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 5 3400GE

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $330 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 120W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9800X3D across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,825 vs 39,966).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 59.2 vs 83.4 PassMark/$ ($149 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 9800X3D moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 9800X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +96.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 40.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 83.4 vs 59.2 PassMark/$ ($479 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics, while Ryzen 5 3400GE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
221.5% HIGHER MSRP
$479 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
❌242.9% higher power demand at 120W vs 35W.

Ryzen 5 3400GE

2019

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $330 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 120W, a 85W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +96.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 40.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 83.4 vs 59.2 PassMark/$ ($479 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics, while Ryzen 5 3400GE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9800X3D across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,825 vs 39,966).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 59.2 vs 83.4 PassMark/$ ($149 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 9800X3D moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 9800X3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
221.5% HIGHER MSRP
$479 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
❌242.9% higher power demand at 120W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 9800X3D better than Ryzen 5 3400GE?

Yes. Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 96.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 352.9% 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 7 9800X3D is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 96.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 96 MB vs 4 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the better fit. You are getting 352.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 2300% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 9800X3D is 221.5% more expensive on MSRP at $479 MSRP versus $149 MSRP, and it gives you a 96.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 40.9% better value on MSRP (83.4 vs 59.2 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 3400GE can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2019), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 96 MB L3 cache instead of 4 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 4/8. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 5 3400GE Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 9800X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3400GE	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	172 FPS	276 FPS
medium	151 FPS	257 FPS
high	124 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	192 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	260 FPS
medium	121 FPS	217 FPS
high	96 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	155 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	179 FPS
medium	58 FPS	149 FPS
high	46 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	100 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3400GE Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3400GE	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	218 FPS	880 FPS
medium	189 FPS	713 FPS
high	173 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	474 FPS
1440p
low	187 FPS	697 FPS
medium	161 FPS	591 FPS
high	147 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	383 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	383 FPS
medium	123 FPS	328 FPS
high	97 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	263 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3400GE Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3400GE	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	221 FPS	944 FPS
medium	221 FPS	772 FPS
high	221 FPS	698 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	604 FPS
1440p
low	221 FPS	731 FPS
medium	221 FPS	598 FPS
high	221 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	452 FPS
4K
low	221 FPS	506 FPS
medium	221 FPS	419 FPS
high	221 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	316 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3400GE Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3400GE	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1080p
low	221 FPS	999 FPS
medium	221 FPS	999 FPS
high	221 FPS	907 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	811 FPS
1440p
low	221 FPS	885 FPS
medium	221 FPS	778 FPS
high	221 FPS	685 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	592 FPS
4K
low	221 FPS	639 FPS
medium	221 FPS	568 FPS
high	221 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3400GE Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3400GE and Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Ryzen 5 3400GE

The Ryzen 5 3400GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 8,825 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 November 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 39,966 points. Launch price was $479.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 3400GE packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 9800X3D has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3400GE versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D — a 26.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D (base: 3.3 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3400GE uses the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture (12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses Granite Ridge (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3400GE scores 8,825 against the Ryzen 7 9800X3D's 39,966 — a 127.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3400GE vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3400GE	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	8 / 16+100%
Boost Clock	4 GHz	5.2 GHz+30%
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	4.7 GHz+42%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+2300%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	12 nm	4 nm-67%
Architecture	Picasso (2019−2022)	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)
PassMark	8,825	39,966+353%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	23,277
Geekbench 6 Single	—	3,450
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	18,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3400GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3400GE	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Socket	AM4	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	—	192 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 5 3400GE) / AMD-V, AMD-Vi (Ryzen 7 9800X3D). The Ryzen 7 9800X3D includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics), while the Ryzen 5 3400GE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 9800X3D targets Extreme Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 9800X3D rivals Core i9-14900K.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3400GE	Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon Graphics
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	—	AMD-V, AMD-Vi
Target Use	—	Extreme Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 3400GE launched at $149 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D debuted at $479. On MSRP ($149 vs $479), the Ryzen 5 3400GE is $330 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 3400GE delivers 59.2 pts/$ vs 83.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D — making the Ryzen 7 9800X3D the 33.9% better value option.