Best AM4 CPUs of 2024 — [Tested & Reviewed Top 6 Processors]

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X

Brand: AMD | Series/Family: AMD Ryzen 9 Desktop Processors | Core Architecture: AMD Zen 3 | Lithography: TSMC 7nm FinFET | Cores: 12 | Threads: 24 | Cache: 64KB L1 (Per Core), 6MB L2, 64MB L3 | Multi-Threading: Yes | Unlocked Multiplier: Yes | Integrated graphics: No | Socket: AMD AM4 | Base clock: 3.7GHz | Boost clock: 4.8GHz | Rated TDP: 105W | Bundled cooler: Not included

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is known for bringing the biggest gen-on-gen jump in single-core performance in years. So, we can say that this CPU is not just powerful enough for creative work and gaming but is one of the strongest beasts across the board.

The best part is, if you are upgrading from the Ryzen 9 3900X, you wouldn’t have to purchase a new motherboard. If you are using an AM4 motherboard with PCIe 4.0 support, you can simply upgrade the CPU without much investment; this is the best CPU in this case. 

Although Zen 2 and Zen 3 CPU architectures may look the same as both are 7nm, AMD has redesigned the architecture for Ryzen 9 5900X. You get better IPC efficiency and performance. 

In addition, Zen 3 architecture reduces latency by having a single 8-core Core Complex (CCX) in each compute die (CCD) instead of two 4-core CCXs in Zen 2. This change also provides each CCX with a full 32MB of L3 cache, doubling the cache from Zen 2.

So, what does this mean for 5900X? While there is the same 64MB cache on 5900X and 3900X, each core on 5900X has direct access to 32MB; it is 16MB on 3900X. This is a BIG improvement.

What We Liked? 

As for the raw specs, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor with a top clock speed of 4.8GHz and a base speed of 3.7GHz. Other than the PCIe 4.0 support, this process can go smoothly with the DDR4 memory with a 3200 MT/s data flow rate. 

NOTE: It uses about the same power (105W TDP) as the 9 3900X. In tests, it proved even more efficient, using 142.27W compared to the 3900X’s 145.3W, showcasing Zen 3’s improved efficiency.

One mainstream platform, AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, is way ahead of its predecessor, Ryzen 9 3900X, and even its main rival, the Intel Core i9-10900k. We have practically tested and proved this statement. 

During the testing, the 5900X performed 8% better than the i9-10900k, with about 80 more frames per second; the same was true for the 3900X. For the Intel-favored game Three Kingdoms, the 5900X was 116 fps on 1080p while the i9-10900K was 108; it is a 7% difference. 

No need to get a new motherboard; the X570 motherboard (or any other 500-series or a few 400-series) will work best with the AMD Ryzen 5000 processors. All you need to do is upgrade the BIOS on your motherboard upon installing the new processor.

What We Don’t Like?

The only thing we don’t like about the Ryzen 9 5900X is the uncomfortably high temperatures, as this keeps trying to boost the performance; temperature also increases alongside. 

During our testing, this chip was able to touch 86°C even with a 360mm AIO cooler attached. But there is no need to be worried about it. Why? AMD has already said that this chip will reach a peak operating temperature of 98°C; it will be safe.

In addition, AMD has not included a Wraith cooler, so you will need to get an aftermarket cooling solution. We suggest opting for a Noctua NH-U12A or a 240mm AIO liquid cooler.

Who Is This For?

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X suits both gamers and content creators because this is a powerful 12-core, 24-thread CPU for excellent single-core gaming performance. 

Moreover, such single-core performance also helps to improve multi-core graphics workloads for creative work. In addition, this chip gives a significant jump in single-core performance than its predecessor, Ryzen 9 3900X. 

So, if you want a true upgrade from the Ryzen 2000/3000 series chip, we are sure this processor is your best candidate. 

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X

Brand: AMD | Series/Family: AMD Ryzen 9 Desktop Processors | Core Architecture: AMD Zen 3 | Lithography: TSMC 7nm FinFET | Cores: 16 | Threads: 32 | Cache: 64KB L1 (Per Core), 8MB L2, 64MB L3 | Multi-Threading: Yes | Unlocked Multiplier: Yes | Integrated graphics: No | Socket: AMD AM4 | Base clock: 3.4GHz | Boost clock: 4.9GHz | Rated TDP: 105W | Bundled cooler: Not included

If we look at the AMD Ryzen 3000 processors, these gave us really strong multi-threaded performance, especially for content creation and creative tasks. Team Red has even further improved its Ryzen 5000 family, and the 9 5950X takes the top spot. 

