An upcoming AMD desktop processor, the Ryzen 5 3500X has been spotted by Twitter user momomo_us on a Chinese retailer website jd.com. The listed specifications show that the new CPU is apparently a 6-core Ryzen processor with no SMT.
The marketing material on the website reveals some more information about the new CPU and the intended market segment it's aimed for.
As can be seen from the above image, the Ryzen 5 3500X is aimed to directly compete with the Core i5-9400F as a sub-$200 gaming CPU. On the Chinese website as well, the 3500X is pegged at ￥1099, ￥100 less than the Core i5-9400F's price. The slide shows the i5-9400F and 3500X going toe-to-toe in a few popular modern titles. Of course, these are AMD's own numbers so the 9400F might actually come out slightly ahead in independent third-party testing.
The listed specifications of the Ryzen 5 3500X are:
- 6 core 6 thread,
- Zen 2 architecture,
- TSMC 7nm FinFET process,
- 3.6 GHz base clock,
- 4.1 GHz boost clock,
- 32MB L3 cache (AMD Gamecache),
- DDR4 3200MHz memory support,
- 24 PCIe 4.0 Lanes
- 65W TDP,
- AMD Wraith Stealth cooler.
About a month ago, the Ryzen 5 3500 non-X variant was spotted by reputed leaker APISAK which curiously, also had the same specs as that of the 3500X spotted today. Of course, it is entirely possible that this is the same CPU that APISAK had noticed back then and just the name has been updated with an X.
The launch of this CPU isn't really surprising since AMD's current offering at this price - the 4-core 8-threaded Ryzen 5 3400G - struggles to keep up with the 9400F in anything that doesn't involve the integrated Vega 11 graphics. This is because the Ryzen 5 3400G is still based on 12nm Zen+ design instead of the cutting edge 7nm Zen 2 architecture. Hence, the new Ryzen 5 3500X, if priced appropriately, should provide buyers a solid alternative as a budget gaming CPU.
