AMD has officially launched the Ryzen 5 7500X3D, a new budget-friendly gaming CPU that brings the company’s powerful 3D V-Cache technology to its lowest price point on the AM5 platform. With this chip, gamers can now build an affordable DDR5-powered system that can outperform Intel’s Core i5-14600K by a massive margin—sometimes by more than 110 FPS in certain titles.
Why the Ryzen 5 7500X3D Matters
AMD’s X3D processors have dominated gaming performance charts ever since the arrival of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. However, these chips typically cost significantly more than their non-X3D counterparts. The new 7500X3D changes that by introducing 3D V-Cache to the AM5 platform at the most affordable price so far.
Although AMD has released slightly cheaper X3D chips before, those were only available on the older AM4 platform—which still uses DDR4 memory and is now considered two generations behind. For anyone building a new PC in 2025, AM4 is no longer a recommended choice.
The AM5 platform, on the other hand, supports DDR5 RAM and is confirmed to receive support for AMD’s next-generation Zen 6 processors. Until now, the cheapest AM5 X3D chip was the Ryzen 7 7600X3D with a $299 price tag, often selling for even more. The 7500X3D lowers the entry point significantly.
AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D Specifications
The 7500X3D closely resembles the 7600X3D in its overall design. It features:
- 6 cores, 12 threads (Zen 4 architecture)
- 4.0GHz base clock
- Up to 4.5GHz boost clock
- 3D V-Cache with an additional 64MB of L3 cache
Compared to the 7600X3D, the 7500X3D runs at slightly lower clock speeds—just 100MHz slower at base and 200MHz slower at boost. However, the key difference is the extra 64MB of stacked L3 cache, which dramatically improves memory access speeds during gaming workloads.
This large cache pool is much faster than system RAM, and it is exactly why X3D CPUs consistently deliver top-tier gaming performance.
How Much Faster Is It in Games?
According to AMD’s internal testing (independent reviews are still pending), the Ryzen 5 7500X3D offers impressive gains over Intel’s Core i5-14600K:
- 11.7% faster across 10 esports titles
- 7.6% higher FPS across 19 AAA games
One of the most striking examples is PUBG at 1080p, where the 7500X3D reaches around 540 FPS, compared to the 14600K’s 409 FPS—a massive 131 FPS lead.
The gap is even wider compared to Intel’s newer Core Ultra 7 245KF, where the Ryzen chip leads by:
- 22% in esports games
- 12.7% in AAA titles
Since these are AMD’s numbers, real-world results may vary, but the early data looks promising.
Zen 4 vs. Zen 5 – What You Should Know
One detail to note is that the Ryzen 5 7500X3D is built on AMD’s Zen 4 architecture, not the newer Zen 5 architecture found in the 9600X and 9800X3D. Zen 5 provides higher frequencies and broader improvements, especially for X3D models.
However, the Zen 5 X3D lineup currently starts at the higher-priced 9800X3D, making the 7500X3D the most cost-effective X3D entry point by a $200 margin.
Should You Buy the Ryzen 5 7500X3D?
Based on early information, the 7500X3D appears to be a fantastic budget option for gamers who want:
- High FPS in esports and competitive shooters
- A modern AM5 platform with DDR5 support
- X3D performance at a much lower price
While it may not outperform the flagship X3D chips, beating the Intel 14600K consistently is a major achievement for a mid-range CPU.
We’ll know more once independent reviews go live, but as of now, the Ryzen 5 7500X3D looks like one of the most exciting new budget gaming processors of 2025.