The day has finally arrived, and we know that many of you are waiting for the publication of the tests concerning this new generation of AMD processors. We received a press kit from AMD containing a copy of the AORUS X670E Master motherboard, a memory kit compatible with GSKill’s EXPO technology, the Trident Z5 NEO 6000 MT/s CL30 and of course two processors, the Ryzen 7 7700X and Ryzen 9 7950X. However, we were also able to get our hands on the Ryzen 9 7900X and Ryzen 5 7600X to bring you a review of the entire current range of these new processors!
Of course, other brands have also sent us a copy of their motherboards. We will therefore be able to test the following motherboards: the ROG Crosshair X670E Gene, the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme and the AORUS X670E Xtreme. As the NDA on these boards is still in effect today, we will start publishing the tests tomorrow at 3pm with the ROG Crossahair X670 Gene.
We will also take the opportunity to review the various technologies on these cards, such as the Dynamic OC Switcher offered by the Asus motherboards. For the launch of the new AMD platform, we also received a copy of the Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB EXPO 6000 MT/s CL30 memory kit. This will be the occasion for us to start a new series of DDR5 tests also on the AMD platform. [nextpage title=”The AMD press kit: “]
Before starting our tests and getting into the heart of the matter, we wanted to come back to the components of the press kit received from AMD. As a reminder, we received a press kit containing a copy of the AORUS X670E Master motherboard, a memory kit compatible with GSKill’s EXPO technology, the Trident Z5 NEO 6000 MT/s CL30 and of course two processors, the Ryzen 7 7700X and Ryzen 9 7950X. The full review of the motherboard is already online and the memory kit will also benefit from a dedicated article in the coming days.
AORUS X670E Master motherboard:
It is therefore a model from AORUS that we have received in order to test our different processors. This « Master” version » is a model often favoured by overclockers because it benefits from an excellent price/performance ratio. It benefits from a 16 + 2 + 2 phase power supply with 105A mosfets and is of course built around the X670E chipset. To the right of the new AM5 socket there are four slots for DDR5 memory modules.
Although the current specifications on the website indicate support for DDR5 up to 5200 MT/s, we have no problems with our GSKill 6000 MT/s CL30 kit. There is a 16x PCIe 5.0 slot and two M.2 PCIe 5.0 SSD slots out of the four available.
Finally, you should know that this AORUS X670E Master has overclocking tools integrated directly on the PCB. These include a debug LED, voltage measurement points and a Multy-Key that can be set in the BIOS to choose between RGB Switch, Direct-To-BIOS and Safe Mode. Finally, AORUS has added a PCIe EZ-Latch Plus button to this model to make it easier to remove your graphics card from its PCIe slot. Want to know everything about this Master? Then follow this link to the full review !
GSKill Trident Z5 NEO 6000 MT/s CL30 memory kit:
The kit in the AMD bundle is a GSKill Trident Z5 NEO compatible with the EXPO technology, which we will discuss in detail on the next page. Our kit is clocked at 6000 MT/s, has timings of 30-38-38-96 and requires a voltage of 1.35 volts to operate. It is composed of two 16 GB strips for a total of 32 GB.
No RGB on our version, but a black aluminium radiator with some grey touches, it’s sober and efficient. On the pictures below, you can see our two strips inserted on the X670E Master. Remember that there are two priority slots as indicated on the PCB (A2 and B2).
GSKill has announced that other kits will also be available, including the Flare X5 version. You can find in this brief the different kits that will be launched by GSKill and their characteristics.
Ryzen 9 7950X and Ryzen 7 7700X processors:
Finally the processors. We have received a copy of the Ryzen R9 7950X which will be the flagship of the brand. As you can see, the packaging has been revised by AMD. The box of our Ryzen 9 7950X is bigger than the one of the Ryzen 7 7700X. However, no heatsink is present, it’s just marketing.
The box of our 7950X opens from the front to reveal the processor well protected in its plastic shell. As has been the case for years, a model sticker is available with the processor.
On our side, we managed to find a copy of the Ryzen 9 7900X as well as the Ryzen 5 7600X. Our aim is to bring you the full current range for this launch day!
