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 5600G

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $40 less on MSRP ($259 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (Vega 7), while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 41 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,696 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.8% higher average FPS across 41 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌
15.4% HIGHER MSRP
$299 MSRPvs$259 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 5600G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 5600G

2021

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $40 less on MSRP ($259 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (Vega 7), while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.8% higher average FPS across 41 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 41 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,696 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌
15.4% HIGHER MSRP
$299 MSRPvs$259 MSRP
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 5600G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Ryzen 5 5600G?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.8% average FPS lead across 41 shared CPU game tests in our data and 10.9% better PassMark, 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 8.8% more average FPS across 41 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 10.9% 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 5600X is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600G makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 5600X is 15.4% more expensive on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $259 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.8% average FPS lead across 41 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600G is also 4.1% better value on MSRP (76.0 vs 73.1 PassMark/$), 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 5600G is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020). 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 5600G Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600G	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	204 FPS	203 FPS
medium	174 FPS	174 FPS
high	137 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	174 FPS	169 FPS
medium	145 FPS	141 FPS
high	114 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	85 FPS
medium	75 FPS	76 FPS
high	59 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	47 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600G Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600G	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	367 FPS	464 FPS
medium	302 FPS	387 FPS
high	271 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	325 FPS	397 FPS
medium	272 FPS	334 FPS
high	249 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	248 FPS	263 FPS
medium	211 FPS	226 FPS
high	194 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	155 FPS	171 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600G Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600G	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	492 FPS	546 FPS
medium	477 FPS	473 FPS
high	440 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	390 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	492 FPS	508 FPS
medium	416 FPS	413 FPS
high	374 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	327 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	356 FPS	348 FPS
medium	302 FPS	292 FPS
high	263 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	199 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600G Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600G	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	492 FPS	546 FPS
medium	492 FPS	546 FPS
high	492 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	492 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	492 FPS	546 FPS
medium	492 FPS	546 FPS
high	492 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	492 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	492 FPS	529 FPS
medium	492 FPS	484 FPS
high	478 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	412 FPS	379 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600G Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600G and Ryzen 5 5600X

Ryzen 5 5600G

The Ryzen 5 5600G 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,696 points. Launch price was $259.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5600G and Ryzen 5 5600X share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600G versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.9 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600G uses the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600G scores 19,696 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 10.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600G vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600G	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.6 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.9 GHz+5%	3.7 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB	32 MB+100%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Cezanne (2021−2025)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	19,696	21,845+11%

🧠

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 400 series,AMD 500 series (Ryzen 5 5600G) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600G	Ryzen 5 5600X
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. The Ryzen 5 5600G includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (Vega 7)), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600G targets Desktop, Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600G	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon Graphics (Vega 7)	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600G launched at $259 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($259 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600G is $40 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600G delivers 76.0 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600G the 4% better value option.