AMD Ryzen 7 1700 Linux Benchmarks: Great Multi-Core Performance For $329
Yesterday we posted launch-day Ryzen 7 1800X Linux benchmarks that were particularly appealing for multi-core / heavily-threaded workloads like code compilation. Given all the code compilation done by Linux users in particular, if you were intrigued by the Ryzen 7 1800X performance but find the $499 USD price-tag to be too higher, today I have my initial benchmark figures on the Ryzen 7 1700. The Ryzen 7 1700 is still eight cores and sixteen threads but will only set you back $329 USD as the current low-end Ryzen processor for what's currently available.
The Ryzen 7 1700 is the lowest-end Zen CPU presently available, until the Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 3 processors roll out in the future or other potentially other new cut-down Ryzen 7 models. The Ryzen 7 1700 still has eight cores with 16 threads, 16MB L3 cache, and a 4MB L2 cache but it has a 3.0GHz base clock frequency with 3.7GHz turbo frequency. As a reminder, the Ryzen 7 1800X has a 3.6GHz base frequency with 4.0GHz turbo frequency. But with the cut-down frequency and also lacking XFR support, the Ryzen 7 1700 has the TDP being dropped from 95 Watts to 65 Watts.
With the $329 USD price-tag, the Ryzen 7 1700 is priced close to that of Intel's Core i7 7700K Kabylake that is currently retailing for $349 USD or the older Core i7 6700K Skylake model goes for $309.
While the Ryzen 7 1800X doesn't ship with a stock heatsink, the Ryzen 7 1700 includes the AMD Wraith Spire Cooler. But I won't have any thermal results of the Wraith Spire Cooler to share at this time since, as mentioned in yesterday's 1800X review, there is currently no CPU thermal monitoring support of the Ryzen CPUs with the current Linux kernel.
I've only had the Ryzen 7 1700 processor since this morning, so on the following pages are the initial results from testing, including some preliminary Linux gaming figures. I will have more benchmark results in the days ahead. Thanks to Phoronix Premium members, those that have provided tips via PayPal, and those that view this website without any ad-blockers for making this Ryzen 7 1700 testing possible as I ended up buying this processor retail via NewEgg.