So now you know what was in our AMD press kit. Let’s move on to the technical part of this new AMD Zen 4 architecture before starting our comparative tests against the previous generation of Ryzen 5000 and Intel Alder Lake processors. [nextpage title=”ZEN 4 architecture and Ryzen 7000: “]
AMD Zen 4 architecture:
Let’s now focus on the new AMD processors. These were announced at the end of August during a YouTube conference. Dr. Lisa Su unveiled four new processors available at today’s launch. The new Ryzen 7000s are based on the new Zen 4 architecture and are etched in 5nm by TMSC. To be precise, the CCDs(core compute die) are etched in 5nm but the IOD (I/O die) remains on TSMC’s N6 (6nm) process. The improvement in the engraving fineness allows the Ryzen 7000 to benefit from higher clock speeds and better energy efficiency compared to the previous generation. We will come back to this in the details of the individual processors.
As a reminder, the previous generation of Ryzen 5000s featured 7nm and the Zen 3 architecture, so it will be very interesting to see what benefits this new architecture brings.
What’s new in the Zen 4 architecture:
First of all, AMD has announced an expansion of the front-end as well as support for AVX-512 instructions. The new Ryzen 7000s also see the amount of L2 cache doubled from 512KB to 1MB of L2 cache per core, compared to the previous generation (Ryzen 5000).
However, there is no change in the amount of shared L3 cache memory, which remains at 32MB per CCD. These various modifications to the Zen 4 architecture should bring an average IPC gain of 13% compared to Zen 3 according to AMD. We will be checking this performance in our tests.
Finally, you should know that these new processors have integrated RDNA 2 graphics cores (iGPU). We will detail all the characteristics of these new Ryzen 7000 in graphic form below.
Four processors available at launch:
AMD unveiled four processors at its conference in late August. The Ryzen 7950X is the flagship of the new architecture, with 16 cores and 32 threads, a boost frequency of up to 5.7 GHz and a price of $699. Next up is the Ryzen 7900X with 12 cores and 24 threads and a boost frequency of 5.6 GHz, priced at $549.
The other two processors announced are the Ryzen 7700X with 8 cores (boosted to 5.4 GHz) and the Ryzen 7600X with 6 cores and 12 threads and a boost of 5.3 GHz. It remains to be seen at what price these four processors will be announced in Europe and more particularly in France. The first prices indicated on online sites in the last few hours announce a conversion that is still painful for the eurozone. In terms of cooling, AMD recommends the use of a 280mm AIO liquid cooling system for the Ryzen 7950X and 7900X. For the Ryzen 7700X and 7600X, a tower-type cooling unit should do the job. We will of course give you our opinion at the end of this article.
A new socket, hello socket AM5:
After the Z690 chipset and the LGA-1700 socket, it’s now AMD’s turn to make its revolution. Goodbye socket AM4, hello socket AM5. It’s time to forget the PGA (Pin Grid Array) socket in which you used to put your processor, and to welcome the LGA (Land Grid Array) socket. This socket will look like the ones that have been present on Intel motherboards for years. Why this change? Simply because of the larger number of pins on the Ryzen 7000 (1718).
AMD has decided, with the AM5 socket, to keep a backplate already present for the AM4 socket. The 4 external holes that hold the retention system to fix your cooling system are still present. The distance between these 4 holes is identical to the AM4 socket, so you will still be able to use your cooling system as long as it uses the four outer holes of the backplate!
But AMD goes further and adds 4 more holes. These will be used to hold the AM5 socket in place and also to hold the backplate in place. The back plate should not be removed as it was on the previous generation. Finally, the locking mechanism changes. We find the reinforcement frame, the force frame and the latch. Once your Ryzen 7000 has been placed in the correct position, all you have to do is close the latch to keep it in place. A small remark following my tests, where I removed and put back these new Ryzen 7000 several times, you should know that the grip is far from being obvious with the particular shape of the IHS. There is a risk of accidents if you are not careful with the processor which could slip out of your hand and damage the socket pins. So be careful !
