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AMD is expected to launch the new Ryzen 7000 series of processors in just over a month. As usual for these product launches, we are seeing a growing number of leaks.

Serial leaker Wccftech has published what is expected to be the full specification of the new AMD Ryzen 7000 ‘Raphael’ Desktop CPUs.

The leaked specs include the number of cores and threads, the TDP, based/boost clocks and the L2/L3 cache. Pricing has also been published in USD, but I expect that could change.

The AMD Zen 4 architecture brings with it an increase of 8-10% for the IPC. However, the bulk of the performance gains come from a significant increase in base and boost clock frequencies. Unfortunately, as you may expect, there is also a corresponding increase in the TDP vs the previous 5000 series generation.

AMD Ryzen 7000 vs 5000 Series Specification and Pricing

The below table covers the main specification between the up-and-coming AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs and the previous 5000m series. None of the specs is 100% confirmed, and I am sceptical of the pricing being completely accurate.

For the 5000 series, I have listed MSRP at launch.

CPUArchitectureProcess NODECores / ThreadsBase ClockBoost ClockCacheTDPPrice
AMD Ryzen 9 7950XZen 45nm16/324.5 GHz5.7 GHz80 MB (64+16)170W$700
AMD Ryzen 9 5950XZen 37nm16/323.4 GHz4.9 GHz72 MB (64+8)105W$799
AMD Ryzen 9 7900XZen 45nm12 / 244.7 GHz5.6 GHz76 MB (64+12)170W$600
AMD Ryzen 9 5900XZen 37nm12 / 243.7 GHz4.8 GHz70 MB (64+6)105W$549
AMD Ryzen 7 7700XZen 45nm8 / 164.5 GHz5.4 GHz40 MB (32+8)105W$300
AMD Ryzen 7 5700XZen 37nm8 / 163.4 GHz4.6 GHz36 MB (32+4)105W$299
AMD Ryzen 5 7600XZen 45nm6 / 124.7 GHz5.3 GHz38 MB (32+6)105W$200
AMD Ryzen 5 5600XZen 37nm6 / 123.7 GHz4.6 GHz35 MB (32+3)65W$299

The prices look a bit off when you look at the previous generation. If it is accurate, I am not complaining at all. Two of the CPUs have dropped in price since the previous generation. Considering how everything has gone up in price significantly recently, this would be a welcome surprise.

It is odd that there isn’t much of a trend in the price changes. AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is pretty much the same price as the 5700X, and the 7600X & 7950X have had a significant price reduction vs the 5600X & 5950X. Then the odd one out in the group is the 7900X, which has increased by $50 from the previous generation.

Clock Frequencies vs TDP

Looking at the table, it is also odd that the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is reported to have the same TDP even though the clocks have been increased significantly.

I also wondered how the clock speeds relate to the TDP in general.

For the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, you have an impressive 44% and 16% uplift in clock speeds for the base and boost clock with a 62% increase in TDP vs the 5950X.

Moving down the list, you have the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X with a 27% and 17% uplift in clocks speeds and a 62% increase in TDP vs the 5900X

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X increased by 32% and 17% but has the same TDP as the previous generation.

Lastly, the 5600X increased by 27% and 15%, with a 62% increase in TDP.

AMD has claimed that power efficiency has gone up by 25%, and this will mostly be due to the reduced 5nm fabrication process.

All the new CPUs benefit from double the L2 cache from the previous generation while keeping the same L3 cache.

AMD Ryzen 7000 requires a new AM5 motherboard and DDR5 RAM (No DDR4)

One of the biggest issues people will have if they want to upgrade is the requirement for a new AM5 motherboard. On top of this, you will have to upgrade your RAM to DDR5 as the Ryzen 7000 series will not support DDR4 RAM sticks.

Overall

The AMD Ryzen 7000 series looks like a suitably impressive range of CPUs with a significant upgrade from the previous generation. I don’t particularly see myself as a fanboy, but I switched from Intel with the 1st generation Ryzen and have upgraded my system with each generation.

Technically I could have kept my motherboard throughout the upgrade process, but I am currently on X470.

I’d say I am less eager to upgrade this time around. My X470 motherboard was expensive enough as it is. I am not eager to buy a CPU, motherboard and RAM. I don’t even game that much nowadays.

With everyone feeling the pinch with inflation and recession, it will be interesting to see what sort of demand the Ryzen 7000 series and AM5 platform will have compared to previous generations. Alder Lake doesn’t require DDR5, so this could give Intel quite a bit of an edge in terms of value for money.

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