Ryzen 3 5300G vs Ryzen 5 3500X

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

✅Costs $25 less on MSRP ($130 MSRP vs $155 MSRP).
✅Delivers 18.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 100.4 vs 84.9 PassMark/$ ($130 MSRP vs $155 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,050 vs 13,165).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 3500X

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 84.9 vs 100.4 PassMark/$ ($155 MSRP vs $130 MSRP).

Ryzen 3 5300G

2021

Ryzen 5 3500X

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $25 less on MSRP ($130 MSRP vs $155 MSRP).
✅Delivers 18.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 100.4 vs 84.9 PassMark/$ ($130 MSRP vs $155 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,050 vs 13,165).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 84.9 vs 100.4 PassMark/$ ($155 MSRP vs $130 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 5300G better than Ryzen 5 3500X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 3 5300G is ahead with a 0.9% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 3500X pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 3500X also has the bigger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 3500X is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (32 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 $25 cheaper on MSRP at $130 MSRP versus $155 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 3500X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.9% better PassMark. It is also 18.2% better value on MSRP (100.4 vs 84.9 PassMark/$), 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 2019). 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 3500X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 3500X
1080p
low	211 FPS	197 FPS
medium	164 FPS	159 FPS
high	131 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	103 FPS
1440p
low	174 FPS	154 FPS
medium	134 FPS	119 FPS
high	105 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	72 FPS	70 FPS
medium	59 FPS	58 FPS
high	46 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	36 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 5300G Open Ryzen 5 3500X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 3500X
1080p
low	323 FPS	329 FPS
medium	268 FPS	329 FPS
high	237 FPS	327 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	294 FPS
1440p
low	282 FPS	329 FPS
medium	237 FPS	329 FPS
high	213 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	263 FPS
4K
low	220 FPS	286 FPS
medium	192 FPS	249 FPS
high	161 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	198 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 5300G Open Ryzen 5 3500X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 3500X
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	301 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	309 FPS
medium	326 FPS	243 FPS
high	298 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	237 FPS	160 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 5300G Open Ryzen 5 3500X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 3500X
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	329 FPS

Open Ryzen 3 5300G Open Ryzen 5 3500X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 3 5300G and Ryzen 5 3500X

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 3500X

The Ryzen 5 3500X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 24 September 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 13,165 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 3 5300G packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3500X offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Ryzen 5 3500X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 3 5300G versus 4.1 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3500X — a 2.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 5300G (base: 4 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen 3 5300G uses the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3500X uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 5300G scores 13,050 against the Ryzen 5 3500X's 13,165 — a 0.9% lead for the Ryzen 5 3500X. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Ryzen 3 5300G vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3500X.

Feature	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 3500X
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 6+50%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+2%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	4 GHz+11%	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB	32 MB (total)+300%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Cezanne (2021−2025)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	13,050	13,165

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 4.0.

Feature	Ryzen 3 5300G	Ryzen 5 3500X
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

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Value Analysis

The Ryzen 3 5300G launched at $130 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 3500X debuted at $155. On MSRP ($130 vs $155), the Ryzen 3 5300G is $25 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 3 5300G delivers 100.4 pts/$ vs 84.9 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 3500X — making the Ryzen 3 5300G the 16.7% better value option.