AMD launched their new Ryzen lineup about a month and a half ago but when they sent out initial sampling they only sent out the Ryzen 7 2700X and Ryzen 5 2600X. Those were mostly what people wanted to see, but they did launch a few other CPUs at that same time. A few reviewers went and picked them up at the store but I don’t have the budget for that. AMD did follow up though and sent over the Ryzen 7 2700 and Ryzen 5 2600, two really interesting CPUs. I will get into why in just a minute. After that, I will go through my testing and then talk about how they fit in the market. Let's go!
Product Name: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and Ryzen 7 2700
Review Sample Provided by: AMD
Written by: Wes Compton
Pictures by: Wes Compton
Amazon Affiliate Link: Ryzen 5 2600 and Ryzen 7 2700
What no X?
Okay, so you have most likely seen the 2700X and 2600X from everyone’s coverage including our own (check it out). But where do the none X models fit into things? Well here are the basic features and launch prices.
So the 2700X and 2600X make sense, they are the fastest possible versions of the new Ryzen 8 and 6 core offerings. But things get interesting when you check out the details. Sure the 2700 has the same core count and 20MB cache as the 2700X but in addition to it coming with a different heatsink, the clock speeds are also different, especially with the base clock. The same goes with the 2600 compared to the 2600X. It also has a lower end heatsink but has the same 6 core 12 thread configuration with 19MB of cache. The clock speed gap between those two isn’t as large though. Overall the low base clock of the 2700 actually stands out when you compare all four, the 2600 even has a higher base clock.
The TDPs tell a different story though. So the breakdown is below. Basically, the 2700X is up above everything, of course. But then the 2600X is the next highest in TDP. The 2700 and 2600 that I’m taking a look at today both have a 65-watt TDP that is a lot more friendly in Small Form Factor builds. Actually, if anything it makes it look like the lineup is missing a 95W 8 core part, like the 2700X should have been with a 2800X being the 105W model, but we will have to wait to see what AMD does in the future there. But with the same TDP, the 2700 has to have a lower base clock to compensate for the additional two cores. It is an interesting tradeoff that I’m sure will make our scores later interesting.
Ryzen 7 2700X - 105W
Ryzen 7 2700 – 65W
Ryzen 5 2600X – 95W
Ryzen 52600 – 65W
So the two CPUs did come in another dual CPU box that looks like it could almost be ready for an AIO combo or for AMD to pack in some swag with a CPU purchase. Wouldn’t a Ryzen beach towel or something be awesome with your new purchase? Inside on top of the two normal boxes was another insert, this time about the 2700.
Nothing special going on here, standard grey and orange Ryzen boxes came with both.
So both CPUs come with a cooler. The 2700 comes with the Wraith Spire, the same cooler the 2600X comes with. Then the 2600 comes with the Wraith Stealth. At first glance, they both look very similar, but you can see that the extruded heatsink design under the matching fans is thicker on the Spire. They do both have the same screw mounting design that I prefer over the old school clips. On the underside, you can also see that the Spire actually has a machined copper slug built into the bottom for better heat transfer as well. They both come with thermal paste pre-applied to make things easy the first time. But you will need some if you go to reinstall them later.
Then you have the CPUs. They come in a black box with a warranty and information paper. Then inside of that, they have these clamshell trays. I noticed recently that the tray design has changed from the original Ryzen launch, they now have a larger flat spot at the part you open it, maybe to make it easier. Random TIL right?
