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 4100

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 38 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,062 vs 21,550).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 32 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +33.7% higher average FPS across 38 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+299.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen 3 4100.

Trade-offs

❌
101% HIGHER MSRP
$199 MSRPvs$99 MSRP

Ryzen 3 4100

2022

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +33.7% higher average FPS across 38 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+299.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen 3 4100.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 38 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,062 vs 21,550).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 32 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Trade-offs

❌
101% HIGHER MSRP
$199 MSRPvs$99 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600 better than Ryzen 3 4100?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 33.7% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data, 94.8% 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 5600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 33.7% more average FPS across 38 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600 is the better fit. You are getting 94.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 299.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5600 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 3 4100 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 5600 is 101.0% more expensive on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $99 MSRP, and it gives you a 33.7% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 3 4100 is also 3.2% better value on MSRP (111.7 vs 108.3 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 5600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 299.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/8. 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 4100 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 4100	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	182 FPS	161 FPS
medium	145 FPS	130 FPS
high	118 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	155 FPS	141 FPS
medium	122 FPS	113 FPS
high	97 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	74 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	79 FPS
medium	58 FPS	69 FPS
high	46 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	44 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 4100 Open Ryzen 5 5600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 4100	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	277 FPS	508 FPS
medium	235 FPS	419 FPS
high	204 FPS	351 FPS
ultra	157 FPS	310 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	447 FPS
medium	203 FPS	375 FPS
high	177 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	142 FPS	277 FPS
4K
low	181 FPS	313 FPS
medium	164 FPS	268 FPS
high	132 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	209 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 4100 Open Ryzen 5 5600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 3 4100	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	277 FPS	539 FPS
medium	277 FPS	526 FPS
high	277 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	414 FPS
1440p
low	277 FPS	539 FPS
medium	277 FPS	434 FPS
high	277 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	339 FPS
4K
low	277 FPS	371 FPS
medium	277 FPS	298 FPS
high	277 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	247 FPS	197 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 4100 Open Ryzen 5 5600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 3 4100	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	277 FPS	539 FPS
medium	277 FPS	539 FPS
high	277 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	539 FPS
1440p
low	277 FPS	539 FPS
medium	277 FPS	539 FPS
high	277 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	277 FPS	501 FPS
medium	277 FPS	448 FPS
high	277 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	349 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 4100 Open Ryzen 5 5600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 3 4100 and Ryzen 5 5600

Ryzen 3 4100

The Ryzen 3 4100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8.00391 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 11,062 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 5600

The Ryzen 5 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 21,550 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 3 4100 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 5600 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 4100 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600 (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 3 4100 uses the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 4100 scores 11,062 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 64.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. L3 cache: 8.00391 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 4100 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Ryzen 3 4100	Ryzen 5 5600
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.4 GHz+10%
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+9%	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	8.00391 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+300%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Renoir (2020−2023)	Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark	11,062	21,550+95%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	11,077
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,052
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,600

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Ryzen 3 4100	Ryzen 5 5600
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 3 4100) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 3 4100	Ryzen 5 5600
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 3 4100 launched at $99 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($99 vs $199), the Ryzen 3 4100 is $100 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 3 4100 delivers 111.7 pts/$ vs 108.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600 — making the Ryzen 3 4100 the 3.1% better value option.