By now, we are all aware of just how successful AMD’s comeback has been, to the point that AMD almost dethroned Intel as the processor king in the market.
However, the one thing that still confuses most people is the difference between the numbers that AMD use for their processors. Namely, Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7, and Ryzen 9.
If we are to go by the general rule of thumb, the higher the number, the better the processor. This is the same formula that Intel has been following for years now.
The Zen architecture also has the Threadripper series of processors, but since they do not use the same numbering scheme that AMD uses for more mainstream processors, we are going to keep them out of the list
Still, for those who are looking for more information, we are going to be looking at the differences between Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, and Ryzen 7. So, let’s not waste time and have a look, shall we?
Note: To avoid any complications, we are only considering the desktop variant of processors from the given series. The same formula applies to the laptop series of processors, but will not be discussed.
Ryzen 3
The first category is the AMD’s Ryzen 3 series of CPUs. Believe it or not, this is a lot like Intel Core i3 lineup of processors. To start off, in the first generation of Ryzen CPUs, AMD launched 2 processors. Namely the Ryzen 3 1200 and 1300X. Both of these CPUs were geared towards entry-level users, and were overclockable with the TDP of 65 watts.
When AMD released the 2nd generation of Ryzen processors, they came up with the Ryzen 3 2300X – a 4 core, 4 thread processor with the same TDP but with the support for higher RAM speeds.
The thing about Ryzen 3 series of processors is that they are certainly on the cheaper side with all the processors retailing for less than $200.
This is certainly a great value and something that you should definitely pay attention to if you are building an affordable gaming PC.
Further Read:
- Best Ryzen 3 Motherboards
- Best Ryzen 3 RAMs
AMD Ryzen 3 3200G 4-Core Unlocked Desktop Processor with Radeon Graphics
- Includes advanced Radeon Vega 8 graphics, no expensive graphics card required
- Can deliver smooth high definition performance in the world’s most popular games
- 4 processing cores, bundled with the quiet AMD Wraith stealth cooler
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Ryzen 5
The AMD Ryzen 5 is more mainstream than the Ryzen 3, however, it is not just about mainstream.
This series of processors also focuses on having better performance, and higher core count as well. For starters, the Ryzen 5 1400 and 1500X offer 4 cores with 8 threads, and higher base and boost clocks as well. The TDP, however, remains the same.
Then at the higher end, we have the Ryzen 5 1600 and 1600X, offering 6 cores and 12 threads with the Ryzen 1600X offering higher TDP of 95 watts.
Moving on to the second generation of Ryzen 5 processors, we have the Ryzen 5 2500X with 4 cores 8 threads, Ryzen 5 2600E with 6 cores 12 threads but a lower TDP of 45 watts. Then you have the Ryzen 5 2600 and 2600X with 6 cores 12 threads and 65 watts and 95 watts TDP respectively.
The generation 2 processors also have higher RAM speed, and as we all know, AMD does benefit from a higher RAM speed much better than Intel does.
The Ryzen 5 processors are definitely good. These are most suited for gaming PCs that are on the higher end of the spectrum and can perform some decent productivity tasks as well. These processors start from sub $200 to the upper limits.
Further Read:
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
- The world’s most advanced processor in the desktop PC gaming segment
- Can deliver ultra-fast 100+ FPS performance in the world’s most popular games
- 6 cores and 12 processing threads bundled with the quiet AMD wraith stealth cooler max temps 95°C
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Ryzen 7
The last on the list is the Ryzen 7 series, this one is reserved for the high-performance processors that are available in the. Nearly all the processors in this list come with 8 cores and 16 threads with higher power draw as well.
The first one is the Ryzen 7 1700 with a draw of 65 watts and boasts 8 cores and 16 threads. The 1700X and 1800X follow the same route when it comes to the core count and thread count, but have higher TDP of 95 watts.
The shift to 95 watts is great because it shows better overclocking then the lower rated TDP.
Then in the second generation of Ryzen 7 processors, we get a bit more variation with the Ryzen 7 2700X being one of the cheaper options with 45 watts TDP.
The Ryzen 7 2700 comes with 65 watts TDP, and the Ryzen 7 Pro 2700X and the Ryzen 7 2700X comes with 95 watts TDP and support for faster memory speeds as well.
The Ryzen 7 series of processors is great for nearly every task. Whether you are looking to play games, do productivity tasks, or just browse the internet. This is the definitive series that will handle whatever task you throw at it.
Even though these are on the expensive side of thing as compared to both the Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5, the good news is that their increased core count makes them well worth the price that you will have to pay for them.
Further Read:
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core, 16-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Prism LED Cooler
- The world’s most advanced processor in the desktop PC gaming segment
- Can deliver ultra-fast 100+ FPS performance in the world’s most popular games
- 8 cores and 16 processing threads, bundled with the AMD Wraith Prism cooler with color controlled LED support
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Ryzen 9
Following what Intel did in late 2018, AMD has now added one more category in their consumer CPUs and released Ryzen 9 3900X (and 3950X expected to be released soon) alongside other Ryzen 3000 CPUs in July 2019.
This move makes Ryzen 3900X the direct competitor of Intel i9 9900K. Thanks to things like 7nm micro-architecture, 12 cores, and 24 threads, the former is winning both in terms of benchmarks as well as in real-life performance (like gaming and video editing etc).
Ryzen 3900X has a big brother 3950X that hasn’t been released as of now. In 3950X, AMD has tried to bridge the gap between their consumer and threadripper CPUs by making a 16-core, 32-thread beast.
Further Read:
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-core, 24-thread unlocked desktop processor with Wraith Prism LED Cooler
- The world’s most advanced processor in the desktop PC gaming segment
- Can deliver ultra-fast 100+ FPS performance in the world’s most popular games
- 12 cores and 24 processing threads, bundled with the AMD Wraith Prism cooler with color controlled LED support
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Conclusion
AMD’s stance in the market is much better than it was before. The company has launched two successful generations of processors that they targeted towards every consumer type, and the best part is that they have absolutely no plans to stop.
Because AMD is releasing the third generation of Ryzen processors pretty soon. As far as the changes are concerned, we cannot be sure by now, but it is safe to say that higher clock speeds, along with more options are certainly going to be on the series.