PCI-Express 5.0 and DDR5 support:
The new AMD X670E chipset that we will be testing today with the AORUS X670E Master motherboard supports PCI-Express 5.0 as well as DDR5 support. AMD took the opportunity to unveil its AMD EXPO technology. This is an alternative to the XMP profile (A-XMP at AMD). As a reminder, XMP allows, via the BIOS, to automatically activate the characteristics of your memory kit: the frequency, the timings as well as the voltage. The AMD EXPO technology will also allow you to overclock DDR5 in a single click in combination with the Ryzen 7000.
The idea is to provide extra gain through this automatic overclocking. Performance can be improved by up to 11% at 1080p and with a latency of less than about 63 nanoseconds. Of course, we will come back to this in detail in our tests of EXPO compatible memory kits. MSI has already responded by offering to include this technology on its Z690 motherboards. Finally, you should know that other chipsets will be arriving in the coming weeks, in particular the long-awaited B650E. Motherboards built around it should be more interesting financially.
Above is a summary table to understand the differences between these four chipsets . Let’s move on to the protocol of our comparative tests. [nextpage title=”Test configurations: “]
All the results that you can discover in the following pages have just been updated in September. We have replayed all the processors at our disposal in order to have results made with the latest BIOS from the manufacturers as well as the latest drivers, especially for the chipset, whether it be the Z690 or the X570.
The memory kit question :
Yes, which memory kit should we use for our comparative tests? This is a question we asked you on our Discord. Whether it’s for DDR4 or DDR5, we’re using memory kits made up of two 16 GB modules for a total of 32 GB. For our tests using DDR4, it is a Corsair Vengeance LPX kit clocked at 3733 MHz in 18-22-22-42. For the AMD platform in DDR4, the FCLK is 1866 MHz in order to maintain a 1:1 ratio. The rest of the BIOS settings are in auto mode. For DDR5 on the Z690 platform, we used our Teamgroup 6400 MT/s CL34 kit which we set to 6000 MT/s in 30-38-38-96. Why this choice? The kit delivered by AMD for the tests on the X670E chipset is a GSKill Trident Z5 NEO 6000 MT/s in 30-38-38-96. So we have two kits with almost identical performance on both AMD X670E and Intel Z690 platforms. Here is a summary table of the four configurations we used for these comparative tests. Each test is of course performed several times to ensure the accuracy of our results.
Finally, as far as the operating system is concerned, we chose Windows 11, the latest version 21H2 Build 22000.918. Please note that we have noticed that for the benchmarks, overall the results are always slightly better under Windows 10. [nextpage title=”The frequencies reached?”]
As with every new processor test, our first idea is to check if the advertised frequencies are actually reached. To do so, we will use the Cinebench R23 benchmark. Two cases will be used: a single core benchmark and a multi core benchmark. The idea is to be able to judge the frequency reached and thus compare it to what was announced by AMD in its slides. Remember that the Boost frequency in bench is different depending on the processor. Be careful, as AMD points out, when we talk about maximum Boost frequency, it is the maximum frequency achievable by one of the processor’s cores running a single-core workload(mono-thread). The maximum boost varies according to several factors: the load, the cooling system and therefore the temperature of your processor. This is a notion to keep in mind. Here are the frequencies we should reach on a single core during our run under Cinebench R23.
First step, we leave everything in AUTO in the BIOS except the EXPO profile which we load to have a frequency of 6000 MT/s in 30-38-38-96 for our memory kit. We do not make any other changes in the BIOS.
Testing with the Ryzen 9 7950X:
Here we go with the strongest processor, the Ryzen 9 7950X. As you can see, we opened several windows to check the frequency and temperature.
In single core, we can see that the #1 core reaches a frequency of 5825 MHz which is much higher than the 5.7 GHz announced by AMD. The reason for this is most likely the cooler temperatures brought on by our liquid cooling. AMD had also hinted that if the temperature did not exceed 60°C, we could also get closer to 5850 MHz.
When the 16 cores of our Ryzen 7950X are used, the frequency varies according to the CCD. On CCD 0, the frequency stabilizes at 5325 MHz and on CCD 1 at 5100 MHz. So, to put it simply, 8 cores at 5325 MHz and the other 8 at 5100 MHz. The CCD 0 is therefore more powerful, and it will be important to remember this when overclocking.
