AMD Launches Ryzen 5 5500F and Ryzen 5 7500 Budget CPUs
AMD has released two new budget processors, the $99 Ryzen 5 5500F and $189 Ryzen 5 7500, to provide more affordable entry points for PC builders facing
AMD has officially launched two new budget processors, the Ryzen 5 5500F and Ryzen 5 7500. The chips are priced at $99 and $189 respectively and are available at U.S. Retailers starting today.
The Ryzen 5 5500F is a six-core chip based on AMD's Zen 3 architecture. It lacks integrated graphics. The Ryzen 5 7500 is also a six-core processor but uses the newer Zen 4 cores and includes integrated Radeon graphics.
Positioning and Specifications
The new processors slot into AMD's existing product stacks. The report clarifies that the Ryzen 5 5500F is more accurately a lower-binned version of the Ryzen 5 5600 rather than a variant of the Ryzen 5 5500. It features a 500 MHz lower boost clock speed and half the L3 cache compared to the Ryzen 5 5600.
The Ryzen 5 7500 is described as essentially the same processor as the previously released Ryzen 5 7500F, but with integrated graphics added. All other core specifications between the two models are identical.
Price Comparisons and Value
The launch prices create new value tiers. The Ryzen 5 5600 originally launched at $199 and now retails for around $159, making the new $99 Ryzen 5 5500F approximately 38% more affordable. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 5 5500 debuted at $159, but OEM tray versions now start at just $74, making it the most cost-effective entry into the AM4 platform. Compared to that $74 price, the Ryzen 5 5500F carries a 34% premium.
The report from Tom's Hardware states this premium is justified by a slightly higher boost clock for better gaming performance and support for PCIe 4.0, which enables faster SSDs and graphics cards.
For the AM5 platform, the Ryzen 5 7500F launched at $179 and has dropped to about $157. The Ryzen 5 7600 has held its value, falling only slightly from an original MSRP of $229 to around $226. This positions the new $189 Ryzen 5 7500 as a mid-point option, priced 16% lower than the Ryzen 5 7600 and 20% above the Ryzen 5 7500F.
| Processor | Architecture | Cores/Threads | Launch/MSRP | Current/New Price | Key Differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 5500F | Zen 3 | 6/12 | New Launch | $99 | No iGPU, PCIe 4.0 support |
| Ryzen 5 5500 | Zen 3 (Cezanne) | 6/12 | $159 (launch) | ~$74 (OEM tray) | Monolithic die, no iGPU |
| Ryzen 5 5600 | Zen 3 | 6/12 | $199 (launch) | ~$159 | Higher clocks, full cache vs 5500F |
| Ryzen 5 7500 | Zen 4 | 6/12 | New Launch | $189 | Includes Radeon iGPU |
| Ryzen 5 7500F | Zen 4 | 6/12 | $179 (launch) | ~$157 | No iGPU |
| Ryzen 5 7600 | Zen 4 | 6/12 | $229 (launch) | ~$226 | 100 MHz higher base/boost clocks |
Platform Considerations and Market Context
The integrated graphics on the Ryzen 5 7500 suit users who need basic display output and wish to avoid buying a discrete graphics card. However, the report notes that because it uses the AM5 platform, the Ryzen 5 7500 is still bound by the high cost of DDR5 memory.
Commentary from readers on the source article highlighted confusion over AMD's naming schemes and expressed a desire for different product releases, such as a US launch for the Ryzen 5 5500X3D. One user noted the enduring appeal of the AM4 platform, stating, "I just think there's something kind of awesome about AM4 getting more CPUs that work on it." The new processors aim to soften the financial impact of high RAM prices for budget-conscious builders.
