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 8500G

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $270 less on MSRP ($179 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Delivers 94.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 120.0 vs 61.7 PassMark/$ ($179 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 740M, while Ryzen 7 5800X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5800X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,481 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 14) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.7 vs 120.0 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 8500G moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 8500G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 8500G.

Ryzen 5 8500G

2024

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $270 less on MSRP ($179 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Delivers 94.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 120.0 vs 61.7 PassMark/$ ($179 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 740M, while Ryzen 7 5800X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 14) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5800X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,481 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.7 vs 120.0 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 8500G moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 8500G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 8500G.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5800X better than Ryzen 5 8500G?

Yes. Ryzen 7 5800X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 7.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 29% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 5800X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 7.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5800X is the better fit. You are getting 29% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 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 7 5800X is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 8500G makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 7 5800X is 150.8% more expensive on MSRP at $449 MSRP versus $179 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 8500G is also 94.4% better value on MSRP (120.0 vs 61.7 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 5 8500G 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 5 8500G is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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 8500G Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 5800X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 8500G	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	267 FPS	206 FPS
medium	238 FPS	178 FPS
high	203 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	231 FPS	170 FPS
medium	186 FPS	142 FPS
high	155 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	83 FPS
medium	130 FPS	74 FPS
high	100 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	46 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 8500G Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 8500G	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	455 FPS	662 FPS
medium	371 FPS	558 FPS
high	321 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	279 FPS	417 FPS
1440p
low	394 FPS	563 FPS
medium	338 FPS	493 FPS
high	294 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	248 FPS	361 FPS
4K
low	287 FPS	350 FPS
medium	251 FPS	308 FPS
high	230 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	250 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 8500G Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 8500G	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	537 FPS	693 FPS
medium	537 FPS	651 FPS
high	537 FPS	570 FPS
ultra	537 FPS	464 FPS
1440p
low	537 FPS	693 FPS
medium	537 FPS	573 FPS
high	517 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	441 FPS	413 FPS
4K
low	497 FPS	484 FPS
medium	418 FPS	410 FPS
high	357 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	293 FPS	302 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 8500G Open Ryzen 7 5800X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 8500G	Ryzen 7 5800X
1080p
low	537 FPS	693 FPS
medium	537 FPS	693 FPS
high	537 FPS	693 FPS
ultra	537 FPS	693 FPS
1440p
low	537 FPS	693 FPS
medium	537 FPS	693 FPS
high	537 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	537 FPS	593 FPS
4K
low	537 FPS	604 FPS
medium	519 FPS	550 FPS
high	462 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	393 FPS	436 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 8500G Open Ryzen 7 5800X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 8500G and Ryzen 7 5800X

Ryzen 5 8500G

The Ryzen 5 8500G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Phoenix2 (2024) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5 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: 21,481 points. Launch price was $229.

Ryzen 7 5800X

The Ryzen 7 5800X 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 27,712 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 8500G packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5800X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 5800X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8500G versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X — a 6.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8500G (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Ryzen 5 8500G uses the Phoenix2 (2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5800X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 8500G scores 21,481 against the Ryzen 7 5800X's 27,712 — a 25.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 5800X. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8500G vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Ryzen 5 8500G	Ryzen 7 5800X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+6%	4.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.8 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	32 MB+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	4 nm-43%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Phoenix2 (2024)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	21,481	27,712+29%
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,310	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,500	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	10,000	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 8500G uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 5800X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 5 8500G versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 5800X — the Ryzen 5 8500G supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 5 8500G 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: 14 (Ryzen 5 8500G) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 5800X) — the Ryzen 7 5800X offers 10 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A620,B650,B650E,X670,X670E,B840,B850,X870,X870E (Ryzen 5 8500G) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 5800X).

Feature	Ryzen 5 8500G	Ryzen 7 5800X
Socket	AM5	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+100%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	14	24+71%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The Ryzen 5 8500G includes integrated graphics (Radeon 740M), while the Ryzen 7 5800X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 8500G targets General Use, Ryzen 7 5800X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 8500G rivals Core i5-13400.

Feature	Ryzen 5 8500G	Ryzen 7 5800X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon 740M	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	General Use	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 8500G launched at $179 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 5800X debuted at $449. On MSRP ($179 vs $449), the Ryzen 5 8500G is $270 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 8500G delivers 120.0 pts/$ vs 61.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5800X — making the Ryzen 5 8500G the 64.1% better value option.