AMD Ryzen 5 2600X Processor Review

Final Thoughts

Pricing

The AMD Ryzen 5 Six-Core 2600X 4.2 GHz processor launches today for around £209.99. I have seen that price a little lower and higher, so shop around for the best deals as competitors aim to compete with each other. That’s fantastic value for money though. You can pick up a 1600X for just £158.99 now, so an extra £50 for the latest model with more features and performance is fantastic value for money. Keep in mind that the 1600X launched a year ago for £249.99.

Overview

AMD set a goal to improve pretty much every aspect of Ryzen for their second generation release, and they haven’t missed a beat. One of the limitations of the first generation was the single core performance and the clock speeds. Of course, AMD made up for it with a big core count and incredible multi-tasking, so it’s not like they were slow CPUs regardless. However, while not the most significant gains, the new generation is faster with better single core performance and higher clock speeds with the ability to boost all cores. When it comes to rendering, multi-tasking, gaming, and anything else really, the gains are there for all to see.

Performance

The new clock speed and the drop down to a 12nm process are by far the biggest improvements here. Of course, with XFR, the CPU is capable of boosting performance by basically overclocking its self if the thermal limit isn’t reached. Keep a big cooler on there, and the CPU will blaze a trail all day long. Of course, if you want to lock in an overclock manually, it’s easier than ever with Ryzen Master Utility, and even a beginner can overclock by merely boosting voltage and clock speeds. Honestly, most consumers won’t need to; the XFR does a great job. Of course, enthusiasts may want to overclock manually, and it does offer some performance gains for heavy-duty tasks.

Memory

The memory is one of the most significant improvements for Gen 2. The memory support is much broader right out the gates compared to Ryzen Gen 1 and supports much faster memory. We were able to set the 3400 MHz XMP profile with zero issues this time around, something we once had to battle with on X370. Not only that, but improvements to the memory systems mean that latency is down by a third, and that’s no bad thing.

Gaming

For most gamers, the increased core count over a more traditional quad-core is a welcome boost. Given how many gamers now love to stream their gameplay, use chat applications, overlays, and more, six cores is a significant upgrade. When it comes to delivering raw FPS, the 2600X is no slouch either, and while some rival CPUs may be a bit faster, it’s close enough that you would have a hard time telling the difference in a blind test. Of course, AMD’s new hardware dominates in content creation too, so if you work and game on your PC, you’re gaining more than you’re losing in my opinion.

Should I Buy One

I love the Ryzen 7 1700X, it’s my current CPU and has been for over a year now. The new 2700X blew me away this week though, with much-improved performance, but since it’s the most expensive Ryzen Gen 2 CPU, it may be a little out of reach for some, despite being reasonably priced at just £299.99. Of course, with a wallet-friendly price tag, and performance that’s pretty darn close to the 2700X in gaming, the new 2600X is a big win for consumers at just £209.99. Furthermore, if you combine that with a new X470 motherboard, and you’ll be reaping the benefits of XFR, StoreMI, SenseMI and other cool features that will future proof your new Ryzen based system.

Pros

• Fantastic value for money
• Nice performance boost over Gen 1 Ryzen
• CPU cooler included
• Higher Max Boost Clock
• Greatly improved memory performance
• 12nm process
• Improved power consumption and temperatures
• Works on any AM4 motherboard
• Fantastic gaming performance
• Great for multitasking

Cons

• None