Whether you are a beginner or a professional programmer, you’ll need a reliable CPU to execute large sets of data. Coding has become complex with the passage of time. No matter if you are dealing with Visual Basics, C++, Python, Java, or any other coding language, you’ll need a faster CPU.
Coding or Programming applications are highly dependent on the single-core performance of your CPU. A CPU with a higher clock speed would be enough to cater to your programming needs.
As a beginner or learner, you don’t have to care about the number of cores on a CPU, a dual-core CPU is enough at this point.
But as soon as you deal with complex programming tasks, you’ll need more cores to execute multiple tasks at the same time.
Having a quad-core CPU for programming is a great start, but a six or eight-core CPU would make your PC future-proof for upcoming years.
Likewise, if you are dealing with AI learning or Data Science applications, then you’ll need a multi-core CPU to execute multiple sets of data.
The good thing about current generation AMD CPUs is that they are excellent in single as well multi-core performance. So, AMD processors would deliver great value to entry-level or professional programmers.
AMD chips are also ideal for students and basic coding learners who have just stepped into the world of programming.
The type of AMD processor that you’ll need depends upon the type of coding you are into. If you are just started how to program or code, then you can go with a dual-core or quad-core CPU.
But if you are a professional for example a game or software developer, then you’ll need a powerful multi-core processor for a smooth coding experience.
Best AMD CPU for Programming
Here are our top recommendations to consider:
AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT – Overall Best AMD CPU for Programmers
Cores: 8 | Threads: 16 | Base Clock Speed: 3.9 GHz | Boost Clock Speed: 4.7 GHz | TDP: 105W | Socket: AM4
Reasons to Buy:
- Higher Clock Speed
- Eight Cores
- Excellent Single-Core Performance
The AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT is an older generation processor, yet it still delivers excellent value in content creation tasks. Firstly, this CPU is packed with powerful eight cores, with each core clocked at 3.9 GHz to crush any complex workload.
Overall, the Ryzen 7 3800XT delivers 5% to 8% better performance than its non “X” or “XT” counterparts like the Ryzen 3700X, 3800X, and 3900X. However, the latest generation Ryzen 7 5800X outperforms the Ryzen 7 3700XT showing a 23% performance improvement.
But still, when it comes to complex coding, programming, or content creation tasks, you’ll find Ryzen 7 3800XT faster in dealing with multiple sets of data. This is an eight-core CPU, which means you can easily program on this CPU for upcoming years without upgrading it.
The Ryzen 7 3800XT is a good single-core performance CPU as well. So in coding workbenches that depend on the single-core performance of a CPU, you’ll find this chip delivering great value.
Right out of the box, the Ryzen 7 3800XT sits at a base clock speed of 3.9 GHz. You can easily overclock this AMD chip to 4.9 GHz to squeeze more programming juice if you need it in the future.
All in all, the Ryzen 7 3800XT gives the right price-to-performance ratio when it comes to complex programming tasks like game development, software development, or AI learning. It’s still more affordable than many of the latest-generation CPUs from AMD.
Ryzen 9 3950X – Extreme Performance AMD CPU for Professional Programming
Cores: 16 | Threads: 32 | Base Clock Speed: 3.5 GHz | Boost Clock Speed: 4.7 GHz | TDP: 105W | Socket: AM4
Reasons to Buy:
- Excellent multi-core performance
- Faster single-core performance
- Made for professional programmers
The Ryzen 9 3950X was the best mainstream processor at the time it was launched a few years ago. It still delivers unbeatable performance in content creation workloads when compared to the latest gen AMD chips.
With high-end multi-threaded performance that crushes everything that comes into its path, this is the best AMD CPU for professional coders or programmers to have right now. In reality, this CPU is truly made for heavy-threaded workloads.
Ryzen 9 3950X is backed by the Zen 2 architecture, 16 Cores, and 32 threads for unbeatable performance. In addition, the backward AM4 socket support makes this chip a great option for budget users who don’t want to spend extra cash on buying a new motherboard.
From single to multi-core, the Ryzen 9 3950X yields solid performance. Now each of the 16 cores on this CPU is clocked at 3.5 GHz right out of the box, but you can also simply overclock them to 4.7 GHz for more performance.
However, if you are just confined to programming and coding, then there’s no need to overclock this chip. Even at 3.5 GHz all of the sixteen cores on this processor are enough to chew any complex coding workload.
In Geekbench test score, the Ryzen 9 3950X earns a single-core performance score of 1295, which sits below the Ryzen 7 3800XT’s score of 1343. But when it comes to multi-core performance, the Ryzen 9 3950X beats the Ryzen 7 3800XT with a score of 14156.
So there’s no parallel to the Ryzen 9 3950X when it comes to grinding heavy multi-threaded workloads. Even its competitor, the Intel Core i9-10980XE which has two extra cores on its hand, struggles to deliver better multi-threading scores than Ryzen 9 3950X.
Also, Read About: Which is Better for Programming, Intel or AMD?
No doubt, the Ryzen 9 3950X is a beast CPU that can chew any complex programming workload that you’ll throw on it.
The only thing that might keep you away from this CPU is the price. It’s expensive and costs well above $600 on eBay.
This CPU is meant for professional programmers who deal with multiple programming projects at the same time. Due to its higher price tag, we don’t recommend this chip to someone who has just started their coding career.