The other element to take into account is undoubtedly the temperature. We are equipped with a 480mm custom cooling loop and yet during the R23 benchmark, the maximum temperature reached 91°C. This means that if you choose this processor, it will be a very efficient 280/360mm AIO at the very least. Let’s not forget that we are on a benchmark table and not in a case.
When asked about these temperatures, here is the answer we received from AMD: « As with the previous generation Ryzen chips, the processor is expected to deliver the most performance possible. This means taking advantage of all available thermal and power headroom. With the new AM5 socket and a higher TDP, most processors will hit a thermal wall before they hit a power wall. So you’ll see the Ryzen 7000 series, especially the variants with many reach a TJMax (around 95 degrees Celsius for the Ryzen 7000 series) when running intense multi-threaded workloads like Cinebench R23. This behavior is intended and designed. It is important to note that TJMax is the maximum safe operating temperature, not the absolute maximum temperature. In the Ryzen 7000 series, the processor is designed to operate at TJMax 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without risk of damage or deterioration. At 95 degrees, the processor will not run hot, but it will intentionally reach that temperature as much as possible under load, because the power management system knows that this is the ideal way to get the most performance out of the chip without damaging it.»
Testing with the Ryzen 9 7900X :
We continue with the Ryzen 9 7900X and its 12 cores. In single core, we can see that core #0 reaches a frequency of 5700 MHz which is much higher than the 5.6 GHz announced by AMD, which is a very good thing.
When all 12 cores are used, the frequency still varies depending on the CCD. On CCD 0, the frequency stabilizes at 5300 MHz and on CCD 1 at 5100 MHz. So, to put it simply, 6 cores at 5300 MHz and the other 6 at 5100 MHz. The CCD 0 is therefore more powerful, and it will be important to remember this when overclocking.
Testing with Ryzen 7 7700X :
Let’s move on to the Ryzen 7 7700X and its 8 cores. In single core, we can see that core #1 reaches a frequency of 5550 MHz which is much higher than the 5.4 GHz announced by AMD. The use of a liquid cooling solution has a lot to do with this.
When the 8 cores are used, the frequency no longer varies according to the CCD, as the Ryzen 5 7700X only has one CCD. The 6 cores stabilize at 5275 MHz on a multithreads.
Testing with Ryzen 5 7600X :
Finally, let’s finish with the Ryzen 5 7600X and its 6 cores. In single core, we can see that core #1 reaches a frequency of 5450 MHz which is much higher than the 5.3 GHz announced by AMD.
Again, a single CCD enclosing all 6 cores. On our run in Cinebench multi, the frequency of the cores stabilizes at 5350 MHz. You should also know that each CCD has a core that is more powerful than the others, which can be identified in Ryzen Master in particular since it has a small yellow star. We will tell you more about this in the overclocking section of the X670E Master test. Now that our four processors are fully operational, we can start our comparative tests with peace of mind. [nextpage title=”Cinebench, Geekbench and CPUZ benchmarks:”]
Let’s start with the Cinebench series of CPU benchmarks. We chose Cinebench R15, the R20 version, which is also more and more used, and finally Cinebench R23, the latest one. The scores will be given in Single core and Multi core. This means that the benchmark tests the performance on one of the processor cores and then on all available cores To do this, we will use Benchmate which has just been updated to version 10.11.2 and can be downloaded here. The advantage of Benchmate is that it already contains a whole series of benchmarks and it is also recognized and certified when you want to encode your results on the Hwbot website.
Cinebench R15 Single Core and Multi Core :
A benchmark that is very much used by overclockers in order to compare the performance of processors between them. It also allows you to judge the optimizations of your OS and your memory kit by setting a frequency and trying to score as many points as possible. Even if it is a little less used today with the arrival of R20 and R23, it remains a reference for comparing CPUs between them as it is one of the first benchmarks used by the community.
We were expecting an improvement in single thread performance with the Ryzen 7000 and we can see that this is indeed the case. Our four Ryzen 7000s take the top four spots.
