Ryzen processor, APUs, and legacy PCI

[chicagocoyote]

I am looking for my first new motherboard in ten years.
I have always preferred AMD processors as they
are just less expensive than Intel, and my preference
existed before the meltdown/spectre flaws of recent
news.

I also need a legacy PCI slot.

I have decided to go with a new Ryzen processor
(I mean, why not?)
---------

I have only found two ASUS boards with a PCI slot
which can accommodate a Ryzen processor. They are:

Asus B350-PLUS
Asus A320M-C

However, the graphics on both cards reads as follows:

Integrated AMD Radeon R Series Graphics in the 7th Generation A-Series APU [either *1 or *2]
Multi-VGA output support : HDMI/DVI/RGB ports

I took this to mean that there is an integrated graphics
processor on the board. The above seems to read that way.
However, one person on the net told me that:

these boards do NOT have integrated GPUs. They have the headers
and ports, but the provision of actual graphics depends on you buying an
AMD APU which contains integrated CPU/GPU. The current Ryzen chips are
NOT APUs, they are CPUs only.

And so, my questions:

Can you just put a Ryzen AM4 socket processor on this board
and then buy a third party graphics card and put it in the
PCIe slot ?

or

Should I try to get a AMD APU processor for this board ?


I think I would prefer at least four cores for the CPU
as opposed to cores for the graphics processor.
I am not a gamer, and most of the computationally
expensive work I do is with audio.

I would appreciate hearing peoples ideas on
this topic. Thank you.

[antikythera]

there are no integrated graphics on any Ryzen motherboard, they are either integrated into the upcoming Ryzen APU (as yet unreleased) or you can use a PCI-E card. NVIDIA or AMD, it's your choice.

currently available Ryzen CPU do not feature graphics components and accordingly the motherboard graphics outputs listed wouldn't function with them. you'd need an add-in card for graphics.

[chicagocoyote]

Thanks, I have come to understand the situation.


So then, for a processor for the ASUS board (PRIME B350-PLUS),
I could go two ways:

(1) RYZEN-5 quad-core (or 6-core) and a third party
graphics card.

or:

(2) AMD A10-Series APU 7th Gen A10-9700
4-core cpu /6-core gpu and use the onboard
integrated AMD Radeon R Series Graphics.

What are people's opinions?
Why should I prefer one or the other?

[pingwu]

We have an older version of AMD APU A12 notebook (with Radeon R7 instead of the now R9). It works great with Ubuntu 16.04+ and Fedora 26/27.

We have not built our own computers for quite some time. I believe the new Ryzen/Ryzen Mobile CPUs/APUs require a new kind of MB (AM4) than previous generations. Therefore the MB you selected for Ryzen may be incompatible with A10. This info could be incorrect. If so someone more knowledgeable please correct me.

The key issue is that the video component of your APU must have a GCN version 1.2 or newer. This is required for the in-kernel amdgpu driver to work, and the difference is like b/t day and night!

<edit> My thought about your question, since this involves a new type of MB, I would go with Ryzen with a discrete video card (at least for the sake of future upgradability, or eventually switch to a Ryzen Mobile). Right or wrong, I consider the current generation of AMD APUs "cheapos", but the Ryzens are definitely "high performance" products, at least on par with some of the high-end Intel chips or even a notch above at the price range I am interested IMHO.

[antikythera]

option 2 will work, it's an unlocked socket AM4 model. However, if considering that particular option, I'd hold off and wait for the upcoming Raven Ridge APU due for release in the coming months which has the newer Zen core architecture and not Excavator cores.

if you need something right away, go with option 1 instead.

[bobx001]

I just got an ASUS B350M Plus mobo , with a Ryzen 6 core, and also an Nvidia 1060.
As long as you enable Kernel Virtualization (off by default) (if you use VMware or VirtualBox for something), everything seems to work like a charm. Fast as all hell.

