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AMD Ryzen 5 5600X vs AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against desktop processors at a similar price

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X scores 5.4/10 overall, ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X at 5.1/10.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X leads on single-core performance.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X leads on multi-core performance and platform.

They score the same on efficiency and integrated graphics.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

5.1/10verdict: good, not the best

The Ryzen 5 5600X is for people building a desktop or workstation who want strong per-core speed from six cores. It suits developers and gamers who already plan to fit a graphics card. It is a poor fit for a headless or always-on homelab box, because it has no integrated graphics and owner reports mention higher idle power than expected.

Typically about £145.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

5.4/10verdict: good, not the best

The Ryzen 7 5800X suits builders who want eight Zen 3 cores on the AM4 socket for compiling, VMs and general desktop work. It fits someone who already has or plans to buy a discrete graphics card. It is a poor match for a headless server or media box that needs built-in video output.

Typically about £199.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightAMD Ryzen 5 5600XAMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Multi-core performance25%6/107/10
Single-core performance20%8/107/10
Efficiency20%5/105/10
Platform20%5/106/10
Integrated graphics15%0/100/10
Overall5.1/105.4/10

Specifications

SpecAMD Ryzen 5 5600XAMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Cores / threads6 cores, 12 threads8 cores / 16 threads
Base / boost clockBase 3.7 GHz, max boost up to 4.6 GHzBase 3.8 GHz, boost up to 4.7 GHz
SocketAM4AM4
TDP65W default TDP105W
Cache35 MB total (L2 3 MB, L3 32 MB)L2 4 MB, L3 32 MB
Integrated graphicsNone (discrete graphics card required)None; discrete graphics card required
Memory supportDDR4, up to 3200 MT/sDDR4, up to 3200 MT/s

Strengths and weaknesses

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

  • + Zen 3 cores boost up to 4.6 GHz
  • + PCIe 4.0 on the AM4 socket
  • + Owner feedback praises performance for the price
  • − No integrated graphics; discrete card required
  • − Owner reports mention higher than expected idle power
  • − Six cores and 12 threads limit heavy parallel work

Skip it if:

  • Anyone building a headless server without a graphics card
  • Buyers who need more than six cores for VMs or rendering
  • Always-on builds where low idle power is the priority
Read the full AMD Ryzen 5 5600X review ›

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

  • + Eight cores and 16 threads on Zen 3
  • + Boost clock up to 4.7 GHz
  • + Works across X570, X470, B550, B450 and A520 boards
  • − No integrated graphics; discrete card required
  • − Owners report high temperatures at idle and under load
  • − 105W TDP

Skip it if:

  • Anyone building a headless server or media box without a graphics card
  • Buyers who need very quiet or cool always-on running
  • People needing 12 or more cores for heavy rendering or many VMs
Read the full AMD Ryzen 7 5800X review ›

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