Rumor mill: According to one leaker, AMD might be looking to release a 6-core Ryzen 5 5600X3D processor. For people with aging AM4 systems equipped with a Ryzen 5 2600 or Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, this could provide a new upgrade path, though one would assume Team Red is more interested in getting gamers to splurge on an AM5 system instead.
When AMD released the Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU, it was widely believed to be the last processor designed for the AM4 socket. At the time, the company promised it would continue to support people who are still using the aging platform through firmware and microcode updates but didn't hint at any new AM4 processors.
The 5800X3D has sold like hotcakes and is arguably the best gaming CPU for people still using an AM4 motherboard with a 300-, 400-, or 500-series chipset. However, some gamers were initially confused about there being no 5950X3D or something like a 5600X3D for people with a more constrained upgrade budget.
As our own Steven Walton explained in his detailed review of the 5800X3D, AMD wanted to make a gaming-focused, value CPU so it settled on an eight-core design with 96 megabytes of L3 cache that performs well in modern games and might prevent some people from migrating to an Intel-based PC build. As of writing this, a 5800X3D can be had for as low as $289, which does make it a good value proposition compared to most entry-level LGA1700 motherboard + CPU combos.
According to a leaker who has a good track record of spilling the beans on Team Red products before their release, the company might introduce a Ryzen 5 5600X3D CPU after all. The leaker, who goes by @chi11eddog on Twitter, has shared an image of what looks like a document describing a new X3D SKU for the AM4 platform, with a part number as well as some specifications.
As you'd expect, this looks like a 6-core, 12-thread CPU with three megabytes of L2 cache and 96 megabytes of L3 cache thanks to AMD's 3D V-Cache tech. What makes this look somewhat plausible is that just like the 5800X3D, the leaked 5600X3D SKU looks like it'll be running at slightly lower clocks compared to the original Ryzen 5 5600X. Specifically, it would feature a base clock of 3.3 GHz and a boost clock of 4.4 GHz, whereas the Ryzen 5600X has a base clock of 3.7 GHz and can boost up to 4.6 GHz.
This should be taken with a heavy dose of salt, but it does beg the question of whether it would be a good idea for AMD to release a product like this for what is otherwise a closed AM4 chapter. Sales of Ryzen 7000 series CPUs have been slow, partly because of high prices for AM5 motherboards and DDR5 memory kits. A 6-core gaming-focused AM4 CPU would be an attractive option for people who can't quite justify the expense of a full platform upgrade, but it could also hurt the AM5 adoption rate.
As for a Ryzen 5950X3D, that CPU wouldn't make much sense, although a 5800X3D delidding experiment showed that AMD at least considered it at some point. Team Red's 3D V-Cache technology isn't all that helpful outside of gaming scenarios, which is why we recommend that gamers eyeing the 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X3D for their AM5 build opt for the cheaper and more energy-efficient 8-core Ryzen 7 7800X3D instead.