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 5300G

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $69 less on MSRP ($130 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 52.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 100.4 vs 66.1 PassMark/$ ($130 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,050 vs 13,145).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 2600.

Ryzen 5 2600

2018

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 3 5300G.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 3 5300G across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 66.1 vs 100.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $130 MSRP).

Ryzen 3 5300G

2021

Ryzen 5 2600

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $69 less on MSRP ($130 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 52.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 100.4 vs 66.1 PassMark/$ ($130 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 3 5300G.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,050 vs 13,145).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 2600.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 3 5300G across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 66.1 vs 100.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $130 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 5300G better than Ryzen 5 2600?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 3 5300G is ahead with a 8.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 2600 pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 2600 also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 2600 is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Ryzen 3 5300G is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 3 5300G is $69 cheaper on MSRP at $130 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 2600 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.7% better PassMark. It is also 52.0% better value on MSRP (100.4 vs 66.1 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen 3 5300G is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2018). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 5300G Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 2600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 2600
1080p
low	211 FPS	183 FPS
medium	164 FPS	157 FPS
high	131 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	102 FPS
1440p
low	174 FPS	152 FPS
medium	134 FPS	125 FPS
high	105 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	72 FPS	68 FPS
medium	59 FPS	60 FPS
high	46 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	38 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 5300G Open Ryzen 5 2600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 2600
1080p
low	323 FPS	263 FPS
medium	268 FPS	227 FPS
high	237 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	162 FPS
1440p
low	282 FPS	236 FPS
medium	237 FPS	206 FPS
high	213 FPS	183 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	151 FPS
4K
low	220 FPS	186 FPS
medium	192 FPS	165 FPS
high	161 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	111 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 5300G Open Ryzen 5 2600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 2600
1080p
low	326 FPS	329 FPS
medium	326 FPS	329 FPS
high	326 FPS	329 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	329 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	329 FPS
medium	326 FPS	329 FPS
high	326 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	268 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	304 FPS
medium	326 FPS	248 FPS
high	298 FPS	215 FPS
ultra	237 FPS	167 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 5300G Open Ryzen 5 2600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 2600
1080p
low	326 FPS	329 FPS
medium	326 FPS	329 FPS
high	326 FPS	329 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	329 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	329 FPS
medium	326 FPS	329 FPS
high	326 FPS	329 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	329 FPS
medium	326 FPS	329 FPS
high	326 FPS	329 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	310 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 5300G Open Ryzen 5 2600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 3 5300G and Ryzen 5 2600

Ryzen 3 5300G

The Ryzen 3 5300G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. 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: 13,050 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 2600

The Ryzen 5 2600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Pinnacle Riege (Zen+) (2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,145 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 3 5300G packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 2600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 2600 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 3 5300G versus 3.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 2600 — a 7.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 5300G (base: 4 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Ryzen 3 5300G uses the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 2600 uses Pinnacle Riege (Zen+) (2018) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 5300G scores 13,050 against the Ryzen 5 2600's 13,145 — a 0.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 2600. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Ryzen 3 5300G vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 2600.

Feature	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 2600
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+8%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	4 GHz+18%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB	16 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	3 MB+500%
Process	7 nm-42%	12 nm
Architecture	Cezanne (2021−2025)	Pinnacle Riege (Zen+) (2018)
PassMark	13,050	13,145
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	6,344
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,163
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	4,893

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 4.0.

Feature	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 2600
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 3 5300G) / Yes (Ryzen 5 2600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 2600 targets General Productivity. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 2600 rivals Core i5-9400.

Feature	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 2600
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	Yes
Target Use	—	General Productivity

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 3 5300G launched at $130 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 2600 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($130 vs $199), the Ryzen 3 5300G is $69 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 3 5300G delivers 100.4 pts/$ vs 66.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 2600 — making the Ryzen 3 5300G the 41.3% better value option.