What you need to know
- AMD's Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X desktop processors based on the new Zen 5 architecture are now available to buy.
- Both chips run at a 65W TDP; the former chip has six cores and the latter has eight cores.
- The Ryzen 5 costs $279 while the Ryzen 7 costs $359, cheaper than their Ryzen 7000 equivalents at launch.
- Ryzen 9 9900X and Ryzen 9 9950X processors are expected to launch August 15, 2024.
AMD has released its first Ryzen 9000 desktop processors (CPU) into the wild. The Ryzen 9000 release date was slightly delayed due to some quality control issues — a misbranding that confused Ryzen 5, 7, and 9 names — but the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X can now be purchased at major retailers like Best Buy, Newegg, and Amazon.
Pricing is competitive, with the Ryzen 5 9600X coming in at $279 and the Ryzen 7 9700X hitting $359. That puts the new Ryzen 5 at $10 less than the launch price of the Ryzen 5 7600X and the new Ryzen 7 at $40 less than the Ryzen 7 7700X's launch price.
These first two CPUs are mainly focused on PC gaming and productivity, with next week's expected Ryzen 9 9900X and 9950X launch better suited for creators and designers with heavier workloads. It's also expected that X3D versions of the CPUs with AMD's 3D V-Cache made specifically for gaming are in the works, though there's no official confirmation yet.
AMD's Ryzen 5 9600X features 6 cores, 12 threads, a boost clock up to 5.4GHz, and a 65W TDP. It's unlocked for overclocking, and it works on AM5 motherboards, including those with X670 and B650 chipsets. It launches at $279, which is $10 cheaper than the Ryzen 5 7600X launch price. The chip does not come bundled with a cooler.
AMD's Ryzen 7 9700X is a step up from the new Ryzen 5 chip. It has 8 cores, 16 threads, a boost clock up to 5.5GHz, and a 65W TDP. It's overclockable and it works with AM5 motherboards. Expect to pay about $359, which is $40 less than the Ryzen 7 7700X launch price. AMD does not include a cooler with the chip.
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AMD's first Zen 5 desktop CPUs are here
AMD's latest "Granite Ridge" desktop CPUs are based on the new Zen 5 architecture, and they slot into AM5 motherboards. While the next-gen X870 and X870E boards are expected to launch later this year, there are still plenty of options to pair with your new Ryzen 5 5600X or Ryzen 7 9700X.
Out of the boards available now, X670 and B650 (and their E variants) are likely your best bet. I have a list of the best motherboards for the Ryzen 7 9700X if you're wondering where to start.
Here's a look at the specs that make up each CPU.
Windows Central Editor Ben Wilson was most impressed with the Ryzen 7 chip thanks to its strong price-to-performance ratio. In his Ryzen 7 9700X review, Wilson said on the subject of single-core performance:
"AMD mostly annihilates its competition in single-core performance, as the Ryzen 7 9700X shoots to the top of the pile with some of the best scores we've seen to date, save only for a CPU-Z result against Intel's 14th Gen i7-14700K. Given the lower physical core count of 8 on the 9700X compared to 20 on the 14700K, it's logical that each core can receive a higher share of wattage and offer stronger performance."
Wilson also shared these insights regarding multi-core performance from the Ryzen 7 9700X:
"AMD's efforts to achieve this multi-core performance at half the power of Intel's competing chips shouldn't be understated. A 40W base TDP drop from the previous-gen 105W Ryzen 7 7700X hasn't stopped the Ryzen 7 9700X from delivering a decent generational performance uplift, though it's certainly far from the significant leap AMD made from the 65W 5700X. Still, it's an impressive metric as AMD moves from Zen 4's 5nm manufacturing process to TSMC's 4nm and is part of an overall showcase in performance-per-watt improvements for the Ryzen 9000 Series."
Here's a closer look at how the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X performance compares to the competition from Intel and AMD itself.
As for the Ryzen 5 9600X, it's not quite as impressive as its Ryzen 7 sibling but was good enough to receive a Windows Central Recommended Award. In his Ryzen 5 9600X review, Wilson said:
"The entry-level chip of any processor generation is never expected to blow the previous range out of the water. However, AMD still delivers incredible single-core performance with the Ryzen 5 9600X. It pulls ahead of, or at least matches, every comparable Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processor and does it all with a lower TDP and more affordable MSRP. Still, it's not going to tempt those who already adopted the Ryzen 7000 Series or Intel's 12th, 13th, or 14th Gen Core desktop chips."
Are the new AMD Ryzen 9000 CPUs for you?
Whether or not the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X appeal to you really depends on what you currently have in your PC and how you plan on using your PC.
The Ryzen 7 9700X has boosted single-core performance significantly, and any games or creative apps that can benefit will see an improvement. Even if you're just focused on gaming, the new Ryzen 7 chip should be one of the best choices on the market for a stellar mid-range experience.
On the other hand, enthusiasts who want the best performance from a Ryzen 7 should wait for AMD's -X3D variants that we're expecting to launch in the future. And for those who already have an AMD Ryzen 7700X chip, the performance gains probably aren't enough to warrant spending about $359 again so soon.
In the case of the Ryzen 5 9600X, enthusiast gamers will no doubt want to either check out the last-gen Ryzen 7 7800X3D or wait for the expected released of Ryzen 9000X3D variants. These chips are built specifically for gaming purposes.
On the other hand, AMD makes an argument for those who can benefit from single-core performance gains. The Ryzen 5 9600X also makes sense if you're upgrading from AM4 and want to keep things within a tighter budget.
