Ryzen 7 vs Ryzen 9: A Comprehensive CPU Comparison
Last updated on September 7th, 2023 at 10:46 am
The Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 are two top-of-the-end consumer CPU models made by AMD. Both are very high-performance and if you are looking to build a high-end computer you might be stuck on whether you should purchase a Ryzen 7 or Ryzen 9 CPU.
For that reason, I have created this article to help you.
What Is Ryzen?
Before we get started it’s important to understand what AMDs Ryzen lineup means.
Ryzen is a CPU model created by AMD that is targeted towards more server, and workstation computers, however, the more recent models of this CPU have a lot of gaming capabilities that help improve performance and reliability when gaming as well.
They focus on the functionality of utilizing multiple cores which makes it great for workstations, but have also upped the GHz on each specific core improving its performance when gaming.
As of writing this article, AMD has 7 generations of the Ryzen CPU series with the latest generation being released on September 22nd, 2022
For more information on this topic, I wrote an in-depth article on What is AMD Ryzen.
Comparing Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9: Key Differences and Similarities
Now that you have an understanding of what Ryzen is It’s important to compare the Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 side by side.
| Specification | Ryzen 7 | Ryzen 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 12 – 16 |
| Threads | 16 | 24 – 32 |
| Base Clock Speed | 3.0 – 3.9 GHz | 3.5 – 3.9 GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 3.7 – 4.8 GHz | 4.2 – 4.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16 – 32 MB | 32 – 64 MB |
| Integrated Graphics | None for most Ryzen 7 models | None for most Ryzen 9 models |
| Power Consumption (TDP) | 65W – 105W | 105W – 140W |
| Price Range | $300 – $450 | $500 – $800 |
Above is a chart that shows the general comparison between the Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 models.
As you can see in some of the sections I provided you with a range because the specs vary within each series depending on the specific CPU model. It’s recommended to compare the specific Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 models you’re considering for the most accurate comparison.
We will be going through:
- Clock Speed
- Core Count
- Thread Count
- Cache
Let’s get into it!
Clock Speed
When it comes to your processor’s performance its clock speed is one of the most important factors.
When you look at a CPUs clock speed there are actually two different clock speeds you want to look at.
- The Base Clock Speed
- The Boost Clock Speed
The base clock speed is how fast your CPU will be right out of the box, and the boost clock speed is how fast your CPU can potentially be when you overclock it.
Both clock speeds are measured in GHz.
| CPU Model | Base Clock Speed | Boost Clock Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 | ||
| Ryzen 7 1700 | 3.0 GHz | 3.7 GHz |
| Ryzen 7 1700X | 3.4 GHz | 3.8 GHz |
| Ryzen 7 1800X | 3.6 GHz | 4.0 GHz |
| Ryzen 7 2700 | 3.2 GHz | 4.1 GHz |
| Ryzen 7 2700X | 3.7 GHz | 4.3 GHz |
| Ryzen 7 3700X | 3.6 GHz | 4.4 GHz |
| Ryzen 7 3800X | 3.9 GHz | 4.5 GHz |
| Ryzen 7 3800XT | 3.9 GHz | 4.7 GHz |
| Ryzen 7 5800X | 3.8 GHz | 4.7 GHz |
| Ryzen 9 | ||
| Ryzen 9 3900X | 3.8 GHz | 4.6 GHz |
| Ryzen 9 3900XT | 3.8 GHz | 4.7 GHz |
| Ryzen 9 3950X | 3.5 GHz | 4.7 GHz |
| Ryzen 9 5900X | 3.7 GHz | 4.8 GHz |
| Ryzen 9 5950X | 3.4 GHz | 4.9 GHz |
As you can above the Ryzen 7 processors have a wider range, but in general, are as fast or even faster than the Ryzen 9s base clock speed.
If you are not really into boosting your computer via overclocking then using a higher-end Ryzen 7 processor will provide you with better performance.
However, if you are looking to overclock then the Ryzen 9 has better boost clock potential. Even when you have slower base clock speeds with the Ryzen 9 you still have more flexibility with the boost clock making it the better option for pure performance.
The speed of your processors is measured in GHz, this is also a familiar term used to talk about the speed of your computer hardware, so it is very important to understand what it means and how it is used.
That’s why I have also written an article on what GHz is and how it affects performance. This will give you a more in-depth analysis if you are a little confused.
For general CPU performance, you want to have a clock speed that is at least 3.5 GHz anything below that is not recommended for gaming, and anything above that will show an improvement in your CPUs performance.
Cores
Core count is important for many things other than gaming performance. If you are looking for a high-end workstation or server computer, then in general you want to look for a CPU with a high-core count over a higher clock speed.
A high core count CPU is something that AMD is known for, as their consumer CPUs tend to have a higher core count than their competitors.
On top of that they are able to make CPUs not only with a high core count but also a fast clock speed which makes them a great overall CPU.
The Ryzen 7 comes equipped with 8 cores, whereas certain Ryzen 9 models have up to 16 cores doubling that of the Ryzen 7.
You will see that the Ryzen 9 has a mix between 12 cores and 16 cores, which is a lot of cores for a consumer CPU.
The Ryzen 7 having 8 cores is more than enough for general tasks, computing, and gaming.
With the Ryzen 9, the core count is a little overkill, but if you need to run more demanding tasks on your computer then that is something a Ryzen 9 processor can accomplish.
Threads
Threads are basically virtual cores. They are used to assist the CPU core by splitting the tasks into two. This is called multithreading.
For every core a CPU has it will have two virtual cores or threads.
This means that just like cores the Ryzen 9 will have more threads available than the Ryzen 7.
Cache
Cache is very important to performance especially when gaming. Cache stores temporary data and events that might happen. That’s why having more cache in your CPU is very important.
The more cache you have the more chances that your CPU will have the outcome planned out. If you have a low amount of cache and your CPU isn’t able to store this data, then it will slow down the overall performance of your computer to catch up to whatever application it is working on.
When comparing the Ryzen 7 to Ryzen 9 there is a big jump from the amount of cache these two can store.
Ryzen 7 models can store anywhere from 16-32 MB of L3 cache whereas Ryzen 9 models can store around 32-64 MB of L3 cache (Which is a pretty big jump.)
of course, there is also L1 and L2 cache to consider, but it is the same pattern in those as well.
If you want to learn more about this I have an article on Why CPU Cache is Important.
Overall Performance
When looking at everything we talked about above we can come to the decision that a Ryzen 9 will offer better performance overall. However, you should note that the Ryzen 9 series CPUs aren’t targeted towards your general consumers, and are targeted towards more professional use.
If you are looking to build an overkill PC with the best-of-the-best performance then using a Ryzen 9 will do just that.
However, if you are more of a casual gamer, but still looking to get better than average performance on a consumer level then the Ryzen 7 will be just fine.
It is important to know what you want to get out of your computer before you go ahead and buy anything that way you can get the best value for your money and get the performance and speed that you need.
If you are still not sure what CPU is right for you, then you should check out “Choosing the Right Processor Guide.”
You might also like: What’s The Difference Between Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5.
