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 7 260

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $130 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 108.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 142.4 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

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

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

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 7 260 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 28,339).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 68.2 vs 142.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 260 moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen 7 260

2025

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $130 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 108.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 142.4 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

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

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

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 260 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 28,339).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 68.2 vs 142.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 260 moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 260 better than Ryzen 7 3700X?

Yes. Ryzen 7 260 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 26.3% 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 7 260 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.3% 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 7 260 is the better fit. You are getting 26.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 260 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 260 is $130 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 3.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 108.9% better value on MSRP (142.4 vs 68.2 PassMark/$), 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 7 260 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2019), a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. 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 7 260 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 260	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	265 FPS	200 FPS
medium	240 FPS	163 FPS
high	202 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	234 FPS	156 FPS
medium	192 FPS	121 FPS
high	156 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	162 FPS	84 FPS
medium	135 FPS	71 FPS
high	104 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	44 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 260 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 260	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	486 FPS	561 FPS
medium	399 FPS	525 FPS
high	341 FPS	428 FPS
ultra	304 FPS	383 FPS
1440p
low	424 FPS	545 FPS
medium	367 FPS	471 FPS
high	314 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	267 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	280 FPS	350 FPS
medium	253 FPS	304 FPS
high	237 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	242 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 260 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 260	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	708 FPS	561 FPS
medium	708 FPS	561 FPS
high	708 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	623 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	708 FPS	561 FPS
medium	644 FPS	561 FPS
high	544 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	467 FPS	470 FPS
4K
low	540 FPS	499 FPS
medium	474 FPS	394 FPS
high	421 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	275 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 260 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 260	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	708 FPS	561 FPS
medium	708 FPS	561 FPS
high	708 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	708 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	708 FPS	561 FPS
medium	708 FPS	561 FPS
high	657 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	572 FPS	555 FPS
4K
low	574 FPS	561 FPS
medium	511 FPS	501 FPS
high	455 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	393 FPS	396 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 260 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 260 and Ryzen 7 3700X

Ryzen 7 260

The Ryzen 7 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 28,339 points. Launch price was $299.

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.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 7 260 and Ryzen 7 3700X share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 260 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X — a 14.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 260 (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen 7 260 uses the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 260 scores 28,339 against the Ryzen 7 3700X's 22,430 — a 23.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 260. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 260 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X.

Feature	Ryzen 7 260	Ryzen 7 3700X
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+16%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+6%	3.6 GHz
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 (2024−2025)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	28,339+26%	22,430

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 260 uses the FP8 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 7 260 versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 3700X — the Ryzen 7 260 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 3700X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Ryzen 7 260) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) — the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Ryzen 7 260	Ryzen 7 3700X
Socket	FP8	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 7 260) / not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X). The Ryzen 7 260 includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Ryzen 7 3700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 260 targets Mobile.

Feature	Ryzen 7 260	Ryzen 7 3700X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon 780M	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Mobile	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 260 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 3700X debuted at $329. On MSRP ($199 vs $329), the Ryzen 7 260 is $130 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 260 delivers 142.4 pts/$ vs 68.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 3700X — making the Ryzen 7 260 the 70.5% better value option.