Ryzen 5 5600X – Best Value AMD Processor for Coding/Programming
Cores: 6 | Threads: 12 | Base Clock Speed: 3.7 GHz | Boost Clock Speed: 4.6 GHz | TDP: 65W | Socket: AM4
Reason to Buy:
- Strong performance in productivity and content creation workloads
- Low TDP
- Higher clock speed
The Ryzen 5 5600X is one of the best mid-range CPUs in AMD’s Zen 3 line-up. Also, it comes with a cheaper price tag to conquer productivity tasks in a go.
It’s more affordable than some of the high-end options sitting on our list like the Ryzen 9 3950X and Ryzen 7 3800XT.
The Ryzen 5 5600X costs a bit higher than the Ryzen 5 3600 (roughly around $50), but it gives you 20% extra performance for the extra cash you pay for it.
Also, you get two extra cores on Ryzen 5 5600X as compared to Ryzen 5 3600 for the additional $50 sum up.
Although the Ryzen 5 5600X is more of a mid-range gaming CPU, it still shows up as a great option for coding learners or software developers.
In terms of production workloads, the Ryzen 5 5600X goes on par with the Ryzen 7 3800XT despite having two fewer cores.
In Cinebench R20 benchmark scores, the Ryen 5 5600X scores around 4462 points beating its competitor, the Intel Core i5 10600K.
At the same time, this chip gets beaten by the Ryzen 9 3950X in multi-core performance due to fewer threads.
But still, the Ryzen 5 5600X is one the most powerful CPU destroying all-time famous chips like the Ryzen 5 3600 and Ryzen 7 2700X in multi-threaded performance.
It looks like AMD is competing with its own chips, making it difficult for end users which one to go with.
If you need more performance, it’s worth going with Ryzen 5 5600X. But if you need more value, then the Ryzen 5 3600 fits perfectly in that equation. Both of these CPUs are great for coding and programming tasks.
If you have just stepped into the world of coding, then this six-core CPU would be perfect for you to learn and execute codes.
No matter if you are into Python, Java, or any other programming language, this is the right chip to get started.
Ryzen 5 4500 – A Cheaper AMD Processor for Programming
Cores: 6 | Threads: 12 | Base Clock Speed: 3.6 GHz | Boost Clock Speed: 4.1 GHz | TDP: 65W | Socket: AM4
Reasons to Buy:
- Affordable price
- Low TDP
- Six cores
The Ryzen 5 4500 is a 7nm processor built on older Zen 2 architecture. It’s a low-budget CPU, but it holds the minimum amount of specs that you need for effective productivity workloads.
Priced below $150, the Ryzen 5 4500 comes with a 3.6 GHz base clock speed, 6 cores, and 12 threads.
Also, there’s limited room for overclocking this CPU up to 4.1 GHz. But for productivity workloads like programming or coding, there’s no need to focus on overclocking headroom at this point.
The Ryzen 5 4500 has 8MB of L3 cache, which is considerably less than the most budget-oriented CPUs in AMD’s Zen 3 line-up like the Ryzen 5 5600X.
So you can expect less performance from this chip when compared with current-gen CPUs.
But when it comes to dealing with coding and programming workloads, you won’t feel much difference in performance.
The Ryzen 5 4500 is highly recommended for users who are low on budget and need a decent processor for coding.
In productivity and content creation workloads, the AMD Ryzen 5 4500 was able to execute different tasks with an average of 9 seconds as compared to the Ryzen 7 5800X, Ryzen 7 5700X, and Ryzen 5 5600 in POV-Ray 3.7 test.
So, the lower the score, the better the performance of the CPU in this case. But as compared to the similarly priced and specs chips, the Ryzen 5 4500 manages to score a good score.
This CPU is more oriented toward students who are learning to program for the first time. It’s not as fast as the Ryzen 7 3800XT or even the Ryzen 5 5600X.
If you are a professional programmer or software developer, it’s a no-go CPU. Yes for beginners, it’s a wallet-friendly CPU to start your coding career. To learn how to code, this is the right option to go with for a cheaper price.
How to Pick the Right Processor for Programming
When shopping for the best CPU for programming, there are certain factors to keep in mind:
Clock Speed
Going with a CPU that comes higher clock speed would put you at the front end of the performance. It’s the higher clock speed of a CPU that decides how faster it would execute the set of codes that are written on the back end of a program.
Cores
Although, you can code on a CPU with a single core as well. But having a multiple-core CPU will make things smoother if you are dealing with multiple programming workbenches at the same time.
For beginners who have just started their coding career, a quad-core or six-core would be a great deal to start with.
However, if you are a professional programmer, game developer, or software developer who deals with complex tasks at the same time, then going with an eight-core or 12-core CPU would give you unlimited performance.
Threads
Multi-thread performance of a CPU is equally important as the cores on a CPU. If you have a CPU with strong multi-thread performance, then it would be much easier for you to chew complex programming tasks in real-time.
FAQs
Can AMD processors be used for programming?
Yes, AMD Ryzen CPUs come with excellent single and multi-threaded performance to tackle any type of programming workload.
Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7, and Ryzen 9 line-up CPUs are better at handling coding and productivity workload due to their higher clock speed and extra cores.
Is Ryzen 5 enough for programming?
Well, it depends upon the type of Ryzen 5 CPU that you have on your computer. For instance, a Ryzen 5 chip with a clock speed over 3.0 GHz with at least 4 cores would deliver ideal performance in coding tasks.
So if you have a quad-core Ryzen 5 chip in your build, then you can easily tackle any programming task.
Hi, this is Masab, the Founder of PC Building Lab. I’m a PC enthusiast who loves to share the prior knowledge and experience that I have with computers. Well, troubleshooting computers is in my DNA, what else I could say….
