Ryzen 3 1300X vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Ryzen 3 1300X

2017

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,923 vs 6,928).
❌Launch MSRP is still $129 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1300X.

Ryzen 3 1300X

2017

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,923 vs 6,928).
❌Launch MSRP is still $129 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1300X.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U better than Ryzen 3 1300X?

Yes. Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.3% average FPS lead across 36 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.3% more average FPS across 36 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the better fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $129 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.3% average FPS lead across 36 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 3 1300X only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the smarter recommendation now. At roughly 6,923 PassMark with 4 cores and 4 threads, it only makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Ryzen 3 1300X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 1300X	Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
1080p
low	173 FPS	170 FPS
medium	156 FPS	151 FPS
high	127 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	151 FPS	141 FPS
medium	124 FPS	120 FPS
high	98 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	64 FPS
medium	59 FPS	58 FPS
high	46 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	36 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 1300X Open Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 1300X	Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
1080p
low	173 FPS	118 FPS
medium	169 FPS	104 FPS
high	157 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	102 FPS
medium	145 FPS	89 FPS
high	133 FPS	83 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	69 FPS
4K
low	132 FPS	76 FPS
medium	117 FPS	69 FPS
high	96 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	42 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 1300X Open Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 3 1300X	Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
1080p
low	173 FPS	173 FPS
medium	173 FPS	173 FPS
high	173 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	173 FPS	173 FPS
medium	173 FPS	173 FPS
high	173 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	173 FPS
4K
low	173 FPS	173 FPS
medium	173 FPS	173 FPS
high	160 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	173 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 1300X Open Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 3 1300X	Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
1080p
low	173 FPS	173 FPS
medium	173 FPS	173 FPS
high	173 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	173 FPS	173 FPS
medium	173 FPS	173 FPS
high	173 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	173 FPS
4K
low	173 FPS	173 FPS
medium	173 FPS	173 FPS
high	173 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	173 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 1300X Open Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 3 1300X and Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

Ryzen 3 1300X

The Ryzen 3 1300X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,923 points. Launch price was $129.

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

The Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,928 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 3 1300X packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 1300X versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Ryzen 3 1300X uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U uses Picasso (2019−2022) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 1300X scores 6,923 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U's 6,928 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 1300X vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U.

Feature	Ryzen 3 1300X	Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+62%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Zen (2017−2020)	Picasso (2019−2022)
PassMark	6,923	6,928
Cinebench R23 Multi	3,486	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,120	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	3,155	—

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 3 1300X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.