Hey there! As an experienced tech specialist and PC builder, I know that choosing the best CPU for your needs can be tricky. AMD‘s Ryzen processors have been very popular options in recent years, and today I wanted to give you an in-depth performance breakdown between two of their top models:
- AMD Ryzen 7 3700X: 8 cores, 16 threads, launched July 2019, Zen 2 CPU architecture
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600X: 6 cores, 12 threads, launched November 2020, Zen 3 architecture
These may seem very similar on paper, but Zen 3 brings some nice IPC and efficiency gains that we‘ll analyze shortly. My goal here is to compare all the key specs, real-world benchmarks, and pricing so you can determine which one fits best for your upcoming PC build or upgrade.
Let‘s first quickly understand the generational improvements Zen 3 brings compared to Zen 2…
Zen 2 vs Zen 3 Architectures Overview
The Ryzen 3000 series CPUs, including the 3700X, utilized AMD’s Zen 2 architecture built on 7nm manufacturing technology. At the time, Zen 2 delivered some nice improvements in IPC (instructions per cycle) and power efficiency over the original Zen and Zen+ architectures.
However, in late 2020, AMD launched their next evolution – known as Zen 3 – in the newer Ryzen 5000 series. The Ryzen 5600X uses this updated design on the same 7nm process node.
So what changes did Zen 3 bring? Here are some of the most notable:
-
19% increased IPC (instructions per clock): By reducing latency and improving certain data pathways, Zen 3 cores can accomplish more work per clock cycle compared to Zen 2 or Intel.
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Single CCD design: Zen 3 consolidates all cores into one CCD (core complex die) vs having two CCDs. This reduced latency and again improved IPC.
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Up to 2X L3 cache: By utilizing one CCD, the available L3 cache accessible by each core doubled from 16MB to 32MB. This helps performance for memory-intensive workloads.
-
Higher sustainable boost clocks: Optimizations allow Zen 3 cores to run at higher frequencies under heavy and sustained workloads.
These architectural upgrades focused mainly on extracting more performance per core, rather than just adding more cores like with previous generations. As you‘ll see shortly when we analyze benchmarks, this pays dividends in many usage scenarios.
Next, let’s compare the technical specifications between the Ryzen 5600X and 3700X processors.
Specifications Comparison
Here is a technical overview of how these two CPUs differ:
| Specification | Ryzen 7 3700X | Ryzen 5 5600X |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Process | 7nm | 7nm |
| CPU Cores | 8 | 6 |
| CPU Threads | 16 | 12 |
| Base CPU Clock | 3.6GHz | 3.7GHz |
| Max Boost Clock | 4.4GHz | 4.6GHz |
| Total Cache (L2+L3) | 36MB | 38MB |
| PCIe Version | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
| TDP | 65W | 65W |
| Architecture | Zen 2 | Zen 3 |
| Launch Date | July 2019 | November 2020 |
Reviewing the above chart, we immediately notice a few key contrasts:
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The Ryzen 7 3700X has a 25% core and 33% thread advantage (8C/16T vs 6C/12T).
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The 5600X holds a 4% base clock and 5% max boost clock lead.
-
Total available cache is slightly more on the 5600X (by ~5%).
So while the 3700X brings extra multi-threaded muscle, the 5600X offers faster core speeds and architectural IPC enhancements that directly impact single and lightly threaded workload performance.
As complex as all this may sound, it will make more sense shortly when we see real benchmarks in both gaming, creative, and productivity applications.
First though, let‘s quickly frame up the pricing and position in the product stack between these two CPU options…
Pricing and Market Position Overview
As mid-range processors in AMD‘s mainstream Ryzen 5000 and 3000 lineups respectively, here is how the 5600X and 3700X compare pricing-wise:
| CPU | Launch MSRP | Jan 2023 Street Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 3700X | $329 | $220 |
| Ryzen 5 5600X | $299 | $145 |
(Source: AMD, Amazon, Newegg)
So while the 3700X initially launched at a $30 (10%) premium over the 5600X, persistent discounts over the last 6+ months have completely reversed pricing dynamics.
As of early 2023, the street price has settled with the Ryzen 5600X costing 35% less compared to the aging, but still very capable, Ryzen 7 3700X.
For most mid-range gaming systems or general use cases today, I‘d argue the 5600X clearly delivers much better bang-for-the-buck based on latest pricing trends.
But CPUs aren’t purchased in a vacuum. We should also understand how overall platform costs with motherboards also compare:
| CPU + Motherboard Combo | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 3700X + MSI B550 Tomahawk | $345 |
| Ryzen 5 5600X + MSI B550 Tomahawk | $305 |
Basing pricing on a recommended B550 motherboard pairing, we still see at least a 10-15% lower platform cost when opting for the newer Zen3-based Ryzen 5600X.
Of course, you can tune budgets based on your specific needs. But generally, the 5600X plus a solid B550 motherboard seems to offer better efficiency right now for mid-range setups.
Of course, benchmark performance is also critical. So let‘s dive into some apples-to-apples testing.
CPU Performance Benchmarks
Now for the fun part…comparing actual FPS, render times, compile speeds, and more.
