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 8640U

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 105W, a 77W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 760M, while Ryzen 9 5900X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (10,675 vs 21,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +35.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $549 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 8640U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌275% higher power demand at 105W 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

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 105W, a 77W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 760M, while Ryzen 9 5900X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +35.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (64 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 9 5900X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (10,675 vs 21,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 64 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $549 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 8640U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌275% higher power demand at 105W 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.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Ryzen 5 8640U?

Yes. Ryzen 9 5900X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 35.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 96.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 92.1% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 35.7% 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 9 5900X is the better fit. You are getting 96.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 5900X is at an unclear MSRP at $549 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 35.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 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 8640U Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 5900X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 8640U	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	261 FPS	323 FPS
medium	237 FPS	291 FPS
high	199 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	307 FPS
medium	190 FPS	248 FPS
high	155 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	157 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	193 FPS
medium	133 FPS	156 FPS
high	103 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	103 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 8640U Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 8640U	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	371 FPS	772 FPS
medium	309 FPS	647 FPS
high	272 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	236 FPS	450 FPS
1440p
low	313 FPS	619 FPS
medium	270 FPS	536 FPS
high	244 FPS	443 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	364 FPS
4K
low	234 FPS	365 FPS
medium	206 FPS	318 FPS
high	191 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	161 FPS	255 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 8640U Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 8640U	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	507 FPS	832 FPS
medium	507 FPS	645 FPS
high	507 FPS	558 FPS
ultra	507 FPS	459 FPS
1440p
low	507 FPS	721 FPS
medium	507 FPS	565 FPS
high	507 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	443 FPS	407 FPS
4K
low	493 FPS	511 FPS
medium	435 FPS	421 FPS
high	372 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	308 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 8640U Open Ryzen 9 5900X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 8640U	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	507 FPS	974 FPS
medium	507 FPS	974 FPS
high	507 FPS	934 FPS
ultra	507 FPS	826 FPS
1440p
low	507 FPS	959 FPS
medium	507 FPS	843 FPS
high	507 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	507 FPS	617 FPS
4K
low	507 FPS	694 FPS
medium	501 FPS	621 FPS
high	442 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	380 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 8640U Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 8640U and Ryzen 9 5900X

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.

Ryzen 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 8640U packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8640U versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8640U (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 8640U uses the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 8640U scores 20,274 against the Ryzen 9 5900X's 38,955 — a 63.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 10,675 vs 21,000 (65.2% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,519 vs 2,174, a 14.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 8640U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 10,308 vs 11,888 (14.2% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8640U vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X.

Feature	Ryzen 5 8640U	Ryzen 9 5900X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+2%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	64 MB+300%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	4 nm-43%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	20,274	38,955+92%
Cinebench R23 Multi	10,675	21,000+97%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,519+16%	2,174
Geekbench 6 Multi	10,308	11,888+15%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 8640U uses the FP8 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5x-7500 on the Ryzen 5 8640U versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 9 5900X — 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: 20 (Ryzen 5 8640U) vs 24 (Ryzen 9 5900X) — the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Ryzen 5 8640U) and A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X).

Feature	Ryzen 5 8640U	Ryzen 9 5900X
Socket	FP8	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5x-7500+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+100%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 5900X 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 (SVM) (Ryzen 5 8640U) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X). The Ryzen 5 8640U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 760M), while the Ryzen 9 5900X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 8640U targets Productivity, Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 8640U rivals Core i5-1335U; Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.