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 5500

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $40 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,311 vs 21,550).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen 5 5500.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 108.3 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).

Ryzen 5 5500

2022

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $40 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen 5 5500.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,311 vs 21,550).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 108.3 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600 better than Ryzen 5 5500?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 11.6% 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 5600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.3% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600 is the better fit. You are getting 11.6% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5600 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5500 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 5600 is 25.2% more expensive on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $159 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5500 is also 12.2% better value on MSRP (121.5 vs 108.3 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 5600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. 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 5500 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	181 FPS	161 FPS
medium	150 FPS	130 FPS
high	120 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	141 FPS
medium	124 FPS	113 FPS
high	98 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	79 FPS
medium	61 FPS	69 FPS
high	48 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	44 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5500 Open Ryzen 5 5600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	329 FPS	508 FPS
medium	285 FPS	419 FPS
high	254 FPS	351 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	310 FPS
1440p
low	291 FPS	447 FPS
medium	258 FPS	375 FPS
high	233 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	277 FPS
4K
low	229 FPS	313 FPS
medium	206 FPS	268 FPS
high	189 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	162 FPS	209 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5500 Open Ryzen 5 5600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	483 FPS	539 FPS
medium	483 FPS	526 FPS
high	483 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	406 FPS	414 FPS
1440p
low	483 FPS	539 FPS
medium	411 FPS	434 FPS
high	361 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	300 FPS	339 FPS
4K
low	340 FPS	371 FPS
medium	285 FPS	298 FPS
high	248 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	197 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5500 Open Ryzen 5 5600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	483 FPS	539 FPS
medium	483 FPS	539 FPS
high	483 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	483 FPS	539 FPS
1440p
low	483 FPS	539 FPS
medium	483 FPS	539 FPS
high	483 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	425 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	448 FPS	501 FPS
medium	404 FPS	448 FPS
high	360 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	349 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5500 Open Ryzen 5 5600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5500 and Ryzen 5 5600

Ryzen 5 5500

The Ryzen 5 5500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 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: 19,311 points. Launch price was $159.

Ryzen 5 5600

The Ryzen 5 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). 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: 21,550 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5500 and Ryzen 5 5600 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5500 uses the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5500 scores 19,311 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 11% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5500 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 5600
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.4 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+3%	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB	32 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Cezanne (2021−2025)	Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark	19,311	21,550+12%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	11,077
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,052
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,600

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 24 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series (Ryzen 5 5500) and B550,X570,B450,X470,A520 (Ryzen 5 5600).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 5600
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5500 targets Desktop, Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 5600
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5500 launched at $159 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($159 vs $199), the Ryzen 5 5500 is $40 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5500 delivers 121.5 pts/$ vs 108.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600 — making the Ryzen 5 5500 the 11.5% better value option.