Based on testing from various sources, including Gamers Nexus, Tom‘s Hardware, Anandtech, and more, here is a summary of benchmark results:
Gaming FPS Performance
For PC gaming, smooth high frame rates translate directly to a better overall experience. Here is how these two CPUs compare running several modern games at 1080p resolution:
| Game Title | Ryzen 7 3700X | Ryzen 5 5600X | Avg FPS Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 108 fps | 142 fps | 31% |
| Gears Tactics | 164 fps | 217 fps | 32% |
| Far Cry 5 | 106 fps | 114 fps | 7% |
Key Finding: The Zen 3-powered Ryzen 5600X shows significant leads in overall average FPS across multiple game engines. Real world differences while playing would be very noticeable and favorable towards the 5600X.
Lightly threaded games able to leverage the improved IPC are seeing 20-30% performance upticks, while even heavily threaded titles are averaging high single digit gains.
Comparing the 5600X to similarly priced Intel 11th Gen counterpart, the performance tradeoffs are also clear:
| CPU | Horizon Zero FPS | Avg Gain vs 11600K |
|---|---|---|
| Core i5-11600K | 135 fps | +5% |
| Ryzen 5 5600X | 142 fps | +5% |
So we see the 5600X keeping pace evenly with Intel‘s competing 6 core chip while costing around 10-15% less. That‘s an exceptional value for gamers.
Now let‘s check productivity performance…
Application & Rendering Benchmarks
For creative professionals, workstation usage, code compiling, video production, 3D rendering, and more, how do these two Ryzen processors stack up?
Here are benchmark results from Puget Systems and others testing simulation, building engineering models, compilation speeds, and effects rendering using common software like Blender, Autodesk, Visual Studio, and more:
| Workload | Ryzen 7 3700X | Ryzen 5 5600X | Time Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code Compile (Make) | 153 sec | 160 sec | 4.6% slower |
| V-Ray Render | 46 sec | 44 sec | 4.3% faster |
| Blender BMW Render | 4 min 12 sec | 4 min 28 sec | 3.8% slower |
| MATLAB Calculation | 19 sec | 20 sec | 5.3% slower |
So when using creative apps that utilize all available threads, the 3700X‘s extra 2 cores and 4 threads are certainly helping close the gap. We see performance leads in the 3-5% range on average.
However, thanks to the IPC and latency optimizations discussed earlier, the deficits are relatively small. Both CPUs still complete all workloads tested in nearly the same wall clock times.
So even for seriously demanding tasks, while not quite as quick, losing only a few seconds over nearly 5 minute renders is likely an acceptable tradeoff if it meets budget constraints.
Power Efficiency Comparison
Aside from raw performance, power utilization and thermals are other critical elements to examine:
| CPU | Base TDP | Peak Package Power Draw | Cooler |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 3700X | 65W | 88W | Wraith Prism RGB |
| Ryzen 5 5600X | 65W | 81W | Wraith Stealth |
Considering the 5600X matches or exceeds the 3700X in virtually all tests done while drawing 7-15% less power seems quite remarkable. The efficiency gains of Zen 3 are measurable.
This combination of performance plus lower power should also allow for quieter system builds, cooler overall thermals, and likely more overclocking headroom with the 5600X.
Overclocking Comparison
Since both CPUs have unlocked multipliers, overclocking potential allows enthusiasts to extract additional performance.
| CPU | Average Manual OC | OC Headroom |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 3700X | 4.3 GHz | 16% |
| Ryzen 5 5600X | 4.85 GHz | 11% |
Community overclocking results show the 5600X as the winner here too. While the 3700X tops out around 4.3 GHz across all cores before temperatures become problematic, the 5600X keeps scaling higher thanks to having just 6 cores to cool instead of 8.
Accounting for overclocking headroom combined with the architectural IPC advantages, the per-core performance lead of the 5600X over the 3700X grows to roughly 15-20% on average in various benchmarks.
Which CPU Should You Pick?
Given everything we just compared, here is my high-level advice given latest pricing:
For Pure Gaming Rigs
The Ryzen 5 5600X is the clear suggestion. It offers significantly higher FPS output in most game engines tested while costing over 30% less. That‘s easy math for gamers trying to maximize budgets.
Few titles effectively use more than 6 cores today anyway. So why pay extra for unnecessary surplus resources given similar single threaded output? Plus this leaves room in your build budget for a better GPU.
For Productivity-Focused Setups
If you fall into the category of professional content creator, developer, or workstation user where every second of render time and multi-threaded scalability matters, the extra ~5% performance from the Ryzen 7 3700X in prolonged tasks like compilation, encoding, simulation, 3D modeling may justify itself long term from a ROI perspective.
Personally unless you explicitly know your daily workflow is heavily threaded, I‘d still probably invest the $75 price difference into doubling SSD capacity instead for example. But for some commercial use cases, I concede the 3700X argument makes sense if time literally equals money.
For Balanced Gaming + Creation Rigs
Majority of home power users likely do a mix of gaming, content creation, and productivity. For balanced workloads, the Ryzen 5 5600X remains my still pick.
It‘s only marginally behind the 3700X in multi-threaded tests. Yet has sizeable leads in gaming FPS and lightly threaded tasks you’ll notice daily. Better efficiency and overclocking potential are nice bonuses too.
Given the usage patterns of most home consumers, the 5600X should provide excellent performance, plenty of multi-tasking muscle, and great value at its lower price point.
I hope this transparent look at how the Ryzen 7 3700X vs Ryzen 5600X compare on paper and in real-world testing helps you feel confident picking the best CPU for your personal needs and budget! Let me know if any other questions come up.
