Unleash the Power of Ryzen 3 2200G and Vega 8 Graphics

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Gaming Performance
   1. APEX Legends
   2. Shadow of the Tomb Raider
   3. Rage 2
   4. Emulation Performance
3. Capturing Gameplay Footage
4. Watching 4K Video
5. Compute Performance with Davinci Resolve
6. Cinebench Benchmark Results
7. Conclusion

Gaming Performance

Gaming has become a popular pastime for many, and the performance of a computer system plays a crucial role in providing an enjoyable gaming experience. In this section, we'll explore the gaming capabilities of the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G APU with its integrated Vega 8 graphics. Let's dive in and see how well this APU handles different games.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends, a popular battle royale Game, is a great starting point to gauge the gaming performance of the Ryzen 3 2200G. At a display resolution of 900p and a 60fps target, the performance is commendable. While the initial descent may experience some drops in framerate, the overall gameplay is smooth. However, it's worth noting that the resolution scaling required to achieve 60fps can impact visibility, especially for distant targets. If you're an avid battle royale player, you may want to consider pairing the 2200G with a more powerful discrete GPU for an enhanced gaming experience.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Next on our list is Shadow of the Tomb Raider, a visually demanding game. Running it at 720p on low settings, the Vega 8 graphics of the 2200G managed to maintain an average framerate of 34fps. More importantly, it stayed above 30fps for the majority of the gameplay time. This showcases the capability of the APU to handle AAA games released in the current year.

Rage 2

Moving on to Rage 2, the performance of the Ryzen 3 2200G APU with its integrated Vega 8 graphics shines even brighter. The average framerate in Rage 2 surpasses that of Shadow of the Tomb Raider. However, it's worth noting that the consistency of frametimes doesn't hold up as well due to the high-speed traversal in the game's open world. Nonetheless, it's impressive to see the 2200G deliver a solid gaming experience even in this title.

Emulation Performance

When it comes to emulation, the Ryzen 3 2200G encounters some challenges. Mario Kart 8 in the Cemu emulator proves to be too slow to be viable on the 2200G, and it also exhibits major rendering errors. Despite trying alternative GPUs, such as the R7 360 and Quadro K2200, it's evident that the Vega 8 graphics fall short in successfully emulating the Wii U. Therefore, if you're an emulation enthusiast, the 2200G may not be the ideal choice for your needs.

Capturing Gameplay Footage

For gamers who enjoy sharing their gameplay experiences through videos, capturing footage while gaming is an essential requirement. I tested a few different utilities while playing Quake Champions at 1080p60 with GPU encoding enabled. The results varied depending on the software used. OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) proved to be problematic, causing performance issues. Similarly, Xbox Game DVR had a noticeable impact on performance. However, AMD's own Relive provided the best results, with a noticeable but usable 16% performance impact. In fact, all the gameplay footage you've seen so far in this article was captured using AMD Relive. It's essential to note that Relive is not officially supported on APUs, so the installation process can be cumbersome. However, with the right installation steps, it can be a viable option for capturing your gaming moments.

Watching 4K Video

Now let's switch gears and explore the 4K video playback capabilities of the Ryzen 3 2200G APU. The APU proves to be more than capable of smoothly playing a 4K 60fps video. However, here's the catch – it performs exceptionally well in Microsoft Edge, thanks to its excellent hardware acceleration support. On the other HAND, playing the same video in Chrome or Firefox results in hundreds of dropped frames. This discrepancy highlights the significant role software optimization and compatibility play when it comes to video playback. If your preferred browser can navigate the DRM restrictions imposed by Hollywood, the 2200G will provide a seamless 4K video streaming experience.

Compute Performance with Davinci Resolve

Apart from gaming, the Ryzen 3 2200G APU has the potential to handle compute-intensive tasks. To put it to the test, I utilized Davinci Resolve, a popular video editing software that supports OpenCL. Editing videos at 1080p60 proved to be challenging for the 2200G, as it experienced stuttering and struggled with smooth playback, even with simple transitions. However, by lowering the preview resolution to half or quarter, the editing process became more manageable. Although it may require some patience, the 2200G can handle video editing tasks, especially for videos with lower framerates. In fact, this entire video was edited using the 2200G, and the render times were reasonable, taking approximately one-third of the video's duration. While it may not be the ideal long-term solution for professional video editing, it can certainly get the job done if you don't have a more powerful alternative at your disposal.

Cinebench Benchmark Results

To provide a quantitative measure of the Ryzen 3 2200G's performance, I ran the Cinebench benchmarks. In Cinebench R15, the 2200G scored 589 points in the multi-threaded test and 152 in the single-threaded test. The single-threaded performance places it above older CPUs, while its multi-threaded performance surpasses the i5-3550 but falls short of the FX-8370. However, in Cinebench R20, the story changes. The 2200G's scores increase to 1453 in the multi-threaded test and 378 in the single-threaded test. With these scores, the 2200G now surpasses the FX-8370 and comes within a fraction of a percent of the i7-3770's score. The significant improvement in Cinebench R20 results can be attributed to the AVX2 instruction set, which the Ryzen architecture supports.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G APU paired with its integrated Vega 8 graphics offers a compelling option for budget gamers. It demonstrates adequate gaming performance in titles like Apex Legends and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, provided the resolution and settings are adjusted accordingly. However, it falls short when it comes to demanding emulators like Cemu. The APU's ability to capture gameplay footage is decent, with AMD Relive providing the best results, albeit with some installation and compatibility caveats. When it comes to 4K video playback, the 2200G performs admirably, especially in Microsoft Edge. However, software optimization and DRM restrictions can hinder the experience in other browsers. On the compute front, the 2200G handles video editing tasks reasonably well, although higher resolutions and framerates may pose challenges. Finally, the Cinebench benchmark results showcase the 2200G's commendable performance, especially in multi-threaded tasks. While the Ryzen 3 2200G offers an impressive Package, it's crucial to consider its limitations and ensure compatibility with the intended use case.