The Best Ryzen CPUs (2023 Reviews)

AMD took the PC world by storm with the first generation of Ryzen processors in 2017. Affordable, high-core, and swift CPUs, which was something that Intel hadn’t done for years.

Since then, we’ve had several generations of Ryzen releases (the current latest generation being the 5000 series), and we are currently anticipating Ryzen 7000 (and mobile Ryzen 6000 too).

But, these previous generations of Ryzen have already provided us with more than enough powerful processors, and we are making this article to list the best of the bunch.

 Let’s get right into it!

The Ryzen 5 7600X was AMD’s best price-per-performance processor, but the Ryzen 5 7600 quickly took that over once it released.

Price

The Ryzen 5 7600 costs $230, $70 cheaper than the Ryzen 5 7600X, which is why it is one of the best value CPUs on the market right now, only challenged by Intel’s i5-13400f.

Performance

At this $230 price point, you will be getting a lot more than you think.

Take a look at this chart of 10 different games benchmarked:

For just $220, the Ryzen 5 7600 offers performance comparable to the i5-13600K and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.

But, even if we look at some of the $500+ high-end CPUs like the i9-13900K, we can see that this 6-core CPU is only 10% slower for more than half the price!

The only genuine downside is the fact that the 7600 has only 6 cores. So, higher core count processors like the i5-13600K will stomp it in productivity workloads.

Power Draw And Thermals

The Ryzen 7000 non-X CPUs offer incredible performance without the cost of extra power!

As we can see from Hardware Unboxed’s chart, the total system power consumption on the Ryzen 5 7600 is about 24 watts lower than the 7600X. It also draws 42% less power than the i5-13600K.

Although keep in mind that the i5 does have considerably better all-core performance.

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D and the Ryzen 9 7950X3D are the current fastest CPUs, offering performance identical to each other.

However, the 7800X3D also offers the finest high-end price-per-performance and power efficiency!

Price

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D launched on April 6, 2023 for $450. Is it worth it over alternatives like the i7-13700K or Ryzen 7 7700/X?

If you build a system that can deliver the most FPS in (most games), the 7800X3D is absolutely worth it.

Performance

As we mentioned previously, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the fastest gaming CPU along with the 7950X.

Here are the results from Hardware Unboxed’s benchmarking:

So, the X3D Ryzen 7 is only 1 FPS slower than the R9. In other words, they both offer the exact same level of performance.

But, the 8-core chip is $250 cheaper, so it’s a no-brainer option for a gaming system. Furthermore, it’s 3% faster than the $570 i9 and 6% faster than the $420 i7-13700K.

These performance differences are quite subtle and won’t impact one’s experience too much. However, there is one category which the Ryzen 7 7800X3D trumps everything else and that’s efficiency.

Power Draw And Thermals

Not only is this AMD processor the fastest gaming CPU, but it’s also one of the most power-efficient!

Gamers Nexus’ power draw testing in Blender puts the Ryzen 7 7800X3D in the top 4 most power-efficient CPUs.

So, in-game, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is probably even more efficient than the other X3D CPUs!

Ryzen Threadripper processors are currently among the most favored choices for building workstations, but the Pro 3995WX takes the cake.

Pricing

The Ryzen Threadripper Pro 3995WX might be outside most people’s budget since it has an MSRP of $5490, but it offers some of the best productivity performance available.

As an alternative, we recommend the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X simply because it’s $1500 cheaper for a minuscule difference in performance.

Performance

What can we really say about this beast of a processor? It has 64 cores and 128 threads boosting up to 4.2 GHz, and with that, it’s ready to tackle anything.

Looking at application benchmarks such as Blender or Corona, it’s always at the top of the charts.

Here are a few examples from Anandtech’s review.

As we can see, the Threadripper Pro 3995WX outperforms the 64-core 3990X only by a slight margin, but it is enough to demonstrate the potential of the $5500 CPU.

Compared to Intel’s counterparts, the Ryzen is nearly twice as swift in every application.

When it comes to compression, decompression, or encoding, the 3995WX blows any other CPU out of the water.

In a combined score of decompression and compression in 7-ZIP and in Handbrake encoding, the most expensive Threadripper shows its worth over the $3990 Ryzen Threadripper 3990X.

