The AMD 4800S Desktop Kit can run PC games, but Digital Foundry’s 2023 tests do not show it as a consistently strong gaming CPU. Its eight-core Zen 2 processor performed competitively in some workloads, while memory-sensitive games exposed a notable weakness: HotHardware reported the Ryzen 7 4750G ahead by 41% in Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition. That is one result from one test suite, not a universal measure of the kit.
What the AMD 4800S Desktop Kit is
The 4800S is a desktop kit built around an Xbox Series X-derived AMD system-on-chip. Reports describe an eight-core, 16-thread Zen 2 CPU with a maximum reported clock of 4 GHz, alongside GDDR6 system memory. The integrated graphics processor is disabled, so a discrete graphics card is required for gaming. HotHardware lists a PCIe 4.0 x4 graphics link, an M.2 socket for NVMe storage, a second M.2 socket for Wi-Fi and four SATA ports; Tom’s Hardware describes the kit as micro-ATX and compatible with a standard AM4 Wraith cooler. These are details from reporting, rather than an AMD product specification sheet.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
It is neither a retail Xbox Series X nor a standard Ryzen desktop processor. Microsoft’s 2020 description of the console specifies a custom eight-core Zen 2 CPU at 3.8 GHz, or 3.6 GHz with SMT, and 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 320-bit bus. The desktop kit’s reported 4 GHz maximum and disabled graphics distinguish it from the complete console configuration. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X technology overview provides the console baseline.
Recommended Free Tools
What the gaming benchmarks found
Digital Foundry’s review, published July 30, 2023, tested a range of games, including Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Crysis 3 Remastered, Ashes of the Singularity, Cyberpunk 2077, Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Far Cry 6, CS:GO and Hitman 3. The accessible reports do not provide a complete table of frame rates, settings or test-system components, so the findings are best read as workload-specific comparisons rather than a precise ranking for every PC setup.
#1 Best Overall
- AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, AMD Radeon RX 9070XT 16GB, 32GB DDR5 RGB 5200MHz 16x2 1TB NVMe SSD, WIFI Ready, Windows 11 Home
- Connectivity: 6 x USB 3.1 | 1x RJ-45 Network Ethernet 10/100/1000 | Audio: On board audio
- Special Add-Ons: Tempered Glass RGB Gaming Case | 802.11AC Wi-Fi Included | 16 Color RGB Lighting Case | Free iBuyPower Gaming Keyboard & RGB Gaming Mouse | No Bloatware
Results depended on the game
HotHardware’s summary of Digital Foundry’s tests says the 4800S performed similarly to the Ryzen 7 4750G in the CPU-heavy Ashes of the Singularity test, and trailed it only slightly in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Crysis 3 Remastered. Those outcomes show that the 4800S could hold up in some of the workloads tested; they do not establish that it leads comparable desktop CPUs overall.
Memory-sensitive tests were a weakness
HotHardware reported that the Ryzen 7 4750G led the 4800S by 41% in Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition. Its summary also describes large losses for the 4800S in Cyberpunk 2077, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Far Cry 6, CS:GO and Hitman 3. Tom’s Hardware likewise concluded that the kit did not outperform the compared Zen 2 processors across the suite. These are secondary accounts of Digital Foundry’s 2023 results; the Metro percentage is specific to that reported test, not a general gaming-performance figure. HotHardware’s benchmark summary and Tom’s Hardware’s analysis discuss the comparisons.
Rank #2
- Can deliver fast 100 plus FPS performance in the world's most popular games, discrete graphics card required
- 6 Cores and 12 processing threads, bundled with the AMD Wraith Stealth cooler
- 4.2 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 19 MB cache, DDR4-3200 support
- For the advanced Socket AM4 platform
Why GDDR6 bandwidth did not guarantee faster gaming
GDDR6 is central to the 4800S story because it comes from a console design in which the CPU and GPU share memory. Microsoft specifies 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 320-bit bus for Xbox Series X. That arrangement serves a system with an integrated GPU; it is not the same as pairing a desktop CPU with conventional DDR memory.
High memory bandwidth means data can be transferred quickly when a workload can use that throughput. It does not, by itself, make every memory access quick. Tom’s Hardware and HotHardware point to GDDR6’s higher latency as an explanation for why the 4800S struggled in some games, whose CPU-side simulation and other tasks can be sensitive to how quickly data becomes available. This is the reviewers’ interpretation of the observed results, not a comprehensive independent causal analysis. GDDR6 is not categorically unsuitable for computing: its role and trade-offs depend on the system it is designed to serve.
Rank #3
- Powerful Gaming Performance
- 8 Cores and 16 processing threads, based on AMD "Zen 3" architecture
- 4.8 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 36 MB cache, DDR4-3200 support
- For the AMD Socket AM4 platform, with PCIe 4.0 support
- AMD Wraith Prism Cooler with RGB LED included
How to interpret the results for a PC build
The review answers a narrow question: how this unusual kit performed in Digital Foundry’s 2023 game tests. It does not establish current performance relative to every processor, graphics card or game, and it should not be used to predict exact frame rates in a different setup.
- Compare like with like. A useful CPU comparison needs the game and scene, benchmark settings and resolution, graphics card, and average and low frame rates when reported.
- Identify the bottleneck. A test limited mainly by graphics hardware may say little about CPU performance; CPU- or memory-sensitive scenarios can reveal differences that a GPU-heavy test hides.
- Keep the 41% figure in context. It is HotHardware’s account of the Ryzen 7 4750G lead in Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition within Digital Foundry’s test—not a result that applies to every game or configuration.
- Remember the build requirement. The kit’s graphics are disabled, so its gaming performance depends on a separate graphics card as well as the game and configuration.
Digital Foundry’s original review is available as PC Gaming on the Xbox Series X CPU: AMD 4800S Desktop Kit Review.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- AMD Ryzen5 9600X CPU, AMD B850 Chipset motherboard, 16GB DDR5 6000MT/s RGB, 1TB NVMe M.2, WiFi, Windows 11
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8G, Display Port/HDMI
- ARGB Tower Air Cooler
- 2x USB 3.0, 1x Headphone, 1x Mic
- Panoramic Viewing with Front and Side Tempered Glass Panels
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →
