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 5600F

2025

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8640U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (20,225 vs 20,274).
❌Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 8640U 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 8640U moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 8640U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 760M, while Ryzen 5 5600F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600F

2025

Ryzen 5 8640U

2023

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 760M, while Ryzen 5 5600F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8640U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (20,225 vs 20,274).
❌Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 8640U 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 8640U moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 8640U better than Ryzen 5 5600F?

Yes. Ryzen 5 8640U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 22.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% 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 5 8640U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 22.7% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 8640U is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 8640U is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 8640U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $99 MSRP, and it gives you a 22.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (204.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 8640U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of AM4 and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 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 5600F Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 8640U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	157 FPS	261 FPS
medium	127 FPS	237 FPS
high	108 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	230 FPS
medium	110 FPS	190 FPS
high	89 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	159 FPS
medium	55 FPS	133 FPS
high	44 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	91 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600F Open Ryzen 5 8640U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	323 FPS	371 FPS
medium	279 FPS	309 FPS
high	221 FPS	272 FPS
ultra	177 FPS	236 FPS
1440p
low	277 FPS	313 FPS
medium	242 FPS	270 FPS
high	198 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	207 FPS
4K
low	195 FPS	234 FPS
medium	174 FPS	206 FPS
high	148 FPS	191 FPS
ultra	116 FPS	161 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600F Open Ryzen 5 8640U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	506 FPS	507 FPS
medium	493 FPS	507 FPS
high	451 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	388 FPS	507 FPS
1440p
low	506 FPS	507 FPS
medium	412 FPS	507 FPS
high	374 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	443 FPS
4K
low	357 FPS	493 FPS
medium	289 FPS	435 FPS
high	247 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	308 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600F Open Ryzen 5 8640U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	506 FPS	507 FPS
medium	506 FPS	507 FPS
high	506 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	506 FPS	507 FPS
1440p
low	506 FPS	507 FPS
medium	506 FPS	507 FPS
high	503 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	507 FPS
4K
low	452 FPS	507 FPS
medium	406 FPS	501 FPS
high	362 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	380 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600F Open Ryzen 5 8640U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600F and Ryzen 5 8640U

Ryzen 5 5600F

The Ryzen 5 5600F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 September 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,225 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 8640U

The Ryzen 5 8640U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) 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: 20,274 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5600F and Ryzen 5 8640U share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600F versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8640U — a 20.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8640U (base: 3 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600F uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 8640U uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600F scores 20,225 against the Ryzen 5 8640U's 20,274 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 8640U. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8640U.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 5 8640U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.9 GHz+23%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.5 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Vermeer (2020−2025)	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)
PassMark	20,225	20,274
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	10,675
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,519
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	10,308

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600F uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 8640U uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600F versus LPDDR5x-7500 on the Ryzen 5 8640U — the Ryzen 5 8640U supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 5 8640U 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 5600F) vs 20 (Ryzen 5 8640U) — the Ryzen 5 5600F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 5 8640U
Socket	AM4	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	LPDDR5x-7500+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600F has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 5 8640U supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600F) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 5 8640U). The Ryzen 5 8640U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 760M), while the Ryzen 5 5600F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600F targets Desktop, Ryzen 5 8640U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 8640U rivals Core i5-1335U.