Ryzen 5 3500U vs Ryzen 7 2700U

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 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Ryzen 7 2700U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,836 vs 6,850).

Ryzen 7 2700U

2017

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 3500U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 3500U

2019

Ryzen 7 2700U

2017

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Ryzen 7 2700U needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,836 vs 6,850).

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 3500U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 2700U better than Ryzen 5 3500U?

Yes. Ryzen 7 2700U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.2% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 2700U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.6% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 2700U is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 2700U still looks like the safer overall buy. Ryzen 7 2700U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 2.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Ryzen 5 3500U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017). 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 5 3500U Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 2700U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3500U	Ryzen 7 2700U
1080p
low	169 FPS	161 FPS
medium	149 FPS	139 FPS
high	120 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	142 FPS	137 FPS
medium	121 FPS	116 FPS
high	95 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	62 FPS
medium	61 FPS	56 FPS
high	48 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	35 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3500U Open Ryzen 7 2700U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3500U	Ryzen 7 2700U
1080p
low	120 FPS	113 FPS
medium	105 FPS	99 FPS
high	97 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	74 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	96 FPS
medium	90 FPS	84 FPS
high	83 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	66 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	72 FPS
medium	69 FPS	65 FPS
high	56 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	42 FPS	40 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3500U Open Ryzen 7 2700U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3500U	Ryzen 7 2700U
1080p
low	171 FPS	171 FPS
medium	171 FPS	171 FPS
high	171 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	171 FPS	171 FPS
medium	171 FPS	171 FPS
high	171 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	171 FPS
4K
low	171 FPS	171 FPS
medium	171 FPS	171 FPS
high	171 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	171 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3500U Open Ryzen 7 2700U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3500U	Ryzen 7 2700U
1080p
low	171 FPS	171 FPS
medium	171 FPS	171 FPS
high	171 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	171 FPS	171 FPS
medium	171 FPS	171 FPS
high	171 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	171 FPS
4K
low	171 FPS	171 FPS
medium	171 FPS	171 FPS
high	171 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	171 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3500U Open Ryzen 7 2700U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3500U and Ryzen 7 2700U

Ryzen 5 3500U

The Ryzen 5 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2019 (6 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 3.7 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. Passmark benchmark score: 6,836 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 7 2700U

The Ryzen 7 2700U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 26 October 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Raven Ridge (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,850 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 3500U and Ryzen 7 2700U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3500U versus 3.8 GHz on the Ryzen 7 2700U — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 2700U (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3500U uses the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture (12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 2700U uses Raven Ridge (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3500U scores 6,836 against the Ryzen 7 2700U's 6,850 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 7 2700U. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3500U	Ryzen 7 2700U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.8 GHz+3%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.2 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	12 nm-14%	14 nm
Architecture	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)	Raven Ridge (2017−2019)
PassMark	6,836	6,850
Cinebench R23 Multi	3,545	—
Geekbench 6 Single	876	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the FP5 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3500U	Ryzen 7 2700U
Socket	FP5	FP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 3500U) / not specified (Ryzen 7 2700U). The Ryzen 5 3500U includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 8), while the Ryzen 7 2700U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3500U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3500U rivals Core i5-10210U.