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

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 8700G across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 31,649).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 96.2 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 8700G moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 8700G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 8700G

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.5% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 31.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 96.2 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Spire), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌
10% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$299 MSRP

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen 7 8700G

2024

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.5% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 31.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 96.2 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Spire), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 8700G across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 31,649).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 96.2 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 8700G moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 8700G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌
10% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$299 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 8700G better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Yes. Ryzen 7 8700G is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 36.5% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 44.9% 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 7 8700G is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 36.5% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 8700G is the better fit. You are getting 44.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 8700G is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 8700G is 10.0% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 36.5% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 31.7% better value on MSRP (96.2 vs 73.1 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 5600X can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 7 8700G is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 8700G Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 8700G
1080p
low	203 FPS	267 FPS
medium	174 FPS	240 FPS
high	140 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	236 FPS
medium	141 FPS	192 FPS
high	113 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	163 FPS
medium	76 FPS	135 FPS
high	60 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	91 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 8700G

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 8700G
1080p
low	464 FPS	483 FPS
medium	387 FPS	398 FPS
high	324 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	423 FPS
medium	334 FPS	367 FPS
high	290 FPS	317 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	269 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	280 FPS
medium	226 FPS	254 FPS
high	205 FPS	240 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	206 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 8700G

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 8700G
1080p
low	546 FPS	791 FPS
medium	473 FPS	791 FPS
high	432 FPS	690 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	581 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	730 FPS
medium	413 FPS	609 FPS
high	375 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	435 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	506 FPS
medium	292 FPS	441 FPS
high	255 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	329 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 8700G

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 8700G
1080p
low	546 FPS	791 FPS
medium	546 FPS	791 FPS
high	546 FPS	791 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	756 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	791 FPS
medium	546 FPS	764 FPS
high	546 FPS	661 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	574 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	579 FPS
medium	484 FPS	514 FPS
high	435 FPS	459 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	395 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 8700G

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 8700G

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 8700G

The Ryzen 7 8700G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 31,649 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 8700G offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 8700G has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 8700G — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 8700G (base: 3.7 GHz vs 4.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 8700G uses Phoenix (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen 7 8700G's 31,649 — a 36.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 8700G. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 8700G.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 8700G
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5.1 GHz+11%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	4.2 GHz+14%
L3 Cache	32 MB+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark	21,845	31,649+45%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	18,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,720
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	14,326

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 8700G uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 7 8700G — the Ryzen 7 8700G supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 8700G supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 20 (Ryzen 7 8700G) — 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 X670,B650,A620 (Ryzen 7 8700G).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 8700G
Socket	AM4	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 7 8700G supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The Ryzen 7 8700G includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop, Ryzen 7 8700G targets High-end Desktop APU. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 8700G rivals Core i7-13700.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 8700G
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon 780M
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	High-end Desktop APU

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 8700G 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 96.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 8700G — making the Ryzen 7 8700G the 27.3% better value option.