Ryzen 5 8640HS vs Ryzen 7 3700X

AMD

Ryzen 5 8640HS

6 Cores12 Thrd28 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2023

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 3700X

8 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2019

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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 8640HS

2023

Why buy it

  • Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
  • Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (19,851 vs 22,430).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +13.2% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 8640HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
  • Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 8640HS moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Ryzen 5 8640HS?
Yes. Ryzen 7 3700X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 13.2% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data and 13% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 13.2% more average FPS across 47 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better fit. You are getting 13% 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 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is at an unclear MSRP at $329 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 13.2% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 8640HS is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with FP8 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetRyzen 5 8640HSRyzen 7 3700X
1080p
low261 FPS200 FPS
medium237 FPS163 FPS
high199 FPS137 FPS
ultra171 FPS110 FPS
1440p
low230 FPS156 FPS
medium190 FPS121 FPS
high155 FPS100 FPS
ultra137 FPS80 FPS
4K
low159 FPS84 FPS
medium133 FPS71 FPS
high103 FPS56 FPS
ultra91 FPS44 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 5 8640HSRyzen 7 3700X
1080p
low372 FPS561 FPS
medium309 FPS525 FPS
high272 FPS428 FPS
ultra236 FPS383 FPS
1440p
low313 FPS545 FPS
medium270 FPS471 FPS
high244 FPS394 FPS
ultra207 FPS337 FPS
4K
low234 FPS350 FPS
medium206 FPS304 FPS
high191 FPS274 FPS
ultra161 FPS242 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 5 8640HSRyzen 7 3700X
1080p
low496 FPS561 FPS
medium496 FPS561 FPS
high496 FPS561 FPS
ultra496 FPS561 FPS
1440p
low496 FPS561 FPS
medium496 FPS561 FPS
high496 FPS538 FPS
ultra443 FPS470 FPS
4K
low493 FPS499 FPS
medium435 FPS394 FPS
high372 FPS343 FPS
ultra308 FPS275 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 5 8640HSRyzen 7 3700X
1080p
low496 FPS561 FPS
medium496 FPS561 FPS
high496 FPS561 FPS
ultra496 FPS561 FPS
1440p
low496 FPS561 FPS
medium496 FPS561 FPS
high496 FPS561 FPS
ultra496 FPS555 FPS
4K
low496 FPS561 FPS
medium496 FPS501 FPS
high442 FPS447 FPS
ultra380 FPS396 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 8640HS and Ryzen 7 3700X

AMD

Ryzen 5 8640HS

The Ryzen 5 8640HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 19,851 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 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 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 8640HS packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 3700X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8640HS versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8640HS (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen 5 8640HS uses the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 8640HS scores 19,851 against the Ryzen 7 3700X's 22,430 — a 12.2% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8640HS vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X.

FeatureRyzen 5 8640HSRyzen 7 3700X
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock
4.9 GHz+11%
4.4 GHz
Base Clock
3.5 GHz
3.6 GHz+3%
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
Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark
19,851
22,430+13%
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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 8640HS uses the FP8 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 5 8640HSRyzen 7 3700X
Socket
FP8
AM4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
24