Cores
6
Threads
12
Boost
4.2 GHz
L3 cache
16 MB
TDP
65W
Socket
AM4
Performance breakdown
Gaming12
Productivity11
Single-core12
Multi-core25
Power efficiency12
Lab scores
Performance score12
Cores6
Threads12
Boost clock (GHz)4.2 GHz
Estimated gaming FPS
Paired with a high-end GPU. CPU impact is largest at 1080p.
1080p26 fps
1440p21 fps
4K14 fps
Full specifications
Processor & cores
Clocks & cache
- Base clock
- 3.6 GHz
- Boost clock
- 4.2 GHz
- L1 cache
- 384 KB
- L2 cache
- 3 MB
- L3 cache
- 16 MB
Memory & platform
- Memory support
- DDR4-3200
- Base power (TDP)
- 65W
- Max temperature
- 95°C
- PCIe
- PCIe 3.0
- Launch price
- $159
Technologies
- Extensions
- AES-NI, AVX, AMD-V, Precision Boost 2
Community Feedback
What Owners Say
Owners love the huge performance jump over older budget chips for the price. The usual gripe is the lack of PCIe Gen 4 support, which limits future upgrade paths.
Pros
- Feels smooth for everyday multitasking
- Plays older games without breaking a sweat
- Keeps your electricity bill surprisingly low
- Works with your existing AM4 motherboard
Cons
- Worse gaming performance than older sibling.
- No PCIe 4.0 support at all.
- Cache size cut hurts in many games.
Verdict
Our verdict on the Ryzen 5 5500
A Zen 3 chip for budget AM4 builds, but its cut-down cache hurts gaming compared to the 5600.
Get it if your budget is tight and you need a solid upgrade for an older AM4 board without spending extra on a cooler. Skip it if you want the fastest gaming performance, or if you can stretch to a newer chip with PCIe 4.0 support.
Buy it if…
- You want a cheap upgrade for an old AM4 motherboard.
- You build a budget gaming PC and don't need integrated graphics.
- You need a reliable daily driver for office work and light multitasking.
Leaderboard
Its place in the overall top
4.2
1,004 votes
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