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 3450U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,550 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +81.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3450U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Ryzen 5 3450U

2020

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +81.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,550 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3450U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Ryzen 5 3450U?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 81.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 233.5% 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 5600X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 81.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X is the better fit. You are getting 233.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X is at an unclear MSRP at $299 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 81.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 5 5600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 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 5 3450U Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3450U	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	164 FPS	203 FPS
medium	139 FPS	174 FPS
high	109 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	142 FPS	169 FPS
medium	112 FPS	141 FPS
high	87 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	85 FPS
medium	57 FPS	76 FPS
high	45 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	47 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3450U Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3450U	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	106 FPS	464 FPS
medium	92 FPS	387 FPS
high	85 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	66 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	397 FPS
medium	80 FPS	334 FPS
high	74 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	263 FPS
medium	62 FPS	226 FPS
high	50 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	171 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3450U Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3450U	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	164 FPS	546 FPS
medium	164 FPS	473 FPS
high	164 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	164 FPS	508 FPS
medium	164 FPS	413 FPS
high	164 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	164 FPS	348 FPS
medium	164 FPS	292 FPS
high	164 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	199 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3450U Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3450U	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	164 FPS	546 FPS
medium	164 FPS	546 FPS
high	164 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	164 FPS	546 FPS
medium	164 FPS	546 FPS
high	164 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	164 FPS	529 FPS
medium	164 FPS	484 FPS
high	164 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	379 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3450U Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3450U and Ryzen 5 5600X

Ryzen 5 3450U

The Ryzen 5 3450U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,550 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 3450U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 5600X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3450U versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 27.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3450U uses the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture (12 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3450U scores 6,550 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 107.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Ryzen 5 3450U vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3450U	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	4.6 GHz+31%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.7 GHz+76%
L3 Cache	4 MB	32 MB+700%
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	512K (per core)
Process	12 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-42%
Architecture	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	6,550	21,845+234%

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3450U uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.