Ryzen 5 5560U vs Ryzen 7 3700X

AMD

Ryzen 5 5560U

6 Cores12 Thrd15 WWMax: 4 GHz2021

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 3700X

8 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2019

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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 5560U

2021

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (15,202 vs 22,430).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +60.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +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

  • Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 5560U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Ryzen 5 5560U?
Yes. Ryzen 7 3700X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 60.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 47.5% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 60.5% 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 3700X is the better fit. You are getting 47.5% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 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 7 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is at an unclear MSRP at $329 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 60.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 5560U 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetRyzen 5 5560URyzen 7 3700X
1080p
low169 FPS200 FPS
medium144 FPS163 FPS
high115 FPS137 FPS
ultra94 FPS110 FPS
1440p
low144 FPS156 FPS
medium121 FPS121 FPS
high95 FPS100 FPS
ultra77 FPS80 FPS
4K
low68 FPS84 FPS
medium61 FPS71 FPS
high48 FPS56 FPS
ultra38 FPS44 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 5 5560URyzen 7 3700X
1080p
low245 FPS561 FPS
medium211 FPS525 FPS
high191 FPS428 FPS
ultra152 FPS383 FPS
1440p
low209 FPS545 FPS
medium184 FPS471 FPS
high170 FPS394 FPS
ultra139 FPS337 FPS
4K
low179 FPS350 FPS
medium162 FPS304 FPS
high147 FPS274 FPS
ultra113 FPS242 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 5 5560URyzen 7 3700X
1080p
low380 FPS561 FPS
medium380 FPS561 FPS
high380 FPS561 FPS
ultra380 FPS561 FPS
1440p
low380 FPS561 FPS
medium380 FPS561 FPS
high367 FPS538 FPS
ultra311 FPS470 FPS
4K
low348 FPS499 FPS
medium298 FPS394 FPS
high257 FPS343 FPS
ultra202 FPS275 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 5 5560URyzen 7 3700X
1080p
low380 FPS561 FPS
medium380 FPS561 FPS
high380 FPS561 FPS
ultra380 FPS561 FPS
1440p
low380 FPS561 FPS
medium380 FPS561 FPS
high380 FPS561 FPS
ultra380 FPS555 FPS
4K
low380 FPS561 FPS
medium373 FPS501 FPS
high331 FPS447 FPS
ultra285 FPS396 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5560U and Ryzen 7 3700X

AMD

Ryzen 5 5560U

The Ryzen 5 5560U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 December 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200, LPDDR4X-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 15,202 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 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 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5560U packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 3700X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5560U versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5560U uses the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5560U scores 15,202 against the Ryzen 7 3700X's 22,430 — a 38.4% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Ryzen 5 5560U vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X.

FeatureRyzen 5 5560URyzen 7 3700X
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock
4 GHz
4.4 GHz+10%
Base Clock
2.3 GHz
3.6 GHz+57%
L3 Cache
8 MB
32 MB+300%
L2 Cache
3 MB+500%
512K (per core)
Process
7 nm
7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture
Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021)
Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark
15,202
22,430+48%
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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5560U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 5 5560URyzen 7 3700X
Socket
FP6
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