AMD needs to release a Ryzen 5 5600X3D

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D render
(Image credit: AMD)

Is AMD preparing more X3D processors? The answer is very likely yes, according to prolific leaker Greymon55 (via Techpowerup). The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is, so far, the only V-Cache equipped CPU. It's proven to be an excellent gaming CPU, even beating out Intel’s mighty 12900KS in titles that are cache sensitive. The 5800X3D has some flaws, but if AMD chooses to release it, there’s one CPU that could rise above all.

The best option would be a 5600X3D. A 6-core/12-thread CPU is perfectly viable in current titles, and the addition of 64MB of L3 cache on top of the 32MB of the base 5600X would deliver 96MB of L3 cache. The same as that of the 5800X3D.

But the 5800X3D was flawed due to the fact that its clocks were lower than those of the 5800X. Its lower clocks impacted its performance in non-gaming applications, meaning it was a poor choice as a general-purpose CPU compared to the 5800X. There are two primary reasons why AMD chose to lower the 5800X3D's clocks. The first is that the technology is new. A combination of higher power, heat and current can potentially damage the delicate through-silicon vias used to connect the chiplet and cache, and AMD was simply being conservative. That was a strong reason for disabling overclocking too. The second reason is the probability that a 5800X3D—if it were clocked the same as a 5800X—would run into the default 142W package power limitation of the platform. 

The 5600X skips the second reason. It’s a 65W CPU with a package power limit of 88W. That means AMD shouldn’t have any problem clocking a 5600X3D as high as a 5600X. It could set the TDP at 95W and still have total package power come in well under the maximum 142W. That means you’ll get all of the general-purpose performance of a 5600X, while maximizing its cache-packed gaming performance.  A 5600X3D at 5600X clocks would boost up to 4.6GHz, which is 100MHz faster than the 5800X3D. Such a CPU, if priced right, would instantly become a budget gaming champion, but more than that, it would be the fastest of all CPUs at gaming, including the 5800X3D, at least until Zen 4 and 13th Gen CPUs are launched.

Your next upgrade

(Image credit: Future)

Best CPU for gaming: The top chips from Intel and AMD
Best gaming motherboard: The right boards
Best graphics card: Your perfect pixel-pusher awaits
Best SSD for gaming: Get into the game ahead of the rest

Why would AMD do this? Rumors point towards Zen 4 supporting DDR5 only. Depending on how fast Zen 4 is, a 5600X3D would give AM4 gamers an attractive upgrade path. It means there’d be no need to buy a new motherboard and DDR5 memory. 

Imagine if you’re using something like a B450 motherboard with a Zen 2 (or even Zen 1) CPU. Updating your BIOS, dropping in a 5600X3D and a next gen GPU would deliver a heck of a performance jump, while remaining cost effective.

All of this depends on how Zen 4 performs. You can be sure that AMD wouldn’t even entertain the release of a 5600X3D if Zen 4 couldn’t outperform all Zen 3 models by a healthy margin. On the flip side, Intel's 12th Gen CPUs are already competitive, and 13th Gen and Zen 4 CPUs should be free to have their own blockbuster fight.

I’ve focused on a hypothetical 5600X3D. There’s no reason that AMD couldn’t deliver a 5900X3D or 5950X3D. Or is there? I come back to the total package power consumption limit, which is 142W. That’s not the TDP of the CPUs, which top out at 105W, but the total short duration package power that a Ryzen 5000 CPU can pull. These limits are in place for motherboard manufacturers and system integrators so that VRM systems and cooling apparatus are built to support everything up to a 5950X. It is possible to go higher than 142W with overclocking, but I’d assume AMD won’t entertain moving beyond 142W under stock operation.

CPU package with an overview of AMD's 3D-V-cache technology

(Image credit: AMD)

I come back to my point that a 5600X3D would be a gem of a CPU. It would appeal to budget oriented users and gamers on the AM4 platform. It could clock higher than a 5800X3D, meaning it would become the fastest gaming CPU, leaving the 5900X and 5950X as logical multitasking and productivity options. Importantly for AMD, It would deliver another another round of ‘fastest gaming CPU’ PR if it were to launch ahead of Zen 4.

