AMD Ryzen 5 April 11th Full Launch Details Confirmed
Samuel Wan / 8 years ago
Early this month, AMD launched their new Ryzen 7 processors with their latest Zen architecture. At long last, AMD had competitive chips to face off against Intel and offer unprecedented value. At the same time, Ryzen 7 is still too expensive for many users at $350+. This is where Ryzen 5 comes in with sub $250 processors. According to AMD’s latest slides that were accidently released, the entire lineup will arrive in just under a month on April 11th.
In total, AMD is preparing a total of 4 Ryzen 5 processors. We have the 1600X, 1600, 1500X and 1400 available on launch date. The former two feature 6 cores and 12 threads while the later two are quad cores with 8 threads in total. All 4 processors are unlocked with the main differentiator being the stock clock speed. All 4 processors also feature XFR for an extra boost over the stated boost clock with the X branded chips boosting a bit higher.
The 1600X as the flagship features the highest clocks at 3.6 GHz base and 4.0 GHz boost with a price tag of $249. The 1600 clocks significantly lower at 3.2 GHz base and 3.6 GHz boost with a cost of $219. The 1500X clocks in at 3.5 GHz with a boost to 3.7 GHz and a price tag of $189. Last of all, we have the Ryzen 5 1400 which is the bottom of the stack at a meagre 3.2 GHz base and 3.4 GHz boost for a tiny price tag of $169.
Compared to the corresponding Intel lineup, AMD is undercutting prices by about 50% for the same core count. Ryzen 5 is reportedly focused on 1080p gaming which makes sense due to the lower prices. My main concern is the relatively low clocks and limited OC headroom which are more poignant at 1080p than 1440p and 4K. Hopefully, we will get more information about Ryzen 5 as we get closer to launch.