Just when it seems that the Ryzen 5000 line is ready to be retired, AMD pulls out another new product. Quietly, without fanfare, the company has added to its website Ryzen 5 5500X3D processor. This is a simplified version of last year’s chip 5600X3Dwhich has slightly lower frequencies and still runs on the Zen 3 architecture. Apparently, AMD has decided that it’s too early to bury the AM4 — and this may be good news for those who don’t plan to change their motherboard in the near future.
So, Ryzen 5 5500X3D — is a 6-core processor that supports the simultaneous processing of 12 threads of instructions. Its base frequency is 3.0 GHz, and the boost allows you to increase the frequency to 4.0 GHz. For comparison, the 5600X3D has 3.3 and 4.4 GHz, respectively. The rest of the specifications are almost the same: the same 96 MB of L3 cache, a 105W thermal package, and Zen 3 architecture, which is still at the top of the budget builds.
Interestingly, AMD has not yet announced the recommended price and has not added this new product to any online store. But if we focus on the Ryzen 5 5600X3D, which started at $230, the new processor will probably cost about $200. However, as with other X3D chips, the most pressing issue will not be the price, but the availability — because their predecessors were sold in rather limited quantities.
If you’re building a «PC from scratch», it’s better to look towards the AM5 platform — for example, at Ryzen 5 7600X or 9600X. And not just because of performance. The new models have built-in graphics that help a lot during testing or crashes. And the prospect of future upgrades is also a plus.
However, if you already have a good old AM4 board and your budget doesn’t allow you to splurge, Ryzen 5 5500X3D can be a good option — especially if you’re looking for something affordable for gaming. Of course, it will be slower than the 5600X3D, let alone the 7600X. But if you are not ready to invest $250 in a Ryzen 7 5700X3D —, the choice is quite logical.
AMD is once again giving AM4 the chance to have the last word. Whether you should grab this chance depends on your motherboard and your wallet.
Source: notebookcheck