But will AMD do it? If Zen 4 is a good deal faster at gaming than a 5600X3D then there’s no particular reason why it wouldn’t. What about a 5950X3D with 256MB of L3 cache? It sounds great, but AMD would surely have to downclock a 5950X3D too much, negating the advantage of having all of those high performing cores in the first place. And the 5950X has never really been promoted as a gaming CPU anyway.

Come on AMD, give us a 5600X3D. It’ll be fast, power efficient and offer a very compelling upgrade for AM4 gamers. The years' old platform could have a few tricks up its sleeve yet. How about Zen 4 AM4 CPUs?

TOPICS
Chris Szewczyk
Hardware Writer

Chris' gaming experiences go back to the mid-nineties when he conned his parents into buying an 'educational PC' that was conveniently overpowered to play Doom and Tie Fighter. He developed a love of extreme overclocking that destroyed his savings despite the cheaper hardware on offer via his job at a PC store. To afford more LN2 he began moonlighting as a reviewer for VR-Zone before jumping the fence to work for MSI Australia. Since then, he's gone back to journalism, enthusiastically reviewing the latest and greatest components for PC & Tech Authority, PC Powerplay and currently Australian Personal Computer magazine and PC Gamer. Chris still puts far too many hours into Borderlands 3, always striving to become a more efficient killer.

Read more
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor
AMD has just announced the two new 9000-series X3D chips we were hoping for, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor
AMD says there are no technical reasons for not having an X3D processor with 3D V-Cache on both CCDs, but we probably won't see such a dual-stacked chip anyway
AMD press slide detailing the Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor.
AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D CPUs are rumoured to launch at the end of March at roughly the same time as the RX 9070-series GPUs
An image of a delidded AMD Ryzen 9000 series desktop CPU, showing an impression of the die structures in the two top chiplets
Claims about AMD moving to a 12-core chiplet design for Zen 6 have got me all kinds of excited for the next generation of X3D processors
Photo of an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D review
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor
A German retailer reports the Ryzen 7 9800X3D has outsold the entire non-X3D 9000 line
Latest in Processors
A chip being held up in an Intel fab
Intel is reportedly 'working to finalize commitments from Nvidia' as a foundry partner, suggesting gaming potential for the 18A node
AMD Strix Point APU chip, held in a hand, with the reflected light showing the various processing blocks in the chip die
AMD's next-gen 'Gorgon Point' APU outted and seemingly sticks with RDNA 3.5 graphics which is disappointing for handheld gaming PCs if accurate
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivering pancakes and sausages to pre-GTC show hosts and guests, wearing an apron
'There might be a party. I wasn't invited,' says Jensen Huang of the rumoured TSMC proposal to join forces and run Intel's chip fabs
Nvidia Feynman GPU
While we despair of RTX 50-series supplies and wait on next-gen Rubin, Nvidia reveals its next-next GPU architecture will be known as Feynman and is due in 2028
Nvidia Vera CPU
Nvidia reveals Vera, a new CPU with 'custom' cores which could be very exciting for its upcoming premium PC processor
Machinery tools and equipment,Rolls of galvanized steel for production metal pipes and tubes for industrial ventilation systems in factory.
New super-thin '2D' metal sheets could enable ultra-low power chips and can you guess how they're made? Yup, by squishing stuff really hard
Latest in News
Lara Croft Unified Art
Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics lays off 17 employees 'to better align our current business needs and the studio's future success'
A long bendy arm stealing money from people in a subway car
'You're a very long arm. You steal things. It's a comedy game,' explains developer of comedy game where you steal things with a very long arm
The heroes are attacked by monsters
Pillars of Eternity is getting turn-based combat to mark its 10th anniversary, and that means PC Gamer editors will soon be arguing about combat mechanics again
Image of Ronaldo from Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves trailer
It doesn't really make sense that soccer star Ronaldo is now a Fatal Fury character, but if you follow the money you can see how it happened
Junah beginning a battle in Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Today's RPG fans are 'very sensitive to feeling like they wasted time' when they die, says Metaphor: ReFantazio battle planner—but Atlus still made combat hard anyway
Image of Cersei Lanniser from Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Steam early access trailer
A new Game of Thrones RPG is coming to Steam today with a cast of 'familiar faces,' which is good because it's really the only way to tell it's a GoT game at all