AMD quietly launches new low-cost AM4 processors with 3D cache

In November 2023, news broke that AMD was preparing to add Ryzen processors with 3D cache to the already 9-year-old AM4 platform. It took a while for the company to confirm those rumors, but it finally happened. The Ryzen 5 5500X3D is official, a new low-cost chip with stacked cache that aims to bring good gaming performance to those on a budget.

The Ryzen 5 5500X3D (first spotted on EEC last year) is essentially a downclocked version of the Ryzen 5 5600X3D. This 6-core, 12-thread AM4 processor operates at a base speed of 3GHz and can boost up to 4GHz. For comparison, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D has a base clock of 3.3GHz and a boost clock of 4.4GHz. The L3 cache, however, remains the same: 96MB — a very important factor for gaming (more cache means better performance). The platform is also similar: it's built on TSMC's 7nm process and the Zen 3 architecture.

Unlike current Ryzen AM5 chips with 3D cache, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is not unlocked, meaning the processor's modest clock speeds cannot be overclocked beyond the default value.

Here is a comparison table of AM4 processors with AMD's existing 3D cache:

Interestingly, the new Ryzen 5 5500X3D is listed as being available only in the Latin American (LATAM) region , meaning you're unlikely to see it available in the US, Europe, or Asia, at least initially. So if you want more power without switching platforms, you'll have to consider other AM4 processors.