AMD Ryzen 5 Vs. Ryzen 9: Which Is The Best CPU For Gaming?

• 

  AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

  A great gaming CPU

  AMD’s Ryzen 5 7600X is one of the company’s more affordable processors from this generation. Even so, it has 6 physical cores and 12 threads, making it a great choice for gamers who want to play their favorite PC titles.

  Pros

  • More affordable
  • Better price to performance

  Cons

  • Isn’t as powerful for other tasks

• 

  AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

  The best CPU for everything else

  If you need to do more than just gaming on the PC, I’d recommend moving up to the more expensive AMD Ryzen 9 7900X. It has double the number of cores and threads, offering superior performance with the same CPU socket.

  Pros

  • Superior performance
  • Uses the same AM5 socket

Picking the right processor for your gaming can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not familiar with all the different CPU SKUs. AMD’s line-up of chips offers impressive performance, whether it’s the entry-level Ryzen 5 or flagship Ryzen 9. There’s a processor designed for just about any computing task. When shopping around for an AMD chip, you may wonder what the difference is between the Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 9 families for gaming. This guide will run you through everything to make the right decision.

Specifications

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a clear winner when comparing the two processors. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X has 6 cores and 12 threads and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X has 12 cores and 24 threads. Both CPUs are built using the same TSMC 5nm manufacturing process and use the same AM5 socket. Speeds aren’t terribly different as both CPUs have the same base clock speed of 4.7 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X can boost higher to 5.6 GHz compared to the 5.4 GHz on the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X.

• 	AMD Ryzen 5 7600X	AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
  Socket	AM5	AM5
  Cores	6	12
  Threads	12	24
  Base Clock Speed	4.7 GHz	4.7 GHz
  Boost Clock Speed	5.4 GHz	5.6 GHz
  Graphics	Radeon RDNA 2	AMD Radeon Graphics
  Architecture	Zen 4	Zen 4
  Process	TSMC 5nm	TSMC 5nm
  TDP	105W	170 W

AMD Radeon graphics are present on both CPUs though I wouldn’t recommend relying on the RDNA 2 GPU to play games. These integrated graphics aren’t designed for gaming and are primarily used for displaying output should a discrete GPU not be available. Because of the higher core count, the AMD Ryzen 9 family of processors has a higher TDP, unless you opt for the 7900 without PBO enabled.

Performance

Source: XDA-Developers

Comparing the performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and AMD Ryzen 9 7900X processors we’re using in this comparison was an easy task. First, we looked at raw computing power, using tools such as Geekbench and CPU-Z. As expected, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is the clear winner for both single and multi-core tests. This is down to the sheer number of cores as well as higher boost speeds. Also, from the scoring, it’s clear that the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is no slouch.

This is how the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a clear winner for productivity. If you use the PC for anything other than gaming and have the budget to spare, the Ryzen 9 family of processors is the better buy. For gaming, however, the differences aren’t as large. Most PC games only use one or a few cores/threads and because the clock speeds are similar, the Ryzen 5 can keep up with the Ryzen 9 when paired with the same GPU. For the absolute best performance in games, however, it’s best to go with an AMD CPU with a 3D V-Cache.

All games were run using the same test bench configuration but the processor. The CPU was attached to a B650 motherboard with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, and an NVMe SSD. Even though you’d be saving a considerable sum of money through purchasing an AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, you won’t be missing out on performance in games, unless you’re chasing the best frame rates.

Which is better for gaming: Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 9?

This depends on what you need to use the PC for. If it’s for gaming alone, I’d recommend the AMD Rzyen 5. It has all the performance you need (and then some). Overclocking the speeds slightly should yield better results in games that don’t make use of all available cores. This would bring the processor up to the levels of a Ryzen 7 or even a Ryzen 9 if the CPU can handle the additional loads and you have adequate cooling.

AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

AMD’s new entry-level chip is actually its best for gaming with incredible single-core performance and an attractive price tag to boot.

You can’t beat the AMD Ryzen 9 chips for performance and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is one of the best value CPUs from this family. It doubles the number of cores and threads found inside the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and boosts the clock speeds. But when it comes down to it, the gains offered by the Ryzen 9 aren’t worth the additional cost for gaming alone. It’s not much faster than the Ryzen 5 outside of multi-core loads and in-game frame rates are still largely tied to the GPU.

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

With 12 cores, the Ryzen 9 7900X is the lighter weight flagship CPU of the Ryzen 7000 series. It’s great for both multicore workloads and gaming, and while it’s not as fast as the 7950X, it’s quite a bit cheaper.