Top Pick: Ryzen 5 225 – The Budget Sweet Spot
AMD’s new Hawk Point processors are Zen 4-based Ryzen 100 and 200 series budget CPUs with up to 8 cores and RDNA 3 graphics designed to power affordable notebook and desktop builds with integrated Radeon 700M GPUs.
For most budget PC builds, the clear winner in AMD’s new stack is the Ryzen 5 225. It is a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 4 processor with a high 4.1 GHz base and 4.8 GHz boost clock, paired with Radeon 760M integrated graphics featuring 8 compute units at 2.4 GHz. This balance of strong core counts, high clocks, and capable RDNA 3 graphics makes it the best overall choice for mixed workloads like gaming, content creation, and everyday multitasking without a discrete GPU. Among the 11 new AMD Ryzen budget CPUs, the 225 hits the sweet spot: faster than the hybrid Zen 4c options, cooler and cheaper to design around than the 8-core chips, and modern enough that you are not paying for older architectures hidden behind similar names.
How AMD’s New Hawk Point Lineup Is Structured
AMD has silently added 11 new processors across its Ryzen 200 and 100 series, all featuring Zen 4 architecture or hybrid Zen 4/Zen 4c designs. The Ryzen 200 family receives seven new models, ranging from 6 to 8 cores with RDNA 3 Radeon 700M integrated graphics; these chips include Radeon 740M, 760M, and 780M iGPUs. The Ryzen 100 family gains four new Hawk Point processors built on a 4 nm process node, again with RDNA 3 graphics. According to one report, “AMD has quietly expanded its affordable notebook CPU offerings by introducing 11 new processors across its Ryzen 100 and 200 series.” The catch is that AMD groups diverse architectures—Rembrandt, Hawk Point, and hybrid cores—under just two series labels, so model names alone no longer tell you what silicon you are getting.
| Model | Cores / Threads | Base / Boost | Architecture | iGPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 225 | 6 / 12 | 4.1 / 4.8 GHz | Zen 4 | Radeon 760M (8 CU, 2.4 GHz) |
| Ryzen 7 253 | 8 / 16 | 3.6 / 4.9 GHz | Zen 4 | Radeon 780M (12 CU, 2.5 GHz) |
| Ryzen 9 180 | 8 / 16 | 3.6 / 4.9 GHz | Zen 4 (Hawk Point) | Radeon 780M (12 CU, 2.5 GHz) |
Best Picks by Use Case: Gaming, Productivity, and Ultra-Budget
If you want the strongest integrated graphics for budget gaming or GPU-accelerated work, the Ryzen 7 253 and Ryzen 9 180 stand out. Both are 8-core, 16-thread Zen 4 chips with 3.6 GHz base and 4.9 GHz boost clocks and Radeon 780M graphics with 12 compute units at 2.5 GHz. They are ideal when you need maximum CPU and iGPU performance in a small system. For efficient all-round use in lighter laptops, hybrid Hawk Point models like Ryzen 7 217 and Ryzen 5 216 combine 2 Zen 4 cores with 4 Zen 4c cores for a total of 6 cores and 12 threads, paired with Radeon 740M graphics. At the ultra-budget end, the Ryzen 5 125 offers 4 cores and 8 threads at up to 4.5 GHz with Radeon 740M, covering basic gaming and daily tasks without overspending.
How to Choose: Key Specs to Check Before You Buy
Because AMD’s naming is now shared by several architectures, budget buyers need careful model comparison to avoid overspending on redundant SKUs. When shopping, focus on five concrete criteria. First, core and thread count: the new stack spans 4, 6, and 8-core chips, with up to 16 threads. Second, clocks: base and boost speeds vary widely, from 2.8 GHz to 4.1 GHz base and up to 4.9 GHz boost, so performance per core is different. Third, architecture: check whether a chip is pure Zen 4 or a hybrid with Zen 4c for efficiency. Fourth, GPU tier: Radeon 740M, 760M, and 780M differ in compute units and clocks, which impacts gaming performance. Finally, verify the process node and iGPU listing in the full spec sheet, since AMD’s official portal has conflicting details for some Hawk Point parts.
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Ryzen 5 225 if you want the best all-round balance of 6-core Zen 4 performance and Radeon 760M graphics for a budget PC build.
- Skip the Ryzen 5 225 if you need the absolute strongest integrated GPU performance, where Radeon 780M options like the Ryzen 7 253 or Ryzen 9 180 are better fits.
- Buy the Ryzen 7 253 if you are building a compact system that needs 8 cores, 16 threads, and the top-tier Radeon 780M iGPU for gaming and content creation.
- Skip the Ryzen 7 253 if your workloads are light and you would not benefit from 8 cores, making a cheaper 6-core chip a smarter choice.
- Buy the Ryzen 9 180 if you want an 8-core Hawk Point processor in the Ryzen 100 series with Zen 4-class clocks and Radeon 780M graphics.
- Skip the Ryzen 9 180 if you are confused by mixed architectures in the Ryzen 100 family and prefer the clearer Zen 4-only branding of the Ryzen 200 series.
- Buy the Ryzen 5 125 if you are building the cheapest possible system that still benefits from 4 cores, 8 threads, and RDNA 3 Radeon 740M graphics.
- Skip the Ryzen 5 125 if you plan to keep your system for many years and can stretch to a 6-core model for better long-term performance.
