As mentioned above, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D is available exclusively at Micro Center. This means that if you’re outside of the U.S. or don’t live close to a Micro Center, you’ll probably be forced to skip this CPU. This is an interesting launch strategy for AMD, and it might have something to do with the low availability of the chip. After all, launching so late in the AM4 lifecycle, it’s probably the last Zen 3 desktop CPU to ever be released — that is, unless AMD manages to surprise us yet again. As for thermals, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D remained relatively cool during our tests, peaking at 78 degrees C. This is a hotter operating temp than a few competing chips, like the Core i5-12600K and the Ryzen 7 7700, but it was lower than the newer Core i5-13600K and Ryzen 5 7600X. Verdict: A Processor Out of Time The processors included in the charts below were tested using one of three different platforms depending on whether the chip in question was an Intel processor, an AMD AM4 processor, or an AMD AM5 processor. Using the same motherboard for all chips obviously wasn’t possible due to compatibility issues, but the rest of the hardware used for testing was standardized. Though I could have included more Ryzen 5000 Series processors in this comparison, I opted to mostly compare with more current processors that will actively compete with the Ryzen 5 5600X3D on the open market. This includes the Ryzen 5 7600 and the Intel Core i5-12600K, both of which have similar prices. I did include the Ryzen 7 5700X, which uses the same platform as the Ryzen 5 5600X3D and has an even lower street price.

If the 5600X3D performs as expected, that would yield an impressive fps-per-dollar metric that easily outstrips a system built around the Core i5-13400, despite their similar pricing. However, the 5600X3D does have two fewer cores than the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and that chip already trails the Core i5-13400 in application benchmarks (particularly in single-threaded applications). Also, all the usual caveats of the 3D V-Cache technology will apply — this tech results in reduced performance in some productivity apps and doesn’t accelerate all games, so you'll need to ensure that it fits your needs. For as long as I can remember, I've had love of all things tech, spurred on, in part, by a love of gaming. I began working on computers owned by immediate family members and relatives when I was around 10 years old. I've always sought to learn as much as possible about anything PC, leading to a well-rounded grasp on all things tech today. In my role at PCMag, I greatly enjoy the opportunity to share what I know.

95% of the 5800X3D’s gaming performance for 20% less cash

In short, you'll easily find far better processors for the price than the Ryzen 5 5600X3D. The asking price also makes it less than appetizing as an upgrade option for an existing AM4-based system. Sure, it might get a slight edge in games over the Ryzen 7 5700X, but performance in every other task with the Ryzen 5 5600X3D is significantly worse. Unless you only use your PC for gaming, the Ryzen 7 5700X is a more tantalizing option and, unless you run on something as slow as one of AMD’s AM4 Athlon chips or a Ryzen 3, the cost still feels prohibitive compared with the amount of performance you would expect to see from upgrading. You’d be far better off instead to save that money and put it toward a newer system.

As for thermals, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D remained relatively cool during our tests, peaking at 78 degrees C. This is a hotter operating temp than a few competing chips, like the Core i5-12600K and the Ryzen 7 7700, but it was lower than the newer Core i5-13600K and Ryzen 5 7600X. In these tests, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D managed a few exceedingly small wins. In 3DMark Time Spy, the processor was once again the slowest in the charts, but in F1 22 it managed to beat out several other chips with slightly better performance at 1080p. It wasn’t the fastest option in the list, but the Ryzen 5 5600X3D did beat the Ryzen 7 5700X for a change, as well as the Ryzen 5 7800X3D and several others. This boost was present at 2K and 4K resolutions as well.In the grand scheme of things, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D not only delivers exceptional power on its own merits but also acts as a fitting tribute to the long-lived and versatile AM4 platform. It’s a testament to AMD’s dedication to offering value to budget-conscious gamers and is certainly a worthy addition to any gaming rig. FAQs Is 3D V-cache worth it? However, a closer look reveals a more strategic move. This affordable and high-performing option has effectively maintained the loyalty of early Ryzen adopters, preventing them from switching to Intel’s newer Raptor Lake platforms. Therefore, this approach not only offers value to customers but also strengthens AMD’s market position. AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D: Final thoughts You’ll need to carefully assess your common usage and workloads if you’re upgrading to a 5600X3D, and plan accordingly. While you gain tremendously in gaming performance, you will lose quite a bit of performance in applications. If you’re upgrading an existing AM4 system and looking for a more balanced performer, you should give the eight-core Ryzen 7 5700X a close look. This chip is great a value at its current retail pricing. The 5600X3D is a new entry in the older Ryzen 5000 series, so it comes with the Zen 3 architecture, 7nm process node, and drops into last-gen AM4 motherboards. In contrast, AMD's newest Ryzen 7000 chips come with the faster Zen 4 architecture etched on the 5nm process and drop into newer AM5 motherboards. However, those chips carry a premium and require more expensive DDR5 memory, while the 5600X3D supports more economical DDR4, giving it an easy win in terms of total system cost.