AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Vs Ryzen 5 3600X? Which One to Buy

Looking for a fresh CPU for your computer but can’t decide which CPU to buy? You can’t be blamed because there is such an abundance of CPUs in the market, making it very hard to choose a perfect CPU for your computer.

In this article, we will talk about the Ryzen 5 3600 and the Ryzen 5 3600X. As you guys know, AMD is known for producing some of the best and most potent processors over the years, and the Ryzen 3600 and 3600X is the perfect example of it.

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AMD Ryzen 5 3600 VS Ryzen 5 3600X

So, if you have checked several processors for your computer and you have narrowed it down to these two, then you have done a great job because these two are some of the best-selling and influential processors. Let’s talk about its features in detail to decide which CPU is the right option for your computer.

Specifications

Full technical specification of AMD Ryzen 5 3600 VS Ryzen 5 3600X

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

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Critic Reviews

“With a price of $200, the Ryzen 5 3600 is the price/performance king in its segment. It offers more application performance than anything comparable and is close enough in gaming. Pair that with the slightly lower platform cost on AMD than on Intel (don’t bother with the expensive X570 motherboards), as well as the improved memory compatibility, an …”by techPowerUp!

AMD Ryzen 5 3600x

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Critic Reviews

“When the Ryzen 3000 Series was released the processor that was given the most praise was the Ryzen 9 3900X as it should. The 12-core, 24-thread monster pretty much destroyed the competition. While this processor is great, not everyone has $499 to spend…”by ThinkComputers

Advantages of AMD Ryzen 5 3600X

5% higher Turbo Boost frequency (4.4 GHz vs 4.2 GHz)

Advantages of AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Consumes up to 32% less energy than the Ryzen 5 3600X – 65 vs 95 Watt

General

Vendor	AMD	AMD
Released	July 7, 2019	July 7, 2019
Launch price	249 USD	199 USD
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Codename	Zen 2	Zen 2
Socket	AM4	AM4
Integrated GPU	No	No

Performance

Cores	6	6
Threads	12	12
Base Frequency	3.8 GHz	3.6 GHz
Turbo Boost Frequency	4.4 GHz	4.2 GHz
Bus frequency	100 MHz	100 MHz
Multiplier	38x	36x
L1 Cache	64K (per core)	96K (per core)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
L3 Cache	32MB (shared)	32MB (shared)
Unlocked Multiplier	Yes	Yes

Power

Transistors	4.8 billions	4.9 billions
Fabrication process	7 nm	7 nm
TDP	95 W	65 W
Max. temperature	95°C	95°C

Memory support

Memory types	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Memory Size	128 GB	128 GB
Max. Memory Channels	2	2
Max. Memory Bandwidth	47.68 GB/s	47.68 GB/s
ECC Support	Yes	No

Misc

Official site	AMD Ryzen 5 3600X official page	AMD Ryzen 5 3600 official page
PCI Express Version	4.0	4.0
PCI Express Lanes	20	20

Ryzen 5 3600 Features

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600, built on a 7nm process node from TSMC, is made up of 6 CPU Cores and a 12-thread processor with the ground-breaking Zen 2 architecture up to 3.6GHz on base and 4.2GHz on max boost. The Ryzen 5 3600 provides enough power to ensure a smooth gaming experience.

Featuring a TDP of 65W and a Wraith Stealth cooler ensures the temperature down and generates higher performance formulating an outstanding processor for your computer. The Ryzen 5 3600 is a bit cheaper than the 3600X, and according to our tests, it produces almost the same performance as the 3600X.

Ryzen 5 3600X Features

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, also built on a 7nm process node from TSMC, comprises 6 CPU Cores and a 12-thread processor supported by Zen 2 architecture, which clocks up to 3.8GHz on base and 4.4GHz on boost clock. The Ryzen 3600X features a thermal design power of 95W and a Wraith Spire stock cooler, which helps keep the temperature down and generate higher performance for your system.

The higher TDP and stock cooler makes the 3600X a terrific processor for your computer. The 3600X is a little bit expensive than the 3600, and after running different tests on this processor, the performance results were almost the same as the 3600. The only thing that makes it better than the 3600 is its stock cooler and the amount of clocked rate.

The Difference between Ryzen 5 3600 and Ryzen 5 3600X

After discussing both the processors’ main features, it seems like both of them are quite the same; both the processors are built on 7nm process node, feature 6CPU Cores and 12-thread processors. Both the Ryzen 5 processors feature Zen 2 architecture, and have their stock cooler. Almost everything is the same, so let’s dig deeper to see their differences to find out which processor is better.

If we have to talk about the differences between the Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X, their clock speed is one of the main differences. The Ryzen 5 3600 clocks from 3.6GHz to 4.2GHz, the 3.6GHz on the base clock, and up to 4.2GHz on the boost clock. While the Ryzen 5 3600X handles 3.8GHz on the base clock and up to 4.4GHz on the boost clock.

The second difference between the two Ryzen 5 processors is the Thermal Design Power or the TDP. The Ryzen 5 3600 features a 65W TDP, which is relatively less than the 3600X’s 95W. The Ryzen 5 3600X packs more TDP, which helps the processor to keep the temperature low and generate higher performance for your system.

The third difference between the Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X CPUs is their performance; as we have tested both the processors and carried out benchmark tests, we found out that the Ryzen 5 3600X has an advantage the Ryzen 5 3600. Not saying that the Ryzen 5 3600 cannot produce the same performance as the 3600X, but the extra power clocked by the 3600X gives it an edge in performance. So that is how the 3600X is better in performance than the 3600.

The fourth difference between the Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X is the stock cooler that both of these processors feature. The Ryzen 5 3600 features the Wraith Stealth cooler, while the 3600X features the Wraith Spire cooler. If you look at the coolers carefully, both of them are quite the same.

Still, the Wraith Spire one is a bit tall, making it a superior cooler because its heatsink offers a larger surface area making it capable of absorbing and dissipating all the heat your system is generating.

Conclusion: Which one should you buy?

After testing both the processors and looking at their features, I don’t think one should give an extra fifty bucks to buy the Ryzen 3600X. Just because it features a better cooler and a tiny edge in the performance, it’s not worth $50.

Even if you argue about the TDP ratings, the 3600 comes with a 65W TDP rating because it comes with a 65W cooler, and the 95W TDP rating because of the 95W cooler. The higher rating does not mean better performance and more power; you can easily swap the coolers and reverse the results, so that’s not a big deal to worry about.

As we also discussed that the 3600X clocks better than the 3600, but that difference is also not so noticeable in the benchmark tests. So in my opinion, the Ryzen 5 3600 is a better option to buy than the 3600X. The Ryzen 5 3600 is cheaper, affordable, and capable of producing almost the same performance as the expensive 3600X.

3 Reasons to pick the AMD Ryzen 5 3600:

9% cheaper, you can save $19.98.
Slightly better workstation effective value.
Around 32% lower thermal design power.

5 Reasons to pick the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X:

Slightly better average single-core performance, around 6%.
Slightly better single-core effective value.
Slightly better average multithreading performance, around 2%.
Higher CPU Clock Frequency (+200MHz).
Higher Max Turbo Clock Frequency (+200MHz).