Still having problems with disabling nouveau and installing NVIDIA, including the rpmfusion solution, but I have gotten it to work with the proprietary drivers, and will make a video of how to, and post it here.

[lsatenstein]

Hi Bob,

Ryzen just announced between 20 and 30 percent price reductions on their multicore units. WOW.
From what I read, many locations are selling Ryzen just below MSRP. The article stated that often you
can get BlackFriday sales prices throughout the year.

FYI. Ryzen 1700x is outselling Ryzen 1700 simply because it can be obtained for as low as 10.00 US difference in cost.
One has to take into account though, that the 1700x does not include a cooler, typically $30,00 for an air based cooler.

When purchasing a mother board to use with a 8 core cpu, verify that the chosen motherboard model can support the wattage (amperage draw)
that an 8 core cpu needs, when the cpu executs from all cores. Some motherboards throttle the total power that a cpu can draw.

[bobx001]

Hi Bob,

Ryzen just announced between 20 and 30 percent price reductions on their multicore units. WOW.
From what I read, many locations are selling Ryzen just below MSRP. The article stated that often

FYI. Ryzen 1700x is outselling Ryzen 1700 simply because it can be obtained for as low as 10.00 US difference in cost.
One has to take into account though, that the 1700x does not include a cooler, typically $30,00 for an air based cooler.

When purchasing a mother board to use with a 8 core cpu, verify that the chosen motherboard model can support the wattage (amperage draw)
that an 8 core cpu needs, when the cpu executs from all cores. Some motherboards throttle the total power that a cpu can draw.

OK Frankie, time to upgrade some of my servers then, will convert them from 2x old Intels, to single Ryzen Threadrippers.

[lsatenstein]

I am a Canadian version of a Scotsman. Before you can get a discretionary dollar from me, you have to squeeze water from a stone.
I have learned that if you have a hobby, and it is reasonable in maintenance, that there will always be some money available somehow.
And money is like cpu cycles, if you don't spend it, it will be gone forever. Its tough to be Canadian or Australian, when it comes to money.
Our electronic stuff, in our currency, costs 1.5 times your price.

[pingwu]

Still having problems with disabling nouveau and installing NVIDIA, including the rpmfusion solution, but I have gotten it to work with the proprietary drivers, and will make a video of how to, and post it here.

Get a new Radeon card! The in-kernel open-sourced amdgpu driver is more stable and actually works better than the amdgpu-pro. Although the amdgpu driver does not work with Vega, yet.

<edit> As mentioned in another thread, we have a Ryzen 1700x + Radeon RX550 machine; works better than any other machine we have. & no need to consult a tutorial.

[antikythera]

Get a new Radeon card! The in-kernel open-sourced amdgpu driver is more stable and actually works better than the amdgpu-pro. Although the amdgpu driver does not work with Vega, yet.

<edit> As mentioned in another thread, we have a Ryzen 1700x + Radeon RX550 machine; works better than any other machine we have. & no need to consult a tutorial.

Somehow I doubt anyone who just paid for a GTX1060 is going to want to buy another card. The GTX1060 when working is a brilliant card. It would be more sensible to get it working properly by following the rpmfusion setup guides rather than throw more money at more hardware.

[bobx001]

Somehow I doubt anyone who just paid for a GTX1060 is going to want to buy another card. The GTX1060 when working is a brilliant card. It would be more sensible to get it working properly by following the rpmfusion setup guides rather than throw more money at more hardware.

Well, I am an old f*rt, and I come from the era where AMD-Radeon hated linux and didn't want their "code" out in the open, and NVIDIA "helped" their gaming community, many of which are linux fanatics. That gaming hasn't taken off like a rocket in linux is only due to that good ol' greed of the corporates, who wouldn't dream of charging 10 bux for something they can charge 100 for and get away with.

However, I see from posts here, more and more, that AMD has woken up to the linux way, so my next PC may as well go that way.
I have dealt with AMD once one of my Nvidia cards died, so I had to use the on-board radeon with the Catalyst drivers, so I am not foreign to it.