I've been saving up to build an affordable PC without a dedicated graphics card, so I'm deciding between the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G and Ryzen 7 5700G. Benchmarks make their gaming performance look very similar, which has made the choice difficult. The system will mainly be used for games such as Fortnite and Rocket League, along with some coding. Which processor offers the better value for this kind of build?
4 Answers
Before buying either APU, consider whether you can fit a dedicated graphics card in the build. A Ryzen 5 5500 combined with an inexpensive used card such as an RX 580, GTX 1060, or RX 5600 XT would provide substantially better gaming performance and could sometimes cost less than a 5700G. If you specifically need an integrated-graphics-only or very compact system, then choose the cheaper 5600G.
Go with whichever is less expensive, and also check the price of the 5600GT. The integrated graphics on both chips are fine for lighter games at reasonable settings, but neither is ideal for modern demanding AAA titles. If gaming performance becomes more important, a cheaper CPU paired with a used graphics card could be a better deal.
The 5700G gives you 8 cores instead of 6 and has a slightly stronger integrated GPU, while the 5600G is cheaper. For Fortnite, Rocket League, and basic coding, the 5600G should be enough. I’d only pay extra for the 5700G if the price difference is small or you expect to run heavier applications.
The 5600G is probably the best fit here. Both APUs have reduced L3 cache compared with regular Ryzen processors, and either one may limit a future high-end graphics card. Still, for your current games and some coding, the 5600G offers enough performance without spending extra on cores you may not use.
I’m mainly planning to play Fortnite and Rocket League, so I’m trying to keep the system inexpensive rather than build something for demanding games.