AMD has just released a brand new Ryzen X3D gaming CPU with a tempting price, especially if it’s bought as part of a bundle. The new AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D is cheaper than the widely-acclaimed Ryzen 7 7800X3D, as it only has six cores and a lower clock speed, making it an ideal CPU for a budget gaming rig. There’s a really big catch, however.
That’s because this new AMD CPU is only going to be available in the US, and from one retailer, Micro Center. That’s a real shame, as there’s a solid gap in the market for an affordable Socket AM5 CPU with 3D V-Cache. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is our top pick as the best gaming CPU right now, but it costs $419 from Amazon right now, and the new Ryzen 5 7600X3D reportedly costs just $299.99.
As revealed by Tom’s Hardware, the Ryzen 5 7600X3D only has six cores, rather than the eight in the 7800X3D, but that’s enough for gaming, and you also get a big help from the extra cache. In fact, this new chip has the same 64MB of 3D V-Cache on top of its core chiplet die as the 7800X3D, giving it access to loads of fast memory on the CPU package itself. This cache setup has proven to be great for gaming performance, with the Ryzen 7 7800X3D even outperforming the mighty Intel Core i9 14900K in our game tests.
The 7600X3D also only has a 65W TDP rating, which refers to the heat output of the CPU, and correlates with power draw. By comparison, the 7800X3D has a 120W TDP, which enables it to boost its cores to higher clock speeds. Indeed, the 7800X3D can run at up to 5GHz, while the 7600X3D maxes out at 4.7GHz.
What’s more, the CPU has a locked multiplier, so you won’t be able to overlock it to a higher clock speed yourself, at least not officially. Even so, that stack of extra cache should still make this budget chip a great gaming companion, even if it’s not as quick as the 7800X3D.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D specs
| AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D | |
| Cores | 6 |
| Base clock | 4.1GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.7GHz |
| Architecture | Zen 4 |
| Package | Socket AM5 |
| TDP | 65W |
| L3 cache | 96MB (32MB + 64MB 3D V-Cache) |
| PCIe support | 24 x PCIe 5.0 lanes |
| SMT | Yes |
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D release date
The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D release date is Thursday, September 5, 2024, although it will only be available from Micro Center in the US.
This isn’t the first time AMD has released a new X3D gaming CPU as a Micro Center exclusive in the US. This CPU’s predecessor, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D, was launched under exactly the same circumstances. However, that launch has since been followed by the worldwide launch of the cheaper Ryzen 7 5700X3D, so there’s hope that a cheaper Socket AM5 X3D CPU could arrive at a later date.
Micro Center is offering a 7600X3D component bundle that saves you loads of money too. For $449.99, you can buy a Ryzen 5 7600X3D with 32GB of 6,000MHz DDR5 RAM, and an Asus TUF Gaming B650 Plus WiFi motherboard, saving you $182 on the $629.97 price of buying these components separately.
That’s great if you want to put together a new rig on a tight budget, and if you’ve never done this before, check out our guide on how to build a gaming PC, where we take you through the whole process from start to finish.
