Best AMD CPUs to Get if You Can’t Wait for Ryzen 9000

AMD has announced its Ryzen 9000 series desktop CPUs that are based on the Zen 5 platform, and they will be available for purchase to the public soon. For now, there are four SKUs in the lineup, ranging from the Ryzen 5 9600X up to the Ryzen 9 9950X. Even though there has been a Ryzen 8000 series of processors, they were only available as APUs and for laptops, which makes the Ryzen 9000 series the true successor to the Ryzen 7000 desktop processors.

The Ryzen 9000 series is still unavailable to the public, but there are quite a few previous-generation SKUs that can deliver incredible performance in 2024. These chips are great for gaming and productivity and, for the most part, offer great value in terms of price and performance. AMD has steadily gained a lot of ground in a market that Intel dominated for the longest time, and the Ryzen 7000 and Ryzen 5000 series CPUs are to thank for that. With that said, here are some of the best AMD CPUs to get right now.

Game Rant’s Picks for the Best AMD CPUs to Get if You Can’t Wait for Ryzen 9000

AMD’s Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU has made it quite easy to pick the best overall option when it comes to gaming. It was released early last year and still stands as the best gaming CPU in terms of its value and efficiency. The 3D series of CPUs from AMD utilizes 3D V-Cache technology, which allows for higher cache, even though the core count is not as impressive as some of the other options. It comes with 8 MB of level 2 cache and 96 MB of level 3 cache.

The 7800X3D comes with eight cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.2 GHz and a boost clock speed of up to 5 GHz. On paper, these are not top-tier specifications, but in real-world gaming performance, this CPU can crush any modern AAA game, depending on what GPU you pair it with. The Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 120W makes it a highly efficient processor as others at this level of performance consume significantly more power.

The CPU supports overclocking, Precision Boost 2, and other AMD technologies. It is based on the AM5 platform, so if you already use an X/B/A 600/800 series motherboard, you’re good with just buying the new CPU. The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D stands as the best AMD CPU overall at under $400 if you can’t wait for the Ryzen 9000 series.

Those looking for the absolute best gaming CPU from AMD should look at the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. As the name suggests, it uses AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology, which allows for an impressive 128MB of L3 cache. Even though it has higher clock speeds than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D at 4.2 GHz base and 5.7 GHz boost, the 7950X3D uses the same amount of power at 120W. That means you do not need to splurge on a 1000W+ PSU to get the most out of this CPU.

You can also push this CPU further with some strategic overclocking, but make sure you have an appropriate cooling system in place to handle the extra heat. AMD recommends a liquid cooler to use this CPU optimally, though a good air cooler should suffice at stock settings.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D supports all the latest AMD technologies, including Precision Boost Overdrive, support for AMD Ryzen Master, AMD EXPO Technology, and more. You also get integrated Radeon graphics with this chip and PCIe 5.0 support. In real-world gaming performance, there isn’t a significant difference between the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, but with tasks that put a heavy load on the CPU, the 7950X3D shines brighter.

At around $200 (even lower if you’re lucky), the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X CPU stands as the best budget AMD CPU, even though a slightly cheaper AMD Ryzen 5 7600 CPU is also available. Because of the extra performance and not that much of a price difference, the 7600X takes the cake for the best budget-friendly AMD CPU. The processor is equipped with six cores and 12 threads, which is a bit low considering 2024 standards. The cores can boost up to 5.3 GHz, which is respectable, and so is the 32MB of L3 cache.

For an excellent 1080p or 1440p gaming experience, the Ryzen 5 7600X comes in clutch when paired with a mid to high-end GPU. Thanks to the various graphics enhancement technologies from AMD and Nvidia, the budget-friendly options have become a lot more capable. The chip also supports overclocking, so you can squeeze a bit more overall performance.

You also get support for PCIe 5.0 with the 7600X, making it future-proof. While the built-in AMD Radeon graphics will not be powerful enough to enjoy AAA games, they can help troubleshoot display issues. As mentioned earlier, you can even go in for a cheaper AMD CPU, the Ryzen 5 7600, but you will lose some performance, but at 1080p, it should be more than enough.

A step above the budget-friendly Ryzen 5 7600X is the Ryzen 7 7700X processor, which provides a significant jump in performance without a significant jump in price (at least when the Ryzen 5 7600X is not on sale). Its older brother, the Ryzen 9 7900X, costs a lot more, which takes it out of the mid-range class and closer to the high-end. At under $300, the Ryzen 7 7700X is perfect for gaming and productivity.

