AMD Ryzen 5 5500

Brand
AMD
Model
AMD Ryzen 5 5500

Ryzen 5 5500 (Zen 3, 6C/12T) launched Apr 4, 2022 for AM4; a mainstream 1080p-friendly, budget upgrade CPU with no integrated graphics.

Compute rankTop 68% of CPUs
TierMainstream?GixCore tierWhat a part was built to do — not what it costs.EntryBudgetMainstreamHigh endEnthusiastFlagship A part can be cheap because it is an ageing flagship, or because it is a current entry-level model. The tier tells you which.
ReleasedApr 2022
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Cores6
Threads12
SocketAM4
MemoryDDR4
Base clock3.60 GHz
Boost clock4.20 GHz
TDP65 W
Cache19 MB
GixCore Editorial

Product overview

Released on April 4, 2022, the Ryzen 5 5500 belongs to AMD’s Ryzen 5000 (Zen 3) family for the AM4 platform. It’s a 6-core/12-thread part clocked at 3.6 GHz base and up to 4.2 GHz boost, based on a Cezanne die with PCIe 3.0 and 19 MB total cache.

Positioned as a mainstream Ryzen 5, it exists to deliver an affordable Zen 3 upgrade path for existing AM4 builds across 300/400/500‑series chipsets. It’s well suited to 1080p gaming and everyday productivity, with enough threads for light streaming and video editing. DDR4‑3200 support, a 65 W TDP, and an included Wraith Stealth cooler make it a practical drop‑in; the multiplier is unlocked. Unique note: no integrated graphics— a discrete GPU is required.

Best for
  • 1080p gaming
  • office/productivity
  • budget builds
  • streaming
  • video editing

Compatible options ranked for this part's performance class. See all 5 →

Pairing fit

Compatible RAM kits

Compatible options ranked for this part's performance class.

Specifications

At a glance iEach dot represents a catalog model. Farther right means a higher measured value, not necessarily a better fit.Measured against the CPUs catalog
Current modelCatalog models
Cores6
Higher than 38% of CPUs
Threads12
Higher than 41% of CPUs
Boost clock4.2 GHZ
Higher than 15% of CPUs
RAM speed3200 MT/s
Higher than 69% of CPUs
Cores
6
Threads
12
Socket
AM4
Memory
DDR4-3200
Base clock
3.6 GHZ
Boost clock
4.2 GHZ
TDP
65 W
Cache
19 MB
Generation
5000
Bus Speed
8 GT/s
Max Memory Size
128 GB
ECC Support
No
Hyper Threading
Yes
Turbo Boost
Yes
Chipset
X570, X470, X370, B550, B450, B350, A520
Ram Speed
3200 MT/s