Verdict
The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has emerged as a commendable budget gaming CPU, delivering impressive frame rates at an attractive price point. While it features six cores, it does fall short of the Core i5 14600K in multi-threading capabilities.
Pros
- Solid gaming performance
- Affordable pricing
- Long-term viability with Socket AM5
- Efficient cooling and power consumption
Cons
- Core i5 14600K significantly outperforms in multi-threading
- Not competitive with X3D chips in gaming
- Limited to six cores
Initially launched at a perplexing price of 9 in 2024, the Ryzen 5 9600X has since seen a substantial price reduction, making it a more sensible option for budget-conscious gamers. With the right CPU cooler, users can also unlock additional power from this chip. This prompted a thorough benchmarking review to determine its current value proposition.
The Ryzen 5 9600X builds upon the foundation laid by the Ryzen 5 7600X. Despite its six-core configuration, it remains sufficient for most gaming scenarios, leveraging AMD’s latest Zen 5 architecture. While it lacks the 3D V-cache found in higher-end X3D models, its current price of 2.99 positions it as a viable choice for those assembling a new gaming rig without breaking the bank.
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Specs
| Ryzen 5 9600X | |
| Cores | 6 |
| Threads | 12 |
| Peak boost clock | 5.4GHz |
| Base clock | 3.9GHz |
| L2 cache | 6MB |
| L3 cache | 32MB |
| TDP | 65W or 105W |
| Architecture | AMD Zen 5 |
| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 |
Despite the absence of 3D V-cache, the 9600X boasts a robust 32MB of L3 cache—double that of some entry-level AMD CPUs—and a peak boost clock speed of 5.4GHz, surpassing the 9800X3D and the 7600X. Its six Zen 5 cores support Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT), allowing it to manage 12 threads concurrently. However, it still faces competition from the Intel Core i5 14600K, which features additional E-Cores for enhanced multi-threading performance.
Initially, the Ryzen 5 9600X had a thermal design power (TDP) of 65W, requiring only a modest cooler for efficient temperature management. In contrast, its predecessor, the Ryzen 5 7600X, had a TDP of 105W. While the lower TDP is beneficial for power efficiency, it also indicated that the chip had untapped potential. This led to the introduction of a 105W mode on select motherboards, allowing for higher clock speeds under full load. Testing revealed minimal differences in gaming performance, but notable improvements in multi-threaded applications like Cinebench.
How we test
The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X was benchmarked using the MSI X870E Carbon WiFi motherboard, alongside retests of other current CPUs in the PCGamesN lab to ensure accurate comparisons. All test rigs utilized 32GB of G.Skill TridentZ 5 Neo RGB 6,000MHz RAM, a 2TB WD Black SN850X SSD, a Corsair H100x 240mm AIO cooler, a Corsair RM1000x Shift PSU, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Founders Edition graphics card. Testing was conducted on Windows 11 24H2 with the latest BIOS updates.
Game benchmarks
Starting with Far Cry 6, which benefits from additional CPU power, the Ryzen 5 9600X demonstrated an average of 14fps higher than the Ryzen 5 7600X at Ultra settings, achieving a solid minimum of 132fps. While it couldn’t match the X3D CPUs, it performed competitively against the Core i5 14600K, showing a slight edge in average frame rates but lagging in minimums.
Reducing the settings to High further highlighted the 9600X’s capabilities, with an impressive average of 182fps, outpacing both the 7600X and the 14600K.
In Total War: Warhammer III, the 9600X held its ground, closely trailing the 7800X3D and outperforming the Core i5 14600K in certain benchmarks. However, in the Mirrors or Madness test, it fell behind, showcasing the Intel chip’s superior performance.
Cyberpunk 2077 provided another opportunity for the 9600X to shine, achieving an average of 211fps at High settings, surpassing both the 14600K and the 7600X. Even with ray tracing enabled, it maintained competitive performance, although still behind the X3D models.
While frame rates varied across titles, it’s essential to note that in many games, performance is predominantly influenced by the GPU, with the CPU’s impact being less pronounced.
Application benchmarks
Beyond gaming, the Ryzen 5 9600X’s performance in multi-threaded applications is critical. In Cinebench R23, it struggled against CPUs with more cores, but enabling the 105W TDP mode resulted in a notable score increase. At 65W, it achieved 16,286, while the Core i5 14600K scored 23,990, highlighting the latter’s multi-threading advantage. The 105W mode improved the score to 17,437, closing the gap with the eight-core Ryzen 7 7800X3D.
Single-threaded performance, however, showcased the 9600X’s strengths, with impressive scores in both Cinebench R23 and R24, outpacing many competitors.
Power draw
Operating at its default 65W TDP, the Ryzen 5 9600X exhibited commendable power efficiency, drawing just 183W during multi-threaded tests—significantly lower than the 7600X and the Core i5 14600K. Increasing the TDP to 105W raised the draw to 225W, illustrating the trade-off between performance and power consumption.
In gaming scenarios, the system peaked at 426W while running Cyberpunk 2077, remaining competitive with other CPUs in its class.
Temperature
The 9600X’s thermal performance at 65W TDP was impressive, peaking at just 68°C during Cinebench tests. Even under gaming loads, it maintained low temperatures, making it suitable for modest cooling solutions.
Price
Currently priced at 2.99, down from its initial 9.99, the Ryzen 5 9600X offers solid value for its gaming performance. While the Core i5 14600K is similarly priced, the 9600X may represent a better investment for those considering the longevity of the Socket AM5 platform, especially for new builds.
Alternatives
Intel Core i5 14600K
The Core i5 14600K stands out with its eight E-Cores, providing superior multi-threading performance compared to the Ryzen 5 9600X. While the latter excels in single-threaded tasks and gaming, the 14600K remains a strong contender, particularly for users with existing LGA1700 systems.
Intel Core i5 13400F
For those on a tighter budget, the Core i5 13400F offers remarkable value with its ten-core configuration. While it lacks overclocking capabilities and has a lower boost clock, it remains a capable option for gaming, often priced below 9.99.
