Ryzen 5 9600X vs Ryzen 7 7700 - which CPU to choose for $250? 6 cores Zen 5 vs 8 cores Zen 4

If you have $250, you can buy a 6-cores Ryzen 5 9600X or 8-cores Ryzen 7 7700 without X. What is the difference in performance in games, benchmarks, price and power consumption between this processors? Which one is better for gaming or rendering / editing? And how much better it is?

They are similarly priced, but these are two very different processors.

In gaming, the Ryzen 5 is 3–4% better thanks to its new microarchitecture. It's not much, but there is still a performance boost.

On the other hand, without an FPS counter, you will not see a difference.

However, benchmarks favor the 8 cores and 16 threads of the Ryzen 7. Here, the gap is more significant—up to 16%.

Now, let’s talk about heat dissipation.

Both processors run quite cool. They have a TDP of 65W and consume about the same amount during gaming.

The prices.   

Of course, prices may vary in your region.

Also, don’t forget that the Ryzen 7 7700 comes with a stock cooler, while the Ryzen 5 9600X does not.

Still, a build with the 9600X will generally be more affordable. Here are some approximate prices from Amazon.

So, the Ryzen 7 7700 is worth buying if you edit videos, do rendering, and similar tasks. & it includes a cooler.

Meanwhile, the Ryzen 5 9600X is slightly better for gaming, — its advantage is 3-4%. 

However, with older motherboards, you might need a BIOS update.

And what will you choose — a new Ryzen 5 or the time-tested Ryzen 7?