AMD To Release Limited Run Ryzen 5 5600X3D for $230, Micro Center Exclusive

With AMD now a number of months publish launch of their present AM5 platform, I figured that the solar was setting on AMD’s previous-generation AM4 platform. However, it will appear, AM4 goes to get one final hurrah, as AMD is getting ready to launch a brand new chip for the platform: a V-cache outfitted, hex-core Ryzen 5 5600X. And whereas the chip itself is notable in a few methods, what’s probably going to finish up higher remembered is the weird launch of the chip, with it being launched as a restricted version Micro Heart unique on July 7^th.

First issues first, let’s begin with the chip itself. The Ryzen 5 5600X3D is a 6 core Zen 3 processor with AMD’s 64MB V-cache die stacked on high, giving the Zen 3-era chip a complete of 96MB of L3 cache. Architecturally, it’s a lower-bin SKU of the identical silicon AMD makes use of to make their current 5800X3D, simply operating at marginally decrease clockspeeds and with two CPU cores fused off. In follow, this can be a salvage half to utilize Zen 3 CCDs with minor defects, identical to the common Ryzen 5 5600X.

As regards to the processor’s specs, it seems just about precisely like what you’d anticipate for a Ryzen 5 X3D half. The bottom clockspeed of three.3GHz and enhance clockspeed of 4.4GHz are a step beneath the total Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and together with the lack of 2 CPUs cores, the chip is taking a modest hit to CPU throughput. Nevertheless, as a result of disabling two CPU cores doesn’t disable any of the L3 cache inside AMD’s Zen 3 CCD, the chip nonetheless has all of its 96MB of L3 cache out there – making this the lowest-end AMD half to get a supersized L3 cache pool.

In any other case, the remainder of the official specs are the identical because the 5800X3D that this lesser chip is reduce from. Which means energy consumption is rated for a TDP of 105W (142W PPT), which is in-line with many of the remainder of the Ryzen 5000X household, although it’s a tier increased than the 65W TDP of the 5600X that will probably be sitting subsequent to inside AMD’s product stack. And, lest anybody has forgotten following the Ryzen 7000 launch, as this can be a Zen 3 desktop CPU solely DDR4 reminiscence is supported, and there isn’t an built-in GPU of any type.

Whereas there’s nothing notably uncommon about AMD releasing a salvage half to fill in a spot of their product lineup, AMD’s choice to launch this so late into AM4’s lifecycle – after the Ryzen 5000X3D household’s successors are already launched – does stand out. Though AMD is taking an unusually distant method to this launch (extra on that in a second), all indicators level to AMD opting to dump the comparatively small variety of faulty chips that they’ve amassed over the previous yr as a part of 5800X3D manufacturing.  

As a result of AMD doesn’t have any present Ryzen 5000X3D chip SKUs with 6 CPU cores, and the 5800X3D requires a “good” Zen 3 + V-cache die, AMD hasn’t had an outlet for chips that fail to make the grade. On bigger run merchandise just like the common Ryzen 5000 household, this is able to be accounted for from the beginning with elements just like the 5600X, however the V-cache Ryzen 5000X3D household is produced in comparatively small numbers to start with, so there aren’t a number of defective-but-salvageable chips sitting round (many of the duds could be a foul connection between the CCD and v-cache die, we reckon). Nonetheless, if you happen to produce one thing just like the 5800X3D for lengthy sufficient, these faulty chips do begin stacking up. So AMD’s choices are to both get rid of them, or to make a revenue out of them – and thus we get the Ryzen 5 5600X3D.

{Hardware}-wise, I’m a bit shocked to see that AMD has sufficient of those harvested chips to even hassle with a salvage run. The intricate die stacking required to position a V-cache die on a CCD implies that there’s no purpose AMD ought to be inserting the cache on something lower than an ideal, 8 core Zen 3 CCD. Nonetheless, it will appear that both the CCD validation course of or the stacking course of is imprecise sufficient that a number of less-than-perfect elements nonetheless make it by the cracks. And hey, it makes for some good conversational {hardware}.

