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

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5700 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 24,317).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 135.8 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 5700.

Ryzen 7 5700

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $120 less on MSRP ($179 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