The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is the objective winner of this comparison, securing victory in ten out of fourteen measured specifications. Its most significant technical advantage over the competition is its L2 cache, which is 167% larger. While the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 remains competitive in terms of its MSRP, which is 56% better than the alternative, it falls behind in the majority of the evaluated performance and architectural categories.

Choose the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X if you prioritize superior architectural specifications and the substantial advantage provided by its increased L2 cache capacity. Conversely, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is the appropriate selection for users who are primarily focused on the 56% advantage in MSRP. Your decision should be based on whether you value the higher-tier technical capabilities of the newer model or the cost-efficiency offered by the budget-friendly option.