In addition to discussing the number of cores in the 1200, this article will discuss recommendations for compatible motherboards, CPU coolers, and memory.
How Many Cores Do 1200 CPUs Have?
AMD's Ryzen 3 1200 CPUs have 4 cores.
Check out our Recommended Motherboards for the Ryzen 3 1200
below.
How Many Threads Does the 1200 Have?
The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 has 4 threads. The processors provide one thread for each of the 4 cores.
At What Frequency Does the 1200 Run?
The processor has a 3.1 GHz base frequency and supports a 3.4 GHz max boost frequency.
What Does the Lack of a Suffix in the 1200 Name Mean?
The 1200 model name doesn't have a G suffix. Non-G CPUs do not contain integrated graphics, and a separate graphics card is required.
CPU Cooling for the 1200
A CPU cooler's TDP (Thermal Design Power) rating indicates how much heat it can dissipate in watts. If the cooler can't keep your CPU cool enough, your CPU may throttle (slow down), and your cooler will constantly run at full speed.
AMD CPU specifications indicate this power dissipation number as "TDP."
The Ryzen 3 1200 has a TDP of 65 watts.
A CPU cooler can still work with a lower TDP rating than the TDP of a CPU. However, the CPU will eventually throttle itself to a lower frequency to allow itself to cool.
The CPU may not achieve or maintain maximum boost speeds without adequate cooling.
Learn more in What is the Best Type of CPU cooler for a Gaming PC?
Motherboard Requirements for Ryzen 3 1200 Processors
For AMD's Zen-based Ryzen 3 1200 processor, you'll need a motherboard with an AM4 socket and a compatible chipset.
Motherboards for AMD processors are made with chipsets provided by AMD. Each chipset offers a unique set of capabilities. However, motherboards must explicitly support features and capabilities for you to use them. Verify that a motherboard supports the features and capabilities you desire.
Ryzen 1000-series CPUs, which includes the Ryzen 3 1200, are compatible with all 300 and 400-series consumer chipsets. Supported chipsets include the X470, B450, X370, B350, and A320.
The X470 and B450 are our recommended chipsets for the Ryzen 3 1200 CPU, as they provide the most functionality among compatible chipsets.
Note that the Ryzen 3 1200 CPU only supports PCIe 3.0.
For a detailed comparison of these chipsets and PCIe speeds, check out my article Which Chipsets Work With AMD's Ryzen 3 1200 CPU?.
- Find Zen X470 Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Find Zen B450 Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
Recommended Motherboards for the Ryzen 3 1200
B450 Motherboard
- Our recommended B450 motherboard to pair with the Ryzen 3 1200:
GIGABYTE B450 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- PCIe 3.0 graphics card support
- One Gb Ethernet port is faster than most Internet speeds
- Two NVMe M.2 slots both run at PCIe 3.0 speeds
- 802.11AC Wi-Fi provides support for a wireless network setup
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 offers 10 Gbps USB speeds
- Check the latest price of the GIGABYTE B450 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi on Amazon (affiliate link).
Recommended AM4 Coolers
The boxed version of the Ryzen 3 1200 CPU comes with the Wraith Stealth CPU cooler. While stock coolers will prevent your CPU from overheating, your CPU will throttle its performance during games and other intensive tasks. Higher TDP coolers will keep your CPU at turbo speeds for longer durations. Stock coolers are often quite loud at their maximum speed.
Best All-in-One Liquid Cooler
- Check the latest price of the CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD on Amazon (affiliate link).
- This cooler is designed to fit Intel and AMD sockets, including the following models: Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, sTRX4, sTR4 (Intel LGA 1700 is supported with CW-8960091 or CW-8960093 kits).
- 350-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
- It provides powerful low-noise cooling and RGB lighting with a customizable LCD display which can display your CPU temperature or other graphics.
- It has 120mm CORSAIR ML RGB ELITE magnetic levitation fans for great CPU cooling performance.
- Make sure your computer case dimensions support this, as it will take up a decent amount of space!
CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD Liquid CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Runner-Up All-in-One Liquid Cooler
- Check the latest price of the Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID 360 ARGB Sync on Amazon (affiliate link).
- TOUGHLIQUID Series is designed to fit Intel and AMD sockets, including the following models: Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2011-v3, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2, FM2, FM1.
- We estimate that this supports roughly a 250-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
- This Liquid cooler supports 5V RGB compatible motherboards.
- Equipped with TOUGHFAN 12 2000RPM and supports ARGB lighting on the waterblock.
- Make sure your computer case dimensions support this, as it will take up a decent amount of space. There is a smaller version available, if needed.
Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID Liquid CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Best Dual-Fan Air CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15
- Dual 140 mm fans provide 220-watt TDP (183 NSPR) of cooling capability.
- Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM2+.
- Quiet operation at 24.6 dBA.
Noctua NH-D15, Premium CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Runner Up - Dual-Fan Air CPU Cooler: Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510
- This CPU cooler doesn't have any fancy LED lights, but the dual 120 mm fans do a great job of cooling AM4 CPUs.
- Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150 and AMD AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM1.
- Suppose you think this cooler will take up too much space. In that case, Thermaltake has a few single-fan TOUGHAIR variants which use different orientations.
- This CPU cooler has a 2000 RPM max speed for optimal cooling.
- 180-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Our Recommended RAM
Before purchasing memory, review your motherboard specification to verify which speeds are supported. For example, if a DDR4 motherboard stated that it supports "DDR4 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200 / 3000," that would mean that it could support DDR4-3400, DDR4-3333, and DDR4-3300 with memory overclocking, and DDR4-3200 and DDR4-3000 at stock speeds. Motherboard specifications also indicate the maximum capacity per stick of RAM (DIMM) and across all slots.
Recommended Stock-Speed DDR4
- At an effective frequency of 2666 MHz, this memory hits the fastest DDR4 speed supported by AMD's Ryzen 3 1200 CPU without overclocking.
- The low-profile form factor ensures that the heat spreaders don't get in the way of other devices, including your CPU heatsink.
Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) 2666MHz DDR4 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Recommended DDR4 for Overclockers
- This DDR4 memory is designed for overclocking to an effective frequency of 3600 MHz.
Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) 3600MHz DDR4 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- Compact heat spreaders avoid conflicting with a CPU cooler.
Learn More About the AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Which Chipsets Work With AMD's Ryzen 3 1200 CPU?
- Choosing the Best Power Supply for AMD's Ryzen 3 1200 CPU
- Choosing the Best Motherboard for AMD's Ryzen 3 1200
- Is the Ryzen 3 1200 CPU Good for Gaming?
- Choosing the Best RAM for AMD's Ryzen 3 1200 CPU
- Choosing the Best CPU Cooler for AMD's Ryzen 3 1200
- What Is the TDP of the Ryzen 3 1200 CPU?
- How Many Cores Do AMD Ryzen 3 1200 CPUs Have?
Other Considerations When Building a PC
Want to brush up on other new technologies to consider when building a computer? Check out these articles:
- Cases:
- CPUs:
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5.0?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 4.0?
- LGA 1700 CPU List
- LGA 1200 CPU List
- Look up an Intel or AMD CPU on TechReviewer for related recommendations:
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5.0?
- CPU Coolers:
- Storage:
- Memory:
- PCI-Express:
- Motherboards:
- Graphics Cards:
- Power Supplies:
- Keyboards:
- Monitors: