AMD Ryzen 5 5500
If you're looking to build a brand-new gaming PC from the ground up, the Ryzen 5 7500F remains the better choice. Cutting costs by sticking with DDR4 simply doesn't hold up as a future-proof strategy. But if you already have an older PC with a decent graphics card and enough storage, and an AM4 upgrade is what gets you gaming for the lowest possible cost, the Ryzen 5 5500 remains a reasonable – if imperfect – option.
– As reviewed by TechSpot on Dec 2025
6
Cores
12
Threads
3.6 GHz
Base Clock
4.2 GHz
Boost Clock
Socket AM4
Socket
65 W
TDP
No iGPU
Graphics
$87
Price
| CPU Snapshot | |||
| Release date: | Apr 4, 2022 | Price at Launch: | $159 |
| Type: | Desktop | Socket: | Socket AM4 |
| Cores: | 6 | Threads: | 12 |
| Multithreading: | Yes | ||
| Clocks & Cache | |||
| Base Clock: | 3.6 GHz | Boost Clock: | 4.2 GHz |
| L2 Cache: | 3 MB | L3 Cache: | 16 MB |
| Platform | |||
| Codename: | Vermeer (Zen 3) | Process Size: | 7 nm |
| Memory Support: | DDR4-3200 | TDP: | 65 W |
| PCIe Support: | PCIe 3.0, 24 lanes | Box Cooler: | Yes |
| Integrated Features | |||
| Integrated Graphics: | No | NPU: | No |
CPU Benchmarks
All benchmark data reflects aggregated results from dozens of tests conducted in TechSpot’s labs and compiled from our full library of CPU reviews. Single-core productivity scores are based primarily on Cinebench and Adobe Photoshop workloads. Multi-core results draw from Cinebench, Blender, Corona Benchmark, 7-Zip, Adobe Premiere Pro, and shader compilation tests. CPU gaming benchmarks are all 1080p runs (explainer) as published on TechSpot.
[CPU] Single-Core Productivity
[CPU] Multi-Core Productivity
[CPU] Gaming Performance
Price History
AMD Ryzen 5 5500 pricing
| Price | Date | |
| Current | $87 | Mar 26, 2026 |
| Highest* | $92 | Dec 30, 2025 |
| Lowest* | $54 | Oct 14, 2025 |
| Average | $72 | |
* Prices are based on listings from Newegg and other major retailers over the past 12+ months.
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If you're looking to build a brand-new gaming PC from the ground up, the Ryzen 5 7500F remains the better choice. Cutting costs by sticking with DDR4 simply doesn't hold up as a future-proof strategy. But if you already have an older PC with a decent graphics card and enough storage, and an AM4 upgrade is what gets you gaming for the lowest possible cost, the Ryzen 5 5500 remains a reasonable – if imperfect – option.
By TechSpot on