AMD Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F | Zen 4 CPUs without the RDNA 3 integrated graphics | TLG Gaming

Affordable entry-level socket AM5 gaming processors lacking integrated graphics units.


The Announcement and Introduction

AMD has announced the release of its Ryzen 8000 F-series processors, which include the Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F. These Zen 4 chips were first quietly launched in China, but according to leaked slides from hardware analyst momomo_us, they are now available worldwide.

The Ryzen 8000 F-series processors utilize AMD's existing Phoenix APU silicon, manufactured with TSMC's 4nm process. These chips retain Zen 4 execution cores but do not include the integrated RDNA 3 graphics engine found in the Ryzen 8000G series.

This strategy is similar to Intel's approach with its F-series models, which also disable the iGPU to provide more affordable options. As a result, the Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F require pairing with a discrete graphics card. Additionally, AMD has disabled the Ryzen AI NPU on the Ryzen 5 8400F, leaving only the Ryzen 7 8700F with an active NPU capable of delivering 16 TOPS of AI performance.

The Ryzen 8000 F-series processors maintain the same core and cache specifications as their G-series counterparts. The Ryzen 7 8700F features an eight-core, sixteen-thread setup with 16MB of L3 cache, identical to the Ryzen 7 8700G.

Similarly, the Ryzen 5 8400F boasts a six-core, sixteen-thread configuration with 16MB of L3 cache, mirroring the Ryzen 5 8600G. Both the Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F are 65W TDP processors and include AMD's Wraith Stealth CPU cooler.

AMD Ryzen 8000 F-series Processor Specifications

Responsive Table
CPUArchitecturePriceCores / ThreadsBase / Boost Clock (MHz)TDP (W)L2 Cache (MB)L3 Cache (MB)GPU / CoresGPU Frequency (MHz)
Ryzen 7 8700GZen 4$3298 / 164.2 / 5.165816Radeon 780M / 12 CUs2,900
Ryzen 7 8700FZen 4$2998 / 164.1 / 5.065816N/AN/A
Ryzen 5 8600GZen 4$2296 / 124.3 / 5.065616Radeon 760M / 8 CUs2,800
Ryzen 5 8400FZen 4$1896 / 124.2 / 4.765616N/AN/A
In addition to lacking an iGPU, the F-series processors differ from the G-series in their clock speeds. The Ryzen 7 8700F has a base and boost clock that is 100 MHz lower than the Ryzen 7 8700G. Similarly, the Ryzen 5 8400F runs 100 MHz slower than the Ryzen 5 8600G in terms of base clock. Notably, the boost clock of the Ryzen 5 8400F is 300 MHz lower than that of the Ryzen 5 8600G.


It's somewhat unexpected that the F-series chips have lower clock speeds, especially since disabling the iGPU should provide ample headroom for maintaining or even increasing the clock speeds. The Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F likely use lower-quality silicon that doesn't meet the standards for higher-tier models.


This practice of repurposing silicon is common among chipmakers to optimize yields. However, the F-series processors support manual overclocking, offering the potential to boost their performance to match that of their G-series counterparts.

AMD released charts showcasing the performance of the Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F compared to their competitors. As with any new product launch, it's wise to view vendor-provided benchmarks with some skepticism.


AMD Ryzen 8000 F-series Processor Sample Benchmarks

According to AMD, the Ryzen 7 8700F offers 12% to 24% better gaming performance than the Core i5-14400F. Additionally, the Ryzen 7 8700F is said to outperform in various applications by 10% to 22%, depending on the specific workload. Similarly, the Ryzen 5 8400F reportedly outperforms the Core i5-13400F in gaming, with performance margins ranging from 1% to 14%.


What About Pricing?

The leaked information about AMD's Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F did not include pricing details, leaving enthusiasts to speculate. However, an early listing on Amazon hinted at a $299 price tag for the Ryzen 7 8700F, while predictions suggested the Ryzen 5 8400F might debut at $189.


Performance

Based on AMD's performance data, the Ryzen 7 8700F seems to promise a significant boost in gaming and application performance compared to the Core i5-14400F, potentially reaching up to 24% and 22%, respectively. Yet, this advantage comes with a premium, as the Ryzen 7 8700F is expected to cost 50% more than its Intel counterpart, which retails at around $199.98.


In contrast, the Ryzen 5 8400F offers an intriguing proposition, possibly outperforming the Core i5-13400F by up to 14% in gaming while being priced slightly higher, if at all. The Core i5-13400F is currently listed at $185.99.


Conclusion

Despite these tempting options, some may opt to wait before upgrading. Both AMD's forthcoming Zen 5 processors and Intel's rumored Core Ultra 200 series (Arrow Lake) processors are slated to hit the market before the year's end, offering even more choices for consumers to consider.