In any case, the low quantity of the Ryzen 5 5600X3D implies that it doesn’t essentially must be a aggressive chip over the lengthy haul of the market; it solely must promote out as soon as. And with a price ticket of $229.99, it shouldn’t have an excessive amount of hassle doing so. At this worth it’s $50 beneath the 5800X3D and a few $82 dearer than the vanilla 5600X, which has similarities to the premium for the 5800X3D over its common counterpart.

As with the 5800X3D, what’s going to make or break the chip are these workloads that may make use of the chip’s expansive 96MB of L3 cache. Which for the patron market has primarily been video games. For these video games that profit from the big L3 cache dimension – and have been the explanation du jure to get the 5800X3D up till now – the 96MB of L3 cache within the even cheaper 5600X3D makes for an attention-grabbing and doubtlessly performative different – at the very least as long as that workload received’t vastly miss the 2 disabled CPU cores.

In any other case, the second most convincing use case for the quick stocked chip might be as an improve for current AM4 methods. It received’t be a halo improve half just like the 5800X3D, but when your workloads profit sufficient to justify getting an X3D chip over a less expensive vanilla processor, it’s an alternative choice to think about.

Ryzen 5 5600X3D: A Restricted Quantity, Micro Heart Unique

However what’s maybe most attention-grabbing about this launch is just not what’s being launched, however whom it’s being launched with. As famous earlier, this can be a low quantity half – so low {that a} conventional international launch is seemingly out of the query. So moderately than releasing the half worldwide with lots of of associate retailers, AMD is partnering with only a single firm to launch it in a single area: Micro Heart.

The beloved brick and motor PC elements retailer would be the solely retailer receiving the Ryzen 5 5600X3D. And certainly, whereas that is an AMD chip, it’s very a lot Micro Heart’s launch. AMD isn’t selling the processor and even issuing any press releases; all of that’s being dealt with by Micro Heart. It’s about as unique as a processor launch can get, wanting a retailer requisitioning their very own chip SKU.

The unique launch with Micro Heart implies that, amongst different issues, this can be a de facto US-only half. Regional rarities are usually not unprecedented (AMD and Intel have been identified to launch China-only elements every now and then), nevertheless it’s much less widespread to get one thing that’s US-only. In the meantime, even if you happen to’re within the US, you’ll want entry to a Micro Heart retailer to get the chip. The corporate’s retail footprint is proscribed, with simply 25 shops, primarily within the mid-west and east. So even in AMD’s personal yard of Austin, Texas, the 5600X3D technically isn’t out there.

Above all else, the exclusivity of the launch underscores the restricted variety of chips that might be out there. Whereas neither Micro Heart nor AMD are disclosing the entire variety of chips being made out there, if a mid-sized retailer like Micro Heart can transfer sufficient chips to make use of up no matter AMD is supplying, then we’re taking a look at a really small quantity in comparison with the sometimes huge international launch. Nonetheless, our colleagues over at Tom’s {Hardware} report that Micro Heart has advised them that they anticipate to have “a number of months of availability,” so it is also not essentially a product that can promote out endlessly on its first day.

In any case, Micro Heart might be promoting the chip alone, in addition to a part of a few totally different bundles. The solo chip might be $230, and like its 5800X3D counterpart, is offered chip-only, with out a bundled cooler. In the meantime, Micro Heart will even offer a $330 bundle that pairs the chip with ASUS’s B550-PLUS TUF Gaming Motherboard and 16GB of G.Talent Ripjaws V DDR4 reminiscence. Lastly, the shop might be providing a full-on prebuilt system as nicely, the PowerSpec G516, which is able to spherical out the gathering with a Radeon RX 6650 XT and a 500GB SSD for $850. All three choices will go on sale on July 7^th.