Why lots of people buy this CPU?? Review of Ryzen 5 3600

Kaya
Updated on 2023-06-29
One of the things a PC gamer would consider when buying a new PC is the CPU and GPU of the system. The CPU/chipset of a computer is what determines if the PC would be fast or sluggish while streaming/playing online video games. Notwithstanding, if your PC doesn't come with a decent CPU as you want, you can upgrade, and the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU is a good option to think about.

Should you choose Intel Core i5 11400F or AMD’s Ryzen 5 3600? AMD’s Ryzen newer CPUs are “beasts” in performance and applications - talking about the Ryzen 9 5950X and AMD Ryzen 9 5900X models. But then, there comes Ryzen 5 3600, a super-affordable CPU with the best features you’d ever find in CPUs within its range.

One of the things a PC gamer would consider when buying a new PC is the CPU and GPU of the system. The CPU/chipset of a computer is what determines if the PC would be fast or sluggish while streaming/playing online video games. Notwithstanding, if your PC doesn't come with a decent CPU as you want, you can upgrade, and the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU is a good option to think about.

Ryzen 5 3600 CPU - Overview

The Ryzen 5 3600 is a decent gaming CPU developed by AMD. It is pretty fast, and it is currently the most sought-after AMD CPU right now - for gamers and heavy users. The Ryzen 5 3600 is very much affordable and has a lot to offer you as a Pro Gamer.

Priced below $280, this CPU is the main deal for PC gamers, and it is the favorite of many, already. More so, some other people that have used this CPU explain that it clearly outperforms Intel Core i5-9600K in applications, and is close to matching 8700K and 9700K. This CPU is compatible with all AM4 motherboards.

Breaking down the specifications of this CPU, it comes with six (6) high-performance Zen 2 cores and 24 lanes of PCIe 4.0. AMD Ryzen 5 3600 can be bought from different stores (if your PC does not come with it built-in). The Zen2 microarchitecture is the brain behind the superb, impressive performance of this CPU.

Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread process that beats the Intel alternatives within its price range. Also, this processor has a TDP of 65W, supports DDR4-3200 with 24 lanes of PCIe 4.0 - this is really good, and one can't just imagine how a processor of this price would feature these monster specifications.

Specifications:

Platform: Boxed Processor

CPU Cores: 6

Threads: 12

Max. Boost Clock: Up to 4.2GHz

Base Clock: 3.6GHz

Total L1 Cache: 384KB

Total L2 Cache: 3MB

Total L3 Cache: 32MB

Default TDP: 65W

Processor Technology for CPU Cores: TSMC 7nm FinFET

Unlocked for Overclocking: Yes

CPU Socket: AM4

Thermal Solution (PIB): Wraith Stealth

Thermal Solution (MPK): Wraith Stealth

Max. Operating Temperature (Tjmax): 95°C

OS Support: Windows 11/10, RHEL x86 64-Bit, Ubuntu x86 64-Bit

The innovative Zen 2 chipset architecture is one of the intriguing aspects of choosing this CPU for PC gaming. If your PC's base clock is 3.6GHz, installing this CPU would shoot at up to 4.2GHz; with that, you can play any type of online game with zero lag (if other factors are in place too).

Inarguably, the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU is a perfect blend of everything you need to have in a gaming PC. Most reputable websites ranked this CPU as one of the best for gaming PCs - ever since its launch in 2019. More interestingly, the CPU is built with an integrated cooler, Wraith Stealth.

So, you won’t be buying a CPU cooler if you’ve got the Ryzen 5 3600. That’d save you some bucks and you love to enjoy such benefits.

Performance

Coming over to performance, Ryzen 5 3600 really performs very well - considering the price and specifications. The CPU includes a healthy 32MB of total L3 cache, which is about double of what its predecessor has; and about 4x what you’d see on -9500 and -9400F processors.

AMD's Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) is available in this CPU; it is an automated overclocking tool that enables the processor to run at its best so the user can achieve maximum performance. The Ryzen 5 3600 offers up to a 15% increase in instructions per-clock (IPC) compared with the previous generations of AMD Ryzen CPUs.

This IPC increase basically implies faster processing and higher frame rates. More so, this CPU uses 6 cores, which powers it for snappy performance. Well, the Ryzen 5 3600 is only built for gamers, it is suitable for general-purpose applications, even when the PC would be subjected to heavy workloads.

Price:

The launch price was $199 on Amazon, but currently, the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU is selling at $295 - $300 on different stores, including Amazon and Walmart. It’s already 2 years since the launch of this CPU, but it still remains AMD’s mainstream mid-range processor, and this is because it is capable of overclocking to Ryzen 5 3600X speeds and beyond.

Well, if you're going to overclock this CPU to the peak, you need an aftermarket cooler to support the integrated Wraith Stealth cooler, and you will enjoy an unrivaled seamless gaming experience.

Why Do Many Gamers Love This CPU?

The price is the key attraction; a CPU with 6 cores, 12 threads, and supports up to 4.2GHz boost sold at a price below $200 upon launch? That's a great deal of the season. Although the price has gone up 50% (in 2021), a lot of people still find this CPU a good deal considering t performance and features.

More so, this CPU is suitable for different applications; it offers more application performance than other comparable CPUs, and of course, it is close enough in gaming. Hence, put simply, price and performance are the key reasons why many people go for this CPU over AMD's newer models and Intel counterparts (within its price range).

There is no integrated graphics card in this CPU; it works with your base GPU and won’t interfere in any way.

Ryzen 5 3600 vs Other Comparable CPUs

Compared with Intel Core i5-9600KF and Intel Core i7-9700KF, the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU is better. The table below explains it better.

AnandTech

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Intel Core i5-9600KF

Intel Core i7-9700KF

Architecture

Zen 2

Coffee Lake-R

(Skylake+++)

Coffee Lake-R

(Skylake+++)

Cores

6C / 12T

6C / 6T

8C / 8T

Base Freq

3600 MHz

3700 MHz

3600 MHz

Turbo Freq

4200 MHz

4600 MHz

4900 MHz

TDP

65 W

95 W

95 W

DDR4

2 x DDR4-3200

2x DDR4-2666

2x DDR4-2666

PCIe

PCIe 4.0 x24

PCIe 3.0 x16

PCIe 3.0 x16

Source: AnandTech

Summary?

Conclusively, a lot of people choose this CPU because it is priced low and the specifications meet various applications. Ryzen 5 3600 is also rated within the 90 - 100% range by different top websites, including AnandTech, TechSpot, PCGamesN, and others. No doubt, the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU is good, fast, and performs impressively. You can go for the Ryzen 5 3600X if you need to make a slight upgrade.