The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 processor, which retails for $329, is a fine CPU with a respectable stock cooler and adequate performance. However, does it have the ability to compete with Intel’s most recent “Raptor Lake” 13th Generation chips? The Ryzen 7000-series processors from AMD were exceptional and exciting at launch. The Ryzen 9 7950X outperformed the previous generation to become the fastest consumer processor in the world for a brief period of time. The new Ryzen 7000 series chips were revolutionary at launch because of all of this.
However, when Intel’s Raptor Lake processors launched, the market experienced rapid shifts. AMD’s Ryzen 7000-series chips are less appealing due to their higher performance and lower prices. Due to Intel’s new redlines, the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is a very capable performer, but it is not as fast as we would expect for the price, and it can’t quite keep up with its 13th Gen pricing counterpart: a Core i5 that can be overclocked and has more cores because Intel added Efficient cores (E-cores). Still, if you want to use the AMD AM5 platform, it is a viable option in its price range due to the fact that it comes with a good stock cooler—something that the rival Core i5-13600K does not have.
The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 makes use of the Zen 4 microarchitecture, as do all processors in the AMD Ryzen 7000 series. If you’re interested in learning more about Zen 4, we recommend reading our review of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, which goes into greater detail about this architecture.
Simply put, AMD’s most recent high-performance microarchitecture is known as Zen 4. It uses chiplets just like previous versions of the Zen architecture, but its performance per clock is now better. Additionally, Zen 4 processors can run at higher clock speeds, which, when combined with an increase in IPC, results in an average performance boost of 29% over Ryzen 5000-series processors based on “Zen 3.” TSMC’s 5nm manufacturing process is used to construct each processor in the Ryzen 7000 series.
The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 processor has a total of 16 CPU cores, each capable of running two threads. The cores have a base clock of 3.8 GHz and can immediately operate at 5.3 GHz. All Ryzen 7000-series processors come equipped with DDR5 memory support, and the Ryzen 7 7700 supports memory with a clock speed of 5,200 MHz. 32 MB of L3 cache and a Radeon RDNA 2-based integrated graphics processor (IGP) are also packed into the processor.
On our updated AMD testbed, which is based on an Asrock X670E Taichi motherboard and a Cooler Master MasterLiquid PL240 Flux 240mm water cooler, AMD’s Ryzen 7 7700 processor was put through its paces. The system has 32GB (2x16GB) of G.Skill DDR5 RAM, which is clocked at the maximum supported RAM speed of 5,200MHz by the processor. A SilverStone DA850(Opens in a new window) power supply powers the entire system, and the components are installed on a Praxis Wetbench open-air testbed.
Because AMD’s and Intel’s specifications have diverged significantly in recent years, choosing the Ryzen 7 7700’s closest competitor is difficult. Usually, Ryzen 7 processors will compete with Intel’s Core i7 processors, but the new Core i7-13700K has not yet been tested. However, the Ryzen 7 7700 should face stiff competition from the Core i7-12700K and Core i5-13600K, despite the fact that none of the other processors on the list even come close to matching the Ryzen 7 7700’s listed board power.
We begin with AIDA64’s memory benchmark because it provides us with some insight into the processor’s internal workings. It’s important to remember that different architectures handle changes in bandwidth in different ways, so these numbers aren’t very comparable to those of the majority of other processors.