We skipped gaming benchmarks because this processor isn’t really built for that purpose. It is definitely possible to play games with it, though.

Power Draw And Thermals

A 64-core processor is expected to draw a lot of power, and the 3995WX absolutely does with a TDP of 280W. However, it never surpasses that 280W mark, even in AIDA stress tests.

There’s no point getting overly specific about the CPU’s temperatures because if you have such an expensive CPU, you should also have equipment ready to cool it.

The Ryzen 7 7700X is AMD’s best gaming CPU surpassing even the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.

Pricing

This Zen 4 Ryzen comes with a $400 price tag, taking over the 5800X3D’s position.

However, since the Ryzen 7 7700X can only be used with the generally more expensive AM5 platform (and DDR5,) the 5800X3D offers a better bang for your buck.

Performance

Wherever you look, you’ll see the Ryzen 7 7700X on top of in-game benchmarks, slightly behind the i9-13900K, a $589 CPU.

Here are a few illustrations Hardware Unboxed:

This chart gives a good representation of the current CPU market status. However, most users (without an RTX 4090) will be GPU-bound, which means that the difference in performance will be even lesser.

When it comes to productivity workloads, the Ryzen 7 7700X isn’t that strong.

Here, have a look for yourself:

The 7700X has only 8 cores and has trouble competing against the 24 thread i7-13700K.

Power Draw And Thermals

Power consumption is another factor worth considering.

The 7700X requires a little more power in all-core tasks compared to its previous version. The i7-13700K consumes over 50% power, but it also provides a 50% enhanced performance, making the additional power necessary.

For thermals, during all-core workloads, all Ryzen 7000 CPUs are designed to run at 95 degrees Celsius to deliver the best performance even when paired with a powerful cooler.

The Ryzen 9 7950X is AMD’s latest top model and it’s the finest processor you can obtain for efficient tasks.

It didn’t get any additional cores compared to its predecessor (Ryzen 9 5950X), but with Zen 4 cores now boosting up to 5.7 GHz, the 7950X trounces the 5950X in any app.

It’s also rather swift in gaming too.

Pricing

The Ryzen 9 7950X released in late September 2022 with an MSRP of $699, undercutting the 5950X by $100.

However, Intel’s $589 reply puts the new Ryzen 9 in a unfavorable position. Why?

Let’s look at some performance charts to show you what we mean!

Performance

The Ryzen 9 7950X is undoubtedly incredibly fast in apps like Blender, Corona, Adobe Premiere Pro, and many others, but, the i9-13900K’s performance is right behind its heels.

Here are a few charts by Hardware Unboxed that can clarify the situation a bit better:

We can see a pattern here. The 13900K is always nearby to the 7950X’s performance while costing around $100 less.

So, depending on which apps you plan on using and your importance on saving time is what should determine which CPU to get.

In Blender, the Ryzen 9 will finish the render 13% faster than the i9. Long-term, that will help you save a lot of time!

Here’s some gaming numbers too:

Power Draw And Thermals

One of the main qualities of the 7950X is its power draw. In productivity work, this 16-core processor actually consumes less power than the 5900X, even though it has fewer cores.

Not only that, but even with Alder Lake’s performance and efficiency cores, it is still considerably more efficient than the i9-12900K.

You can observe that in Hardware Unboxed’s review of the i9 in the timestamped video below:

With Blender working at its fullest, the total system power consumption is just 221 watts with the 5950X.

On the other hand, the 12900K system pulls 362W, about 60% more power than the Ryzen.

The Ryzen 5 5600 remains AMD’s top budget option, offering good value. It is reasonably priced, features 6 cores and 12 threads, performs well in gaming, and has low energy usage.

This title was previously held by the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Price

The Ryzen 5 5600X’s quickly lost its footing in the CPU hierarchy because of its little brother, the Ryzen 5 5600, which costs only $200.

With this $200 six-core CPU, you can build an entire system for as low as $500. Grab a good B450, B550, or A520 motherboard for less than $100, two sticks of DDR5 RAM, and you’re set.

Alternatively, you could check out the i5-12400 or i7-10700K (used) in this price range.

