Two new Socket AM4 AMD Ryzen CPUs have just been unveiled, in the form of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT and AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT, with the latter being the fastest-clocked AM4 processor in its class yet. Both these CPUs are for AMD’s now ancient AM4 motherboard range, enabling gamers to get a CPU upgrade on boards that are many years old.
While the range of AMD AM4 CPUs has long been supplanted on our list of the best gaming CPUs by the company’s speedier AM5 CPUs, these chips still represent a potential ideal upgrade for those users still holding on to PCs with older AMD motherboards. If you’re still running a first or second-generation Ryzen CPU, and are finally tempted by an upgrade, these options – along with other still available AM4 chips – could be just what you need.
While these might be new CPUs, though, they haven’t been updated with the latest AMD Zen 5 architecture seen in the company’s new Ryzen 9000 CPUs, or even Zen 4. Instead, these are still Zen 3-based chips, just with a slightly different configuration to existing models.
The Ryzen 9 5900XT is a 16 core / 32 thread chip just like the Ryzen 9 5950X, but running at a 100MHz lower clock speed. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 7 5800XT is an 8 core / 16 thread model that is remarkably the fastest clocked eight-core Zen 3 chip ever, topping out at 4.8GHz.
That means that, while neither of these chips will be setting new performance records at the high end of the market, they could offer just the right balance of performance and price for your needs.
Speaking of which, the Ryzen 9 5900XT price is $359 while the Ryzen 7 5800 XT price is $249. Both chips have release dates of July 2024, so you’ll be able to grab one very soon indeed.
For more news from Computex 2024, where AMD made the above announcement, check out our Computex news hub.