 3 compute units and a clock speed of up to 1100 MHz. It supports 4K output through HDMI and DisplayPort but is not designed for gaming — only for office applications and streaming video.

TDP of 35W — the processor does not require active cooling in passive enclosures, making it ideal for compact PCs.

2. Compatible Motherboards

AM4 Socket

The processor uses the AM4 socket, ensuring compatibility with many motherboards released since 2017. However, due to the limitations of the OEM version, official support is only available for models with the following chipsets:

- A320 — budget option without overclocking.

- B450/B550 — enhanced capabilities (PCIe 4.0, USB 3.2 Gen 2).

Recommendations for Selection

- ASRock A520M-HDV ($65) — a compact board with HDMI and M.2 for SSDs.

- Gigabyte B550M DS3H ($95) — supports PCIe 4.0 and dual-channel memory.

Note! To work with the Athlon Silver 3050GE on newer chipsets (B550/X570), a BIOS update may be required.

3. Supported Memory

DDR4-2400/2666 MHz

The processor works with DDR4 memory in dual-channel mode. The maximum supported capacity is 64 GB (officially up to 32 GB for most boards).

Recommendations

- For office tasks, 8 GB (2×4 GB) DDR4-2666 is sufficient.

- For multimedia systems, 16 GB (2×8 GB) is recommended for comfortable browsing and application usage.

DDR5 is not supported — this is a limitation of the AM4 platform.

4. Power Supply: Power Calculation

With a TDP of 35W and no discrete graphics card, a system with the Athlon Silver 3050GE consumes no more than 80-100W under load.

Recommended Power Supplies:

- Be Quiet! SFX Power 3 300W ($45) — for mini-PCs.

- Corsair CV450 ($55) — with a margin for future upgrades (e.g., adding a GTX 1650 graphics card).

Advice: Even for passive systems, do not use power supplies rated below 250W — this risks unstable operation.

5. Pros and Cons

Pros:

- Energy efficiency — suitable for compact and silent systems.

- Low price — cheaper than most competitors.

- Integrated graphics — does not require a separate graphics card.

Cons:

- 2 cores — weak multithreaded performance.

- Outdated process technology — higher heat output compared to 7nm counterparts.

- OEM limitations — difficult to purchase at retail.

6. Use Cases

Office Tasks

- Working with documents, browsing, video conferencing.

- Example: A system based on Athlon Silver 3050GE + 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD handles 20+ tabs in Chrome.

Multimedia Centers

- Playing 4K video via HDMI 2.0.

- Connecting to a TV through a mini-PC (e.g., ASRock DeskMini).

Basic NAS Servers

- Low power consumption allows the processor to be used in home storage solutions based on OpenMediaVault.

Gaming

- Only suitable for older or less demanding titles: CS:GO (30-40 fps on low settings), Minecraft.

7. Comparison with Competitors

AMD Ryzen 3 3200G ($90)

- Pros: 4 cores, Vega 8 (twice as powerful graphics).

- Cons: higher price and TDP (65W).

Intel Celeron G5925 ($60)

- Pros: supports DDR4-2666, similar price.

- Cons: 2 cores without Hyper-Threading, weak UHD 610 graphics.

Conclusion: The Athlon Silver 3050GE outperforms Intel in multithreaded tasks but falls behind the Ryzen 3 in performance.

8. Assembly Tips

Case

Choose compact models with passive cooling:

- InWin Chopin Pro (with a 200W power supply) — for ultra-books.

- Fractal Design Node 304 — for NAS with multiple HDDs.

Cooling

The stock cooler is sufficient, but for quieter operation, the Arctic Alpine AM4 Passive (passive cooler) is suitable.

Storage

- Always use an SSD (e.g., Kingston A400 240GB for $30).

- For NAS, add a WD Red 4TB HDD ($90).

9. Final Conclusion: Who is the Athlon Silver 3050GE Suitable For?

This processor is suitable for:

1. Office PCs — where low cost and reliability are important.

2. Home media centers — thanks to 4K outputs and quiet operation.

3. Basic NAS — minimal energy consumption for 24/7 operation.

Why choose it?

- Price/Quality — the best option in the under $80 category.

- Flexibility — compatible with a wide range of AM4 boards.

However, for gaming, video editing, or heavy workloads, it is advisable to opt for more powerful CPUs (e.g., Ryzen 5 5600G).

Note: Prices are current as of April 2025 for new devices in the OEM segment.

Basic

Label Name

AMD

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

July 2020

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

3.4GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

Up to 3.4GHz

L1 Cache

192KB

L2 Cache

1MB

L3 Cache

4MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

AM4

Unlocked for Overclocking

AMD`s product warranty does not cover damages caused by overclocking, even when overclocking is enabled via AMD hardware and/or software. GD-26.

Yes

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

14nm

TDP

35W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

95°C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

PCIe® 3.0

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR4

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

Up to 2667MT/s

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Radeon™ Graphics

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1100 MHz

Graphics Core Count

Miscellaneous

OS Support

Windows 11 - 64-Bit Edition, Windows 10 - 64-Bit Edition, RHEL x86 64-Bit, Ubuntu x86 64-Bit *Operating System (OS) support will vary by manufacturer.