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

✅+7.7% higher PassMark.
✅+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.
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 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.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 8640U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 8640U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.1% 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 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,274 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen 5 8640U

2023

Why buy it

✅+7.7% higher PassMark.
✅+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: +9.1% 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 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8640U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 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.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 8640U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,274 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

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

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 8640U is ahead with a 9.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X pulls ahead with 7.7% 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 7.7% 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 8640U is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 8640U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 5600X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 7.7% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) 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.

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 8640U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	203 FPS	261 FPS
medium	174 FPS	237 FPS
high	140 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	230 FPS
medium	141 FPS	190 FPS
high	113 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	159 FPS
medium	76 FPS	133 FPS
high	60 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	91 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 5 8640U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	464 FPS	371 FPS
medium	387 FPS	309 FPS
high	324 FPS	272 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	236 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	313 FPS
medium	334 FPS	270 FPS
high	290 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	207 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	234 FPS
medium	226 FPS	206 FPS
high	205 FPS	191 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	161 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 5 8640U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	546 FPS	507 FPS
medium	473 FPS	507 FPS
high	432 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	507 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	507 FPS
medium	413 FPS	507 FPS
high	375 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	443 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	493 FPS
medium	292 FPS	435 FPS
high	255 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	308 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 5 8640U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	546 FPS	507 FPS
medium	546 FPS	507 FPS
high	546 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	507 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	507 FPS
medium	546 FPS	507 FPS
high	546 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	507 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	507 FPS
medium	484 FPS	501 FPS
high	435 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	380 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 5 8640U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 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 5600X and Ryzen 5 8640U share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8640U — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8640U (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 5 8640U uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen 5 8640U's 20,274 — a 7.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8640U.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 8640U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+6%	3.5 GHz
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)	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)
PassMark	21,845+8%	20,274
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	10,675
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,519
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	10,308

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), 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 5600X 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 5600X) vs 20 (Ryzen 5 8640U) — 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 SoC (Ryzen 5 8640U).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 8640U
Socket	AM4	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
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 5600X 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 5600X) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 5 8640U). The Ryzen 5 8640U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 760M), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop, Ryzen 5 8640U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 8640U rivals Core i5-1335U.