AMD's Ryzen 5 7500F: Affordable Gaming Performance
AMD’s cheapest Zen 4-based CPU has quietly launched, but you probably won’t be able to buy it. The Ryzen 5 7500F is priced at $179 and packs six cores, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of up to 5.0 GHz. It’s aimed at gamers with limited budgets, and considering it doesn’t include an integrated GPU, you’ll probably want to pair it with a discrete graphics card.
The Ryzen 5 7500F packs 6MB of L2 cache, 32MB of L3 cache, and supports dual-channel DDR5 memory. It’s able to run at 65W TDP and has a locked multiplier, which means overclocking will be difficult. The 28 PCIe Gen5 lanes connect to the chipset, while four of them connect to a discrete GPU.
This means you’ll need to buy a separate graphics card, which will obviously push the overall system price up. In a way, this makes the Ryzen 5 7500F even more affordable, as you’re not paying extra for an integrated GPU that you won’t use.
The Ryzen 5 7500F is initially launching in China and some other Asian countries, according to Anandtech. However, it’s listed for global availability, so it may come to other regions at a later date.
The publication has also reviewed the processor, alongside the Ryzen 5 7500A and Ryzen 5 7500U. The Ryzen 5 7500F offers higher performance than the Ryzen 5 5600 for a slightly higher price, with Anandtech saying it’s “a strong chip for its price point.”
The Ryzen 5 7500F’s limited availability isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, as it’s only available from China-based JD.com. Amazon and Newegg both list it for global availability, but it doesn’t appear to be available for sale on either retailer.
If you’re looking for an AMD CPU that’s easier to buy, then the Ryzen 5 5800 is a good option. It’s a great midrange pick that offers value for money, and is available from the aforementioned retailers.