The performance-focused Zen 3 family shares several similar features among all the members, including 5950X. It has lower power consumption and cooling requirements and improved multi-threaded performance, giving strong competition to Intel. 

With 16 cores and 32 threads, the 9 5950X almost falls into the HEDT class of processors. This high core and thread count is particularly advantageous for tasks that can take advantage of parallel processing, such as content creation, 3D rendering, and video editing.

The base clock speed of the Ryzen 9 5950X is 3.4 GHz, and it can boost to a maximum of 4.9 GHz, which allows for excellent single- and multi-threaded performance. It has 72MB of combined L2 and L3 cache, which contributes to faster data access and processing.

What We Liked? 

There are many aspects of the 5950X we like the most, which may be similar to the whole 5000 series processors. First of all, there is reduced core-to-core latency than Ryzen 3000 members, which means there is going to be better gaming performance.  

Additionally, when we compare it to its closest rival, the Intel i9-10980 XE Extreme Edition, AMD claims that the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is 8% better at formatting models and 23% faster at rendering models. This is the reason the 5950X is one of our favorite AM4 CPUs.

The TDP (power usage) of the Ryzen 9 5950X remains an impressive 105W. AMD might want to officially increase this, but remember that they want the 5950X to work with cheaper B450 and A520 motherboards that can provide less power.

NOTE: Just be cautious about your motherboard’s BIOS support. If you are only updating the CPU, not the motherboard, you may encounter issues due to missing BIOS updates.

What We Don’t Like?

In gaming, Zen 3 is a big improvement over Zen 2 and the Ryzen 3000-series chips. It doesn’t completely beat Intel, but it takes away Intel’s edge in gaming, which many people believe in. 

No doubt, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is considered a serious powerhouse for gaming. However, we notice that in some situations, the 5800X is a bit better than the 5950X, so it’s not easy to say the 5950X is the absolute best gaming CPU, despite what AMD says.

So, despite having a 4.9GHz maximum clock boost or even more, the 5950X doesn’t necessarily win significantly against its little brother, the 5800X. We think it is better to go for 5800X, save some money, and opt for a faster GPU to get excellent gaming performance. 

Although the 5950X wins against Intel i9-10980 XE Extreme Edition, this is not the case for the Core i9-12900K. The Core i9-12900K surprisingly wins for single- and multi-threaded workloads despite the fact that the 5950X has a larger L3 cache and a more modern manufacturing process.

Unlike the 5600X, all the AMD 5000-series processors lack a bundled cooler, and the 5950X is one of them. This is not good news for those who seek the best value for the money. 

Although the 5950X is still impressive since it draws less power than an Intel Core i9 9900K with a double number of cores, it can still get a bit hot under heavy loads. We suggest having a decent 240mm AIO or a 360mm rad if you are a serious overclocker. 

Who Is This For?

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is definitely a perfect pick for those who have a lot of bucks to burn and want the top-tier 5000-series processor. This CPU lets you even squeeze the extra bit of gaming efficiency that its little brother, 5900X, may compromise. 

But CPUs have purposes beyond gaming. So, when you think about their lower cooling needs, impressive power efficiency, platform excellence, and unmatched multitasking abilities for creative work, and top-notch gaming performance, the 5950X stands as the leader.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Brand: AMD | Series/Family: AMD Ryzen 7 Desktop Processors | Core Architecture: AMD Zen 3 (Vermeer) | Lithography: TSMC 7nm FinFET | Cores: 8 | Threads: 16 | Cache: 512KB L1, 4MB L2, 96MB L3 | Multi-Threading: Yes | Unlocked Multiplier: Yes | Integrated graphics: No | Socket: AMD AM4 | Base clock: 3.4GHz | Boost clock: 4.5GHz | Rated TDP: 105W | Bundled cooler: Not included

In April 2022, the time when AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D was first launched, it was the fastest gaming processor the Team Red had ever created. It is architecturally the same as the Ryzen 7 5800X with a huge amount of extra cache memory embedded on the CPU die. 

This means you can build a more robust gaming rig while sticking to the same AM4 motherboard and cooling solution, only upgrading the processor. Only the 400-series motherboards, such as X470 and B450 and those launched after, are compatible with this masterpiece.

