The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is the objective winner of this comparison, securing victory in eight of the fourteen evaluated categories. Its most significant technical advantage is its L3 cache, which offers a 100% improvement over the alternative. While the AMD Ryzen 7 1700 maintains a lead in total core count by 33%, the superior cache capacity of the 5600 makes it the more advanced component across the majority of the measured specifications.

Users prioritizing high-speed data access and modern architectural efficiency should select the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 for their build. Conversely, those who require the specific advantage of a higher total core count provided by the AMD Ryzen 7 1700 should choose that model instead. Your final decision should depend on whether your primary requirements favor the increased cache capacity of the 5600 or the higher core density offered by the 1700.