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 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 21,865).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 95.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).

Ryzen 5 5600X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 30.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 95.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen 5 5600X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 30.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 95.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 21,865).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 95.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X3D better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 5600X is ahead with a 8.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X3D pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X3D also has the bigger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 32 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X3D is the better fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5600X3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X3D is $70 cheaper on MSRP at $229 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 5600X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 8.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 30.7% better value on MSRP (95.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$), 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 5600X3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), 200% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 32 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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 5600X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 5600X3D
1080p
low	203 FPS	159 FPS
medium	174 FPS	130 FPS
high	140 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	145 FPS
medium	141 FPS	117 FPS
high	113 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	81 FPS
medium	76 FPS	71 FPS
high	60 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	46 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 5 5600X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 5600X3D
1080p
low	464 FPS	482 FPS
medium	387 FPS	411 FPS
high	324 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	408 FPS
medium	334 FPS	350 FPS
high	290 FPS	285 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	227 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	271 FPS
medium	226 FPS	238 FPS
high	205 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	173 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 5 5600X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 5600X3D
1080p
low	546 FPS	547 FPS
medium	473 FPS	511 FPS
high	432 FPS	472 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	408 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	525 FPS
medium	413 FPS	424 FPS
high	375 FPS	387 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	334 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	357 FPS
medium	292 FPS	289 FPS
high	255 FPS	247 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	192 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 5 5600X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 5600X3D
1080p
low	546 FPS	547 FPS
medium	546 FPS	547 FPS
high	546 FPS	547 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	547 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	547 FPS
medium	546 FPS	547 FPS
high	546 FPS	547 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	501 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	528 FPS
medium	484 FPS	473 FPS
high	435 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	363 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 5 5600X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 5 5600X3D

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.

Ryzen 5 5600X3D

The Ryzen 5 5600X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,865 points. Launch price was $229.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 5 5600X3D share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X3D — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X3D uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen 5 5600X3D's 21,865 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X3D. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600X3D.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 5600X3D
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+12%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB	96 MB (total)+200%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark	21,845	21,865
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	11,065
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,087
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,985

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 4.0. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 20 (Ryzen 5 5600X3D) — the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X) and A520,B450,B550,X470,X570 (Ryzen 5 5600X3D).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 5600X3D
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs Yes (Ryzen 5 5600X3D). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 5600X3D
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	Yes
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X3D debuted at $229. On MSRP ($299 vs $229), the Ryzen 5 5600X3D is $70 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600X delivers 73.1 pts/$ vs 95.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X3D — making the Ryzen 5 5600X3D the 26.6% better value option.