In multi-threaded mode, the results are slightly different and this is logical. It’s the total number of cores that will determine the score as well as the frequency of the cores. Now from one generation to the next, the cores are performing better. Our Ryzen 9 7950X scores 6480 points.
Cinebench R20 Single Core and Multi Core :
Cinebench R20 offers similar tests to the R15 version with SingleThread and MultiThread. Newly released in March 2019, it offers a more complex benchmark than the R15 version which had become a little too easy for CPUs with many cores. Cinebench R20 requires eight times more computing power than the R15 version, and four times more memory. It can already be more like a stress benchmark as it forces your CPU to be stable for the duration of the bench.
The Ryzen 7000 advantage is confirmed in this latest version of Cinebench. In single core, it is once again three Ryzens that take the top spots. The i9-12900K is not so far behind.
In multi-core, it’s the number of cores that speaks for itself once again. We are on a graph that resembles the Cinebench R15 graph. Our Ryzen 9 7950X is still the one to beat with a score of 15342 points.
Cinebench R23 Single Core and Multi Core :
How does this new version differ from the previous ones? First of all, it is more realistic when it comes to the score obtained depending on the processor used. As a reminder, Cinebench only tests the capabilities of your processor in single or multi-threaded mode. But the main difference is to propose a benchmark which by default will last 10 minutes! The idea for MAXON with Cinebench R23 is to offer a benchmark that will allow a certain stability in terms of temperature and boost frequencies. We will test here the fast version.
The Cinebenchs are similar, but with the i9-12900K getting closer and closer. The Ryzen 9 7950X and 790X still take the top two spots.
In multi-core, the profile of the graph remains unchanged, with the Ryzen 9 7950X crushing everything in its path with a score of 39161 points.
Geekbench 3.4.4 Single Core and Multi Core :
This is a benchmark available in several revisions, with version 5 being increasingly used in recent months and often used for CPU performance leaks. It allows you to obtain two scores: one in single core and the other in multi-core. The version used for the tests is 3.4.4 and 5.2.5. Please note that in order to take full advantage of these two benchmarks, a licence is required and we are running the bench in 64-bit.
The trend we have noticed in Cinebench is confirmed in Geek Bench 3 with still excellent single thread performance for the four Ryzen 7000 processors.
Nothing to report in the multi-core version where the ranking is repeated once again with a Ryzen 9 7950X really standing out.
GeekBench 5.2.5 Single Core and Multi Core :
The latest version of the GeekBench software is becoming more and more widespread and used by journalists. It allows, like the version above, to do memory and processor performance tests. We decided to add this extra benchmark but why? The CPU benchmark uses new tests that more closely simulate the tasks that processors face when running recent applications. Geekbench 5 also increases the memory used in the benchmark to better reflect the impact of this parameter on the CPU results.
Doesn’t this feel like déjà vu? Here, the Ryzen 7000s clearly stand out from the Alder Lake generation, with an initial gap of 235 points between the i9-12900K and the Ryzen 5 7600X. Let’s not forget that Intel will also offer its new generation of processors in the coming days.
In multi-threading, it is once again the Ryzen 9 7950X that dominates with a score of 25K. We can’t wait to see what happens next when the i9-13900K arrives in a few weeks.
CPU-Z 17.01.64 Benchmark in Single Thread and Multi Thread :
A new benchmark that we have just added as it is more and more used by brands in order to put forward the performance of the processor. To use it, nothing could be easier, just download the latest version of CPU-Z which is currently version 2.0.2. Then go to the “Bench” tab to read the single and multi-threaded performance. The benchmark version we used is 17.01.64.
Ah, at last a tighter gap and one that gives the Ryzen 9 7950X the edge by a short head over the i9-12900K. In this benchmark, the Ryzen 7000’s dominance is no longer effective.
