How does the Ryzen 7 7700 compare to the Ryzen 7 7700X? Specs, performance, pricing, and more compared

The Ryzen 7 7700 is a mid-range offering in the new Ryzen 7000 non-X lineup. This chip is a cut-down version of the higher-end Ryzen 7 7700X, which was launched back in Septemer 2022.

The new processor comes with slower clock speed and tighter power headroom as compared to the higher-end 'X' variant. These make up for a slightly slower and much cheaper chip.

The non-X chip has been launched for $329. However, these days, one can buy the 7700X for as low as $349. Following extremely low demand and poor sales, AMD revised the prices of its Zen 4 chips and slashed $50 from the processor's launch MSRP.

Thus, gamers might consider opting for a slightly higher-end processor instead of opting for the slower chip. However, there are a few more factors to consider before one can finalize the CPU for their next PC build.

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The Ryzen 7 7700 is a solid value-for-money chip, but can it be a universal recommendation?

The Ryzen 7 7700 shares a lot in common with the higher-end 7700X. It comes with eight cores and 16 threads, and has the same 32 MB of L3 cache.

However, the clock speeds have been massively cut down to fit a lower power budget. While the 7700X has a base clock of 4.5 GHz, the 7700 is only rated for 3.8 GHz. The maximum boost clocks have also been reduced from 5.4 GHz to 5.3 GHz.

Thus, the new chip comes with a much lower TDP compared to the 7700X. This makes it a power-efficient Zen 4 design that every budget motherboard can easily handle.

	Ryzen 7 7700X	Ryzen 7 7700
Architecture	5nm Zen 4	5nm Zen 4
Socket	AM5	AM5
Cores	8	8
Threads	16	16
Base clock	4.5 GHz	3.8 GHz
Boost clock	5.4 GHz	5.3 GHz
L3 cache	32 MB	32 MB
TDP	105W	65W

It is worth noting that the Ryzen 7 7700 will boost to much higher than the rated 65W power limit. According to data from multiple reviews, the chip's maximum turbo power (MTP) is 88W.

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Performance differences

The Ryzen 7 7700X came off as the best gaming Zen 4 chip in earlier testings. The processor has a good blend of pricing and performance. On many occasions, it can beat the higher-end Ryzen 9 7900X.

Since the 7700 is based on the same DNA as its X counterpart, it is no surprise that it trades blows with these high-end chips as well. The chip lies within the 1-2% margin of the 7700X under stock settings, depending on the game it is being tested in.

With PBO turned on, the chip easily beats the 7700X and goes on to level with the Core i7 13700K and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D in terms of overall performance.

Thus, the 7700 is well worth the $20 that can be saved at processor prices.

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Conclusion

It is worth noting that the 7700X comes with a much higher power and thermal budget. The Ryzen 7000 processors keep boosting until they run out of thermal headroom (TjMax), which is 95℃.

Thus, gamers will have to invest in a high-end AIO liquid cooler to get the maximum out of the chip. However, in the case of the Ryzen 7 7700, a high-end air cooler like the Noctua NH-D15 will be more than enough. AMD bundles the Wraith Prism cooler with this chip as well, thus gamers can completely skip on buying something separately.

Thus, the 7700 is a processor that is geared towards budget gamers. It is a solid addition to the Zen 4 lineup.