AMD's latest budget AM4 gaming CPU, the Zen 3-based Ryzen 5 5500X3D, shows promising performance in recent benchmarks, but lags slightly behind the Ryzen 5 5600X3D, with a 6% deficit in PassMark.

The tech world has a new addition, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D, a processor introduced by AMD. Despite being two generations behind the current Zen 5 processors, this budget-friendly offering from AMD showcases the 3D V-Cache technology.

However, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D's performance evaluation is somewhat limited due to only a single result in PassMark benchmarks, leading to a significant margin for error. In comparison to its sibling, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D exhibited approximately 6% lower performance in both single-threaded and multi-threaded evaluations.

The Ryzen 5 5500X3D's performance in gaming scenarios may not be accurately represented by PassMark benchmarks. AMD's 3D V-Cache technology is particularly advantageous in gaming, and it's worth noting that the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is designed to excel in this area.

As for its availability, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is exclusively available in Latin America. In the U.S. market, consumers cannot purchase this processor directly, as it is not officially marketed there. However, its pricing in foreign markets appears to be appropriate, given that hardware products generally command higher prices.

Mexican retailer DD Tech has listed the Ryzen 5 5500X3D for $185.92, and Argentine retailer Tecnocraft offers the same processor for $184.66 (exclusive of VAT). Based on these prices, it is reasonable to infer that the MSRP for the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is approximately $185.

The Ryzen 5 5500X3D boasts a six-core, 12-thread configuration, the same 96MB L3 cache, and is rated for 105W of power as the Ryzen 5 5600X3D. In single-threaded tasks, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D showed comparable performance to the Ryzen 5 5500 (Cezanne), while achieving a 6% higher multi-threaded performance.

The PassMark benchmarks for the Ryzen 5 5500X3D provide a glimpse into what the budget Zen 3 with 3D V-Cache can do in a non-gaming scenario. While the performance numbers might not be as impressive as some might hope, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D still offers a solid performance for its price point.

In the U.S. market, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a hard pass, considering consumers can acquire a Ryzen 5 7600X for as low as $178 or opt for the latest Ryzen 5 9600X, starting at $197. For those in Latin America, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D might be a worthwhile consideration, given its unique features and competitive pricing.