After the lackluster and flawed Ryzen 7000 lineup, AMD has officially released the 9000 series. With CPUs exploding from heat in the 7000 series, the 9000 series sees AMD turn down the power draw for the first time in a while. These new chips run cooler than previous gens while still offering improvements in performance. Both options are solid at the current price points, matching or beating almost everything else at both the mid-tier and high-tier options.
Where to Buy the New AMD Ryzen CPUs
One of the biggest features of this year's AMD CPU lineup is the transition to Zen 5 Architecture. Now, with 4nm chips, the power draw is less, boosting how quickly the processor can finish tasks. Both IPC (instructions per clock) and cache received significant improvements thanks to this new architecture, allowing for a smoother gaming experience than previous gens. Naturally, with less power draw, the unit does not run as hot as the 7000 series. This opens the door to overclocking a considerable amount, especially if you have an adequate CPU cooler.
Both the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and AMD Ryzen 7 9700X benefit from these Zen 5 improvements. While initial performance out of the box might be less than the 7000 series, this is largely due to the cap on power draw. Overclocking the chips can provide faster performance at a safer level than prior generations. If you currently have a Ryzen 7000 series CPU with an AM5 motherboard, the 9000 series chips will work as well. AM5 is here to stay, with the company telling our reviewer, Jacqueline Thomas, that the platform will be supported through 2027 at least. See her thoughts on the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X in our IGN review:
If you plan to pick up a Ryzen 9000 processor for a new PC build, be sure to take a look at our picks for the best PC cases or our other favorite CPUs. Airflow is crucial to keep these CPUs cool and efficient, regardless of any game or task you throw at it.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium. His favorite series include Xeno, Fate, and Final Fantasy.