The CPU comes with eight cores and 16 threads with a maximum boost clock speed of 5.4 GHz. You get 32MB of L3 cache and a fairly low power draw of just 105W, which is the same as the 7600X, making it one of the most efficient processors on the market. What’s impressive is that it can be overclocked to get more performance, which pushes it closer to the 7900X for significantly less money.

AMD recommends a premium air cooler to optimally use this processor, which is on point considering the low power draw. You should be fine with a decent air cooler as long as you are not planning on overclocking. Furthermore, the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, like the others in the family, supports the latest AMD technologies and comes with integrated Radeon graphics.

AMD is currently on its AM5 socket, which supports the Ryzen 7000 series processors and the new Ryzen 9000 series offerings. It enables PCIe 5.0 support and a maximum power delivery of 230W. On the other hand, the AM4 socket that the Ryzen 1000 to Ryzen 5000 series processors are based on is still very capable and sufficient for gaming and productivity in 2024. The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is a prime example of that and is the best AM4 offering from AMD.

You get 16 cores and 32 threads with a boost clock of 4.9 GHz, which by 2024 standard is low, but the ample core count and impressive 64MB of L3 cache make the 5950X a great performer. Despite the high core count and cache, the processor only consumes 105W of power. While that is a fairly low power draw, it was the maximum among the Ryzen 5000 CPUs, but the newer Ryzen 7000 series processors can deliver better performance at a similar TDP. In fact, the 7000 series did not see that much of a TDP bump, which goes to show how efficient AMD’s processes are.

It should be noted that even though it is a top-of-the-line processor in the Ryzen 5000 series, it does not come with integrated graphics, so make sure you have a solid graphics card for gaming. Another thing to note is that as the industry slowly moves towards the PCIe 5.0 interface for GPUs, storage drives, and other components, you will feel left out. But till that happens, the Ryzen 9 5950X is a solid CPU overall.

Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) typically have lower performance than dedicated CPUs as they are a combination of a CPU and a GPU packaged into one chip. While they work great as laptop processors and media center PCs, they are not the best for gaming, especially in modern AAA titles. But, if gaming is not your focus, and you are looking for an efficient APU, the Ryzen 7 8700G is the way to go. It is the best APU in AMD’s Ryzen 8000 series of processors.

For the CPU side of things, the 8700G gets eight cores and 16 threads with a maximum boost clock of 5.1 GHz. There is only 16MB of L3 cache and a TDP of 65W. As for the GPU, there is a Radeon 780M built into the chip that has 12 cores and a maximum frequency of 2900MHz. It is an unlocked APU, so you can overclock it to squeeze a bit more performance, which should be sufficient to run casual games at acceptable resolutions and frame rates.

Even though it is based on the AM5 socket, you only get PCIe 4.0 support, which can be considered a drawback when you look at where the industry is headed and the price of this APU. Speaking of which, the processor can be purchased for around $300, which does put it in the mid-range, alongside the much more powerful Ryzen 7 7700X CPU.

Factors to Consider When Looking for the Best AMD CPUs to Get if You Can’t Wait for Ryzen 9000

Core Count and Clock Speeds: It is ideal to get a processor with at least eight cores and support for multi-threading. Typically, the higher the core count, the better the performance. Another factor to consider is the clock speeds. Similar to core count, higher is better. Different CPUs can boost up to different frequencies and while Intel is still king when it comes to core counts and clock speeds, AMD offerings can deliver similar performance with fewer cores and lower clock speeds.

Socket: The socket will determine the compatibility with different motherboards. Ryzen CPUs are either AM4 or AM5 socket compatible with the Ryzen 7000 and later chips are based on the AM5 platform. If you are currently using a Ryzen 1000 to Ryzen 5000 series CPU and want to upgrade to Ryzen 7000, you will need to get a new motherboard as well.

Budget: Both AMD and Intel do a good job when it comes to offering CPUs in a multitude of price ranges. They can start as low as $100 (or even less) and go upwards of $600, which is quite a bit to invest in just the CPU. However, with so many options on the market, there is something for everyone.

FAQ

Q: Which AMD CPU is the most powerful?

The recently released Ryzen 9 9950X CPU is the most powerful in AMD’s lineup. As for the ones available for purchase right now, the Ryzen 9 7950X/7950X3D takes the lead.

Q: Is Ryzen 9 better than Ryzen 7?

According to AMD’s CPU nomenclature, the Ryzen 5 series are for budget-friendly shoppers, the Ryzen 7 series is for those looking for strong performance, and the Ryzen 9 series is for the enthusiasts who want nothing but the best. The Ryzen 9 series offerings deliver better performance than the Ryzen 7 offerings.