NOTE: When updating to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D from the earlier Ryzen processors, simply swap out the CPUs, do the BIOS update, and you will be good to go. 

Other than clock speeds and cache memory, pretty much all the things are similar between the Ryzen 7 5800X and 5800X3D. Both have an 8-core, 16-thread set-up in a simple chiplet. This means there are going to be no inter-chiplet latencies, so better overall efficiency.  

The standard 5800X has a base and boost clock speed of 3.8GHz and 4.7GHz, respectively. But the 5800X3D has a base clock speed of 3.4GHz while a 4.5GHz boost clock speed; both are lower. But these lower frequencies won’t matter much in gaming with the extra cache. 

What We Liked?

The reason why the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D performs so well and stands out among its competition is AMD’s new 3D V-Cache technology. It has a 96 MB L3 cache memory, which is way more than the original 5800X with only 32MB L3 cache memory. 

The extra cache chip is linked to the CCD’s L3 cache. This triples the amount of cache that the processing cores can use. This helps the CPU avoid needing to fetch data from the main memory, which would take more time and energy.

In simple terms, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a really powerful processor. It can keep up with or even beat some of the expensive processors like the Ryzen 9 5950X. Sometimes, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is even better than the Core i9 12900K for gaming, which is a big deal. 

In Total War: Warhammer III, Ryzen 7 5800X3D, 9 5900X, and 9 5950X were about the same and ran at 57 frames per second at the highest settings. Similarly, in Dirt 5, all three processors achieved a frame rate of 94 frames per second when running at 4K resolution. 

When we tested them with Hitman 3 at 4K resolution and Ultra settings, the 5950X and 5900X reached 134 and 133 frames per second, respectively. Surprisingly, the 5800X3D performed even better, pushing out 141 frames per second under the same conditions.

What We Don’t Like?

One significant limitation is that we can no longer overclock the Ryzen 7 5800X3D since AMD’s 3D V-Cache is intrinsically connected to voltage management. This is not good news for overclockers. However, you can still overclock the system memory and Infinity Fabric.

For non-gaming tasks, such as content creation, development, or general use, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D doesn’t offer much beyond other Ryzen chips. While the 3D V-Cache provides impressive testing results for gaming, this is not the case across other uses. 

Who Is This For?

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the best gaming processor if you care too much about the budget and price-for-performance ratio. You can utilize AMD’s new 3D V-Cache technology to get the most out of all the games without upgrading the AM4 motherboard.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

Brand: AMD | Series/Family: AMD Ryzen 7 Desktop Processors | Core Architecture: AMD Zen 3 | Lithography: TSMC 7nm FinFET | Cores: 8 | Threads: 16 | Cache: 512KB L1, 4MB L2, 32MB L3 | Multi-Threading: Yes | Unlocked Multiplier: Yes | Integrated graphics: No | Socket: AMD AM4 | Base clock: 3.8GHz | Boost clock: 4.7GHz | Rated TDP: 105W | Bundled cooler: Not included

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is another popular processor on the market due to its quite approachable price and impressively improved performance over its previous generation, the Ryzen 7 3800X/3800XT. It helped AMD give strong competition to Intel, even more than 9 5900X.

To complete Intel’s ever-green high clock speeds reins in the gaming processor market, AMD redesigned its Zen 3 core architecture. AMD altered the Core Die (CCD) structure, although the 7 5800X is still based on 7nm lithography as its predecessor; it permits one Core Complex per die. 

While the Zen 2 has 4 cores per CCX, this chip’s each CCX has 8 cores now to reduce latency. Moreover, each core can directly access the 32MB L3 cache to get the most out of the gaming performance. This is the reason why the 7 5800X was the most impactful upgrade to gaming CPU performance at the time of launch.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X has 8 cores and 16 threads alongside a much better single-core performance. Other than that, this unlocked, overclockable processor has a 3.8GHz that can go up to 4.7GHz max boost clock. It also supports DDR-3200 memory. 

What We Liked?

If you are already upgrading from the Ryzen 7 3800X (or any other AM4 CPU) and using an X570 motherboard, you don’t have to purchase a new motherboard. Simply swap the older CPU with this 7 5800X, update the BIOS, and just put this chip into whatever you want. 

If we compare this 7 5800X with 4.7GHz max clock speed to the 7 3800X with 4.5GHz, there is only a 200MHz difference, which isn’t a lot. But since all 8 cores have direct access to all the cache on 5800X, IPC (instructions per clock) capability is enhanced by 39% in games, said AMD. 

