The benchmarks of the Ryzen 7 processors are already online, and enthusiasts with larger budgets have jumped on AMD's new hardware. However, the Ryzen family still has several members to introduce, and the next turn belongs to the long-awaited Ryzen 5. One of the most interesting points is that there will be variants with 6 cores and 12 threads, and 4 cores and 8 threads, accompanied by very aggressive prices. How will they respond against Intel's Core i5? We'll know in about three weeks.
One of the great advantages that Intel enjoyed in recent years was the fact that its Core i5 and Core i3 processors developed enough performance to contain AMD's so-called hi-end. But the story has changed with the arrival of Ryzen. The Core i7-7700K managed to maintain the status quo and return every punch that the Ryzen 7 threw, however, the battle is going to extend across the entire spectrum of processors, and what was historically a privileged position for the Santa Clara giant could be compromised within a few weeks when the Ryzen 5 make their presence known. The official information has several differences compared to what was leaked in mid-February, so it is necessary to do a full review.
The Ryzen 5 lineup
The models available under the Ryzen 5 name will be four: 1600X, 1600, 1500X and 1400. The first two are processors with six cores and twelve processing threads, while their frequencies indicate 3.6/4.0 GHz for the 1600X, and 3.2/3.6 GHz for the standard 1600. Both chips have a 16 MB L3 cache and an additional 100 MHz XFR overclocking, but the TDP is 95 watts for the 1600X, and 65 watts for the 1600. At first glance it is obvious that AMD is reusing silicon here. The effective difference between the Ryzen 7 1800X and the Ryzen 5 1600X is only two cores, and the 1600 lowers the frequencies a bit. Of course, those adjustments are reflected in the price: The Ryzen 5 1600X has a value of $249, and the 1600 rises to $219.
Quad-core models: 1500X and 1400
The last two pieces come in four cores and eight threads, with frequencies of 3.5/3.7 GHz and 3.2/3.4 GHz respectively. The Ryzen 5 1400 maintains the 65-watt TDP, but its L3 cache drops to 8 MB, and it has 50 MHz of XFR. In contrast, the Ryzen 5 1500X begs to be overclocked. The size of its L3 cache is full (16 MB), and its XFR jumps to 200 MHz extra. The prices have been confirmed at $169 for the Ryzen 5 1400, and $189 for the 1500X.
Release date
The Ryzen 5 series will arrive on shelves on April 11.
