Key information
The AMD Ryzen 5 5500F represents a significant upgrade over the base Ryzen 5 5500, offering improved value for budget-conscious builders. Despite its branding, which suggests a simple removal of integrated graphics, the 5500F is a distinct improvement that strengthens AMD's position in the entry-level CPU market.
Technically, the 5500F shifts from the Cezanne family to the Vermeer architecture. This transition provides a 200 MHz boost in clock speeds, reaching 4.4 GHz, and introduces support for PCIe 4.0. However, the chip retains the 16 MB of L3 cache found in the Cezanne-based 5500, rather than the 32 MB typically associated with the Vermeer line.
Tom's Hardware notes the chip effectively challenges the Intel Core i3-14100F. While the base 5500 trailed Intel by 11% in 1080p gaming, the 5500F narrows this performance gap to 2.9%. Additionally, the 5500F delivers a 10% average performance increase over its predecessor and outperforms Intel in multithreaded tasks.
The processor carries a 65W TDP and includes the Wraith Stealth cooler, which is sufficient for thermal management under load. While the suggested retail price is $100, current market pricing has been observed near $118.96 to $120.