Moreover, despite the fact there is only a minor increase in frequency, we have seen a massively improved single-core performance during our tests. Likewise, the multi-core performance is also way better considering the single-core performance boost. 

In the case of Cinebench R20 testing against the 7 3800XT, we found the 7 5800X was about 18% faster in single-core and 12% faster in multi-core performance. Moreover, it provides about 19% and 20% faster results in single- and multi-core, respectively, than the Intel Core i9-9900K. 

We saw the same performance in Total War: Three Kingdoms; the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X led the 10900K by 7%. Although this single-digit performance increases, it is still significant since the 10900k has an even higher max boost clock speed with the exact cores and threads.

In short, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X clearly knocks out its predecessor, 7 3800X/3800XT, and the Intel Core i9-10900K. In addition, it provides almost the same gaming performance as the Ryzen 9 5900X at 1080p graphics settings. The 5800X is one of the best gaming processors. 

What We Don’t Like?

No doubt, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is a killer processor if we look at how it performs. However, there is no Wraith cooler included with it. So, since the CPU can touch up to 87°C, even with a 360mm AIO cooler, you will need to invest in a good-quality aftermarket cooling solution. 

Another thing we found a bit unhappy about is that this chip isn’t as impressive for content creation as it is for gaming. The boost in gaming performance justifies upgrading to the Ryzen 7 5800X, but the improvement isn’t as significant for creative applications.

Who Is This For?

This 8-core, 16-thread AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is for those who want to play games while not focusing much on content creation. With excellent single-core and multi-core performance, this CPU beats the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X/3800XT and the Intel Core i9-10900K.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

Brand: AMD | Series/Family: AMD Ryzen 5 Desktop Processors | Core Architecture: AMD Zen 3 | Lithography: TSMC 7nm FinFET | Cores: 6 | Threads: 12 | Cache: 384KB L1, 3MB L2, 32MB L3 | Multi-Threading: Yes | Unlocked Multiplier: Yes | Integrated graphics: No | Socket: AMD AM4 | Base clock: 3.7GHz | Boost clock: 4.6GHz | Rated TDP: 65W | Bundled cooler: AMD Wraith Stealth

Not everybody can spend a lot of bucks on just a process, and AMD knows this better than us. While AMD has high-end, pricier CPUs in its Ryzen 5000 series, such as Ryzen 9 5950X and the 9 5900X, it also has a few affordable names; the Ryzen 5 5600X is the one.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X has acquired a top spot in the gaming community for good performance and a lower price. This chip is AMD’s most affordable Zen 3 option with 6 cores and 12 threads. It significantly beasts all of Intel’s rival chips for both affordability and performance. 

Built on the 7 nm manufacturing process, it has 4,150 million transistors included in its structure. During our testing, we were able to increase its base frequency of 3.7GHz up to the 5GHz mark despite the fact its official peak frequency is 4.6GHz. 

Other features of this masterpiece include PCIe 4.0 support and DDR4 memory support with 3200 MT/s memory speed. This process can work with 400/500 series motherboards; we suggest having a good-quality 500-series mobo, although a 400-series shows no connectivity issues. 

What We Liked?

First of all, the Ryzen 5 5600X is based on Zen 3 core architecture. It means you are going to enjoy about a 19% IPS boost, so better overall performance than the CPUs with Zen 2 architecture. 

There are many other improvements as well in this chip compared to the previous ones. For example, it has a single eight-core complex (CCX) design. The 5600X performs way better than the Ryzen 5 3600X for gaming due to lower latencies and travel time between the cores. 

In terms of single-core performance, the 5600X is super fast. In terms of statistics, there’s a 23% increase over the Ryzen 3600 and an 18% improvement over the Ryzen 3700X. These gains are noteworthy, especially if we consider that both of those CPUs are already quite powerful.

Although processors like the Core i5-13600K are faster, the gaming performance of the Ryzen 5 5600X holds its ground. It achieved an average of 189 frames per second in our Hitman 3 benchmark at 1080p with an RTX 2080 Ti, indicating that it can support high-end graphics cards with minimal performance restrictions.

For comparison, a more powerful Intel Core i9-13900K reached 208 frames per second during our tests, which might be hard to notice unless you have a super-fast monitor and sharp eyes.

What We Don’t Like?

In the price bracket, this Ryzen 5 5600X comes, we didn’t find any significant drawback in it. Still, there are a few things we think everybody should know about it. 

