If you’ve been looking for the best gaming processor of 2020, you’re in luck, as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is finally back in stock at Currys in the UK at its usual price of 280 GBP.
The six-core Ryzen 5 5600X is easily the remarkable CPU of AMD’s new Ryzen 5000 processor culture, delivering near-identical gaming performance in all resolutions like the Ryzen 7 5800X and Ryzen 9 5900X. It’s also quite faster than Intel’s Core i5-10600K and is much more energy efficient to boot. It is an excellent choice for new PC builders and is currently my chosen CPU for those who want to upgrade right now.
You’ll want to pair it with one of the AM4 motherboards based on the AM5 B550 or X570 to get the most out of it, but some AM4 400 series motherboards are also compatible with AMD’s new Ryzen 5000 processors after an upgrade BIOS. If you are upgrading from an existing 400 series motherboard, be sure to check for an update available for your particular board before getting rid of the old processor. On the other hand, the X570 and B550 motherboards will work with all Ryzen 5000 processors directly out of the box.
Unfortunately, the Ryzen 5 5600X is still almost depleted almost everywhere in the US, but the level of stocks in the UK seems to be a little better at the moment. Indeed, Currys has the best price for the 5600X right now, as the Scan currently has it at 310 GBP, while Overclockers UK are even more expensive at 320 GBP. Better yet, it’s not just limited to a handful of local Currys stores across the country, as it’s available for both online shopping and local drive-through, because, you know, blocking and all that.
I should note that Intel is due to launch the 11th generation Rocket Lake CPUs before the end of March this year, so you may prefer to wait and see how it compares before taking the plunge. 11th-generation Intel Rocket Lake CPUs will eventually accept the ultra-fast PCIe 4.0 standard when they come out later this year, as will the AMD Ryzen 5000 chips, making them a much better base. better for a new PC than 10th generation Intel Comet Lake processors. PCIe 4.0 support will become more and more important in the future and I would not recommend anyone to try to build a PC without it this year.
In the meantime, though, AMD’s Ryzen 5 5600X is still a remarkable processor in itself and is worth earning at 280 GBP if you’re in the middle of building a new PC right now.