Performance

With Alder Lake on the horizon, the Ryzen 5600 isn’t as appealing. Although it’s reasonably priced, Intel’s rival, the Intel i5-12400, offers similar performance at a more affordable cost (approximately $180).

However, this Ryzen 5 is still a remarkable CPU, especially if you already have an AM4-based system.

If we look at performance numbers, this six-core Ryzen easily competes against 11^th generation i7s and is even close to the 12600K.

Here’s a benchmark in Rainbow Six: Siege:

The Ryzen 5600 provides FPS comparable to the i7-12900K.

In comparison to older generations of Ryzen or Intel processors, note that the 5600X is more than 20% faster when using a high-end GPU such as the 6900 XT. For example, the 10600K is around 18% slower.

Gaming performance is definitely the CPU’s strong point, but that doesn’t mean it can’t do any productivity work.

Take a look at these app performance tests:

In Blender And Adobe Premiere Pro, the Ryzen 5 5600 outputs performance comparable to the i9-9900K. It’s quite close to the i7-11700K too.

So, not bad at all, considering it’s just a 12-thread CPU. Even if you plan to use this processor for more than gaming, it is absolutely capable.

Power Draw And Thermals

It’s not always just about having performance. It’s important to consider other factors such as power draw and thermals.

Fortunately, this Ryzen processor has quite low power consumption, never exceeding 70W (if PBO is off). Thanks to this low power draw, temperatures stay pretty low, so users don’t need a beefy cooler to keep the processor cool.

Even with Alder Lake’s efficiency cores, the 5600 still has the lowest power draw than the i5s.

We’ve talked about some of the most expensive, mid-end, and high-end processors. But, we can’t end this article without discussing Ryzen’s budget SKUs. Specifically, the Ryzen 3300X.

Pricing

The 3300X is a strong 4-core processor, priced at $140. However, since it has been on the market for a while, it is possible to get it for $100 or less.

The best contender against this Ryzen is the Intel Core i3-12100.

Performance

In the first half of 2020, the Ryzen 3300X was released and wiped the floor with Intel’s counterparts.

We’ll use some newer benchmarks, but first, we want to share some older ones to show just how impactful this processor was.

Here’s a Far Cry 5 benchmark from Tom’s Hardware:

The 3300X is fast as the Ryzen 5 3600 in Far Cry 5. If overclocked to 4.5 GHz, the processor surpasses the 3600. Intel’s i3s, i5s, and even previous flagships like the i7-7700K barely keep up with this $140 processor.

Of course, the 3600 will be faster in games with better multi-core optimizations like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey or Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Now, looking at some new performance benchmarks against Alder Lake, Intel’s new budget CPU is naturally faster.

However, considering that the 3300X is almost two generations older than Intel’s i3, these FPS numbers are still quite impressive.

If you can grab this Ryzen 3 for less than $100, that’s a definite win.

Don’t anticipate high productivity from the 3300X, but it possesses some multi-core capability to leverage.

Against the i3-12100, the Ryzen is (about 15% to 20%) slower even in 7-Zip compression, which is usually where AMD CPUs prevail.

Either way, it’s possible to use this budget CPU for some light productivity work if you really need to.

Power Draw And Thermals

Power usage is like the Ryzen 5 3600 (around 150W), so anticipate comparable temperatures.

Here are the operating temperatures tested by Hardware Unboxed.

Combining it with any type of aftermarket cooler should maintain this processor at approximately 70 or 75 degrees (Celsius).

Which Ryzen CPU Should You Get?

Out of these five incredible processors available right now, which one should you get?

Well, the biggest factor in this decision will be your budget. If you’re saving up for a GPU, you should cut down on your CPU costs and get something like a 3600 or a 3300X.

If you can afford a mid-range CPU, definitely go for the 5600X.

For the ideal gaming experience with a Ryzen processor, there is no alternative than the Ryzen 9 5950X.

And, finally, if budget isn’t any kind of obstacle and you don’t prioritize gaming, the Ryzen Threadripper Pro 3995WX is the go-to for rendering, encoding, etc.

Either way, we recommend checking out Intel’s best processors to ensure that you get the best CPU out of your money.