First, this chip has no integrated graphics. This might not be an issue for a pro gamer since they have to pair an external graphics card anyway to handle graphics-intensive workloads, this might not be good news for those who need the integrated graphics for other uses. 

Secondly, there is no PCIe 5.0 support on this chip, making it a less future-proof candidate compared to an Intel 12th-generation CPU or later or a Ryzen 7000 series chip. 

Who Is This For?

The Ryzen 5 5600X  is perfect for those who don’t want very premium features such as DDR5 support, PCIe 5.0, etc., instead, a budget-friendly AM4 chip to play games at 1080p setting with a 3-digit frame rate. It is also equally suitable for creative professionals as well.

AMD Ryzen 7 5700X

Brand: AMD | Series/Family: AMD Ryzen 7 Desktop Processors | Core Architecture: AMD Zen 3 (Vermeer) | Lithography: TSMC 7nm FinFET | Cores: 8 | Threads: 16 | Cache: KB 512L1, 4MB L2, 32MB L3 | Multi-Threading: Yes | Unlocked Multiplier: Yes | Integrated graphics: No | Socket: AMD AM4 | Base clock: 3.4GHz | Boost clock: 4.6GHz | Rated TDP: 65W | Bundled cooler: Not Included

We saw the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X as the best desktop CPU when it launched in 2020 for its best performance for content creation and gaming. Similar to the 5800X, today, we have the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X with nearly identical performance but at a very lower price. 

The Ryzen 7 5700X is similar to the Ryzen 7 5800X. Both are 8-core 16-thread processors with simultaneous multithreading that can handle two tasks at once, 32MB of Level 3 cache, use AMD’s Zen 3 core architecture, and are made with a TSMC’s 7-nanometer FinFET process. You can also overclock them to boost performance. Basically, they’re almost identical chips.

The 7 5700X, like the 5 5700G, has the same memory, clock speeds, and IPC improvements while having the same TDP value of 65 watts. But the 5700X has more cache than its “G” variant, 32MB vs 16MB. But it lacks the integrated graphics while the 5700G has them. 

What We Liked?

Performance-wise, the Ryzen 7 5700X is just impressive; it was able to stand against the Core i7-12700K and Core i5-12600K as well for its performance. The 5700X finished the job before both the competing “Alder Lake” processors in our HandBrake and POV-Ray tests. 

In the POV-Ray test, the Ryzen 7 5700X came very close to matching the performance of the Ryzen 7 5800X. Both AMD CPUs showed similar results in most of our tests, although the Ryzen 7 5800X did have a slight performance edge more frequently.

If we talk about 4k gaming statistics, this is where the Core i5-12600K and the Ryzen 7 5800X perform better than the Ryzen 7 5700X. But at 1080p, we found pretty much all the processors, the 5700X, 5800X, and i5-12600K, performed similarly. 

The Core i5-12600K was ahead of the Ryzen 7 5700X by 5% at 1080p and 10% when running at 4K resolution. For example, when testing for Rainbow Six Siege, Intel won by 4% at 4K despite the fact that the AMD chip performed about 6% better than Intel at 1080p. 

NOTE: On activating Precision Boost Overdrive on the 5700X, it essentially becomes a 5800X, and we can’t really notice any differences. This makes the pricier 5800X seem almost unnecessary.

What We Don’t Like?

First of all, the 7 5700X has lower clock speeds than the previous 5800X. Although the difference is too low, considering the slashed TDP, this is still something worth telling. 

The 5700X comes with 3.4GHz/4.6GHz base/boost clock speed, while the 5800X has 3.4GHz/4.7GHz base/boost frequencies, respectively. Although both the CPUs won’t perform significantly differently from each other, the 5800X still performs better due to extra overclocking. 

The 5700X also falls behind its more affordable competitor, the Intel Core i5-12600K, in terms of both the number of cores and overall performance. Moreover, this Intel’s counterpart has more clock speeds and better 4k gaming performance statistics. 

Who Is This For?

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X will suit those users who want to build an affordable PC to do their graphics-related productive tasks while enjoying gaming as well. It is also a better alternative to the pricier Ryzen 7 5800X with almost the same performance. 

However, the 7 5700X is unable to beat the Core i5-12600K in terms of price, core count, and performance. So, the 5700X is the most suitable option for those enthusiasts who want to upgrade from a Ryzen 1000, 2000, or 3000 series desktop without changing the entire rig.