AMD Expands Desktop Ryzen 7000 “Zen 4” Processor Family with 65W Models

Besides the sensational Ryzen 7000X3D processors taking the fight to Intel’s “Raptor Lake,” AMD expanded the desktop Ryzen 7000 even downwards, with the introduction of three new 65 W processor SKUs that include boxed stock coolers. These include the Ryzen 5 7600 6-core/12-thread, the Ryzen 7 7700 8-core/16-thread, and the Ryzen 9 7900 12-core/24-thread. There’s no 16-core part in this segment. These processors come with TDP values set at just 65 W, and PPT values in the range of 90 W to 120 W, and so their clock speeds and maximum boost speeds are lower compared to the 7000X series, with more aggressive power-management.

The 7600 boosts up to 5.10 GHz, and packs a 65 W-capable Wraith Stealth boxed cooling solution. The 7700 boosts up to 5.30 GHz, and the 7900 up to 5.40 GHz. Both the 7700 and 7900 include a Wraith Prism RGB cooler that can handle thermal loads of up to 140 W. The three chips are priced lower than their 7000X series cousins, with the 7600 going for USD $229, the 7700 at $329, and the 7900 at $429. The three chips are drop-in compatible with existing Socket AM5 motherboards without needing any BIOS update.

AMD claims that with PBO (precision boost overdrive), you can raise the power limits for the these chips, and improve their performance by as much as 35%. This is similar to Intel’s 65 W “locked” processors getting a free performance uplift by relaxing power limits in the motherboard BIOS level.

At stock speeds, all three new models are purported to offer significant performance uplifts over the previous-generation Ryzen 5 5600, 5700X, and 5900X.The three processors should be available to purchase in the retail channel from January 10, 2023.