Finally, we find a table that respects the number of cores and the most recent generations of processors a little more. This series of tests allows us to say that the Ryzen 9 7950 is the new king of multi-threaded tasks! [nextpage title=”Synthetic benchmarks:”]
Let’s start with a series of synthetic tests that we use regularly. We have opted for the CPU scores of the 3DMark benchmarks. The idea is to isolate only the CPU score by making a custom test. Here are the results obtained in Fire Strike and Time Spy. In Fire Strike, whether it is for the “standard” or “ultra” version, the physics test (CPU) is identical. As a result, you will only see the Fire Strike score. On the other hand, for Time Spy and Time Spy Extreme, the tests are different, so you will get both scores. These scores are very interesting for overclockers to choose the platform that will offer the best performance in order to break a maximum of records.
CPU score at Fire Strike :
Let’s start with 3DMark Fire Strike, which is one of the most widely used benchmarks today. It consists of two graphics tests, a CPU test and a fourth test that combines GPU and CPU. Don’t forget to disable the demo, which does not add anything to the final score and prolongs the benchmark(unnecessarily).
The CPU score under Fire Strike has always favored AMD processors and this first graph will not contradict what we thought. The Ryzen 7900X and 7950X take the top two spots with a score that is not far from 50K for the Ryzen 9 7950X !
CPU score at Time Spy :
The second test is 3DMark Time Spy. Although this one is done in 1440p, it is especially special because it uses DirectX 12. It consists of two graphics tests and a CPU test. As with Fire Strike, don’t forget to disable the demo. These first two benchmarks are provided by UL Benchmark.
Here we cannot hide our small disappointment. We would have liked to have a higher score. However, it is possible to improve it quite significantly if you disable the SMT in the BIOS. Let’s take the case of our Ryzen 7950X which then sees its score rise to 20471 points. Disabling SMT disables hyperthreading and the score goes from 16/32 to 16/16.
CPU score at Time Spy Extreme :
The second test is 3DMark Time Spy. Although this one is done in 2160p, it is especially special because it uses DirectX 12. It consists of two graphics tests and a CPU test. As with Fire Strike, don’t forget to disable the demo.
On the “Extreme” version of Time Spy, the Ryzen 9 7950X takes back its first place, leaving the i9-12900K far behind as it scores nearly 4128 points. Now let’s take a look at the DDR5 throughputs. [nextpage title=”AIDA64 Benchmark: “]
So, for this test which will be done with the AIDA64 software, I will compare the two platforms, AMD and Intel, since I used the same kit at the same frequency and with the same timings. AIDA has just seen its beta version evolve to 6.32.5659. It can be downloaded directly from the site but in order to benefit from all the results, you will need a license.
AIDA 64 :
It is a software capable of providing you with a lot of information about your configuration but it has the particularity of having a memory benchmark. It will calculate the read, write and copy speed as well as the latency of your memory kit. It is very often used to compare memory kits between them. It is an excellent tool if you want to compare the performance of your memory kit with those we have already tested. The version used for testing is v6.75.6121 beta, the latest version at the time of testing.
We knew that, as several leaks had suggested that the data rates, despite the switch to DDR5, would not be as good as on an Intel platform. So yes, it’s getting better, but it’s far behind what Alder Lake offers on the Z690 chipset. Our various contacts at the brands tell us that the next BIOS could improve these scores.
In writing, the trend is reversed and strangely enough, it is our Ryzen 5 7600X and Ryzen 7 7700X that are doing the best.
The same is true for copying, where the speed of our Ryzen 7000s has improved, but they are still not at the level of the Alder Lake and DDR5 combination.
We end on a positive note with a latency as announced by AMD in its slides under the 60 n/s mark. We will not hesitate to come back to the performance in AIDA64 if the next BIOS solve or improve these scores. [nextpage title=”Power consumption: “]
As for the power tests, we didn’t change anything and wanted to know how our configuration would react by default. Basically, we installed the CPU and loaded the XMP profile. Then we did our various readings and benchmarks. As far as power consumption is concerned, we used the Cinebench R23 benchmark. We are therefore working on multi-threaded systems. The idea is to measure the average power consumption of our different processors. Please note that this is a global consumption of the configuration. At the moment, we are not yet able to measure independently and correctly the CPU consumption, but it is in progress. We still have a few points to optimize in order to be fully convinced of the accuracy of our readings.
