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

✅+25.2% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 53.0 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 2700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 7 2700X

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,450 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 53.0 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen 7 2700X

2018

Why buy it

✅+25.2% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 53.0 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 2700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,450 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 53.0 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Ryzen 7 2700X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 2700X is ahead with a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X pulls ahead with 25.2% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

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 25.2% 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 the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X is $30 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you 25.2% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 2700X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 37.7% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 53.0 PassMark/$), 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 5600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018), 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. 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 5600X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 2700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 2700X
1080p
low	203 FPS	223 FPS
medium	174 FPS	191 FPS
high	140 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	116 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	184 FPS
medium	141 FPS	151 FPS
high	113 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	89 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	83 FPS
medium	76 FPS	73 FPS
high	60 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	44 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 2700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 2700X
1080p
low	464 FPS	349 FPS
medium	387 FPS	306 FPS
high	324 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	240 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	318 FPS
medium	334 FPS	286 FPS
high	290 FPS	251 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	218 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	233 FPS
medium	226 FPS	214 FPS
high	205 FPS	196 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	170 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 2700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 2700X
1080p
low	546 FPS	436 FPS
medium	473 FPS	436 FPS
high	432 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	436 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	436 FPS
medium	413 FPS	436 FPS
high	375 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	342 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	392 FPS
medium	292 FPS	324 FPS
high	255 FPS	285 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	229 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 2700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 2700X
1080p
low	546 FPS	436 FPS
medium	546 FPS	436 FPS
high	546 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	436 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	436 FPS
medium	546 FPS	436 FPS
high	546 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	436 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	436 FPS
medium	484 FPS	436 FPS
high	435 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	379 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 2700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 2700X

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 7 2700X

The Ryzen 7 2700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.35 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,450 points. Launch price was $329.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 2700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 2700X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4.35 GHz on the Ryzen 7 2700X — a 5.6% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 2700X uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen 7 2700X's 17,450 — a 22.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 2700X.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 2700X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+6%	4.35 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	3.7 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-42%	12 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	21,845+25%	17,450

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 4.0. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 5600X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 24 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X) and AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 2700X).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 2700X
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	24	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop, Ryzen 7 2700X targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 2700X
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 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 2700X debuted at $329. On MSRP ($299 vs $329), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $30 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600X delivers 73.1 pts/$ vs 53.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 2700X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 31.8% better value option.