The Ryzen 5 7600X comes out on top with an overall power consumption of 222.4 watts and the Ryzen 7 7700X with 259.2 watts. For us, these two processors may be the most interesting for the design of a gaming configuration, but we’ll come back to that later. Finally, and not surprisingly, the Ryzen 7950X blows away the power consumption with an average of 383.2 watts during the Cinebench R23 multi-threaded benchmark. Keep in mind that the GPU is at rest here. So you can expect an even bigger spike during a gaming session. [nextpage title=”The last word:”]
What about overclocking? And the gaming part?
Overclocking will be covered in the articles dedicated to motherboards. You can already read our complete article about the AORUS X670E Master by following this link. We have started our tests with the Ryzen 7950X to see if it still has something to offer. We are also preparing a file dedicated to the overclocking of these Ryzen 7000, in particular with the use of AMD Ryzen Master.
As far as gaming performance is concerned, we had to make the choice to postpone it in order to offer you qualitative results. The lack of time and the desire to do our best forced us to make you wait. But don’t worry, we’ll be back with an article dedicated to gaming, including a match between the Ryzen 5 5600X and 7600X against the i5-12600K! Our first impressions suggest that the Ryzen 5 7600X could be a very interesting choice thanks to its more attractive price, its lower power consumption than its bigger brothers and also a more contained temperature.
The Ryzen 7000’s are up to the task!
Well, there’s no doubt about it, the performance of these Ryzen 7000s is good, with the Ryzen 9 7950X crushing the current competition in full-core benchmarks. One of the reasons for this is the increased frequency of these new processors compared to the previous generation. As a reminder, during our tests, on a benchmark using only one core, our Ryzen 9 7950X under custom watercooling saw its frequency maintained at 5825 MHz. We also did a series of tests where the 16 cores can stay at 5.4 GHz with correct temperatures for this type of CPU.
The whole range sees an improvement in performance, especially when using a single core. The addition of DDR5 is a real plus, although throughput could be even better as our AIDA64 tests show. AMD has done a good job of offering a 5nm processor with DDR5 support and an iGPU solution.
A cooling system that is up to the task!
Our tests confirm that a liquid cooling solution is mandatory, even for the Ryzen 7600X and 7700X where AMD recommends a tower type cooling unit. Personally, we can only advise you to opt for liquid cooling in order to fully benefit from the performance of your processor. Depending on the model, you will need to increase the size of the radiator. Even if AMD does not consider 90°C to be a problem, you will need an efficient solution to dissipate this heat, especially in a case.
Performance, yes, but at what price ?
Behind this title is a double issue. First of all, the price of this new range of processors that we don’t know exactly yet. No doubt the conversion will be bad for European buyers as the dollar is particularly strong at this time. We’ll have to wait for the processors to be in stock in the shops to see what price they will be offered at. We’ll be sure to write about it in a future issue.
In this period where we fear power cuts in the next few weeks, we can’t ignore the power consumption of these Ryzen 7000. If we don’t have to complain about the Ryzen 7600X and 7700X, the 7950X’s power consumption is exploding, despite its 5nm engraving. The high frequencies and the voltage that follows lead to a large increase in consumption compared to the previous generation with the 5950X. This observation will lead us to propose to you in the next few weeks ways to lower the power consumption without losing too much performance, as well as to tell you about the AMD Eco Mode.
The AMD ZEN 4 architecture
Frankly, we encountered very few problems during our week of testing. Admittedly, there are still a few bugs in terms of the BIOS, especially in relation to memory, but this is quite logical. The performance is there straight away without any changes in the BIOS. It is sometimes the startup that has been more recalcitrant, but this is due to the memory. No doubt that the next few weeks will see new updates that will correct these small launch problems.
As you can see, we are quite satisfied with this new generation proposed by AMD and its X670E chipset. Now, we should also find some very interesting models built around the B650E. The next few weeks will see a new duel between this new generation of AMD processors and Intel Raptor Lake. With that in mind, we’ll see you tomorrow and this week to find out more about the ROG Crosshair X670E Gene, the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme and the AORUS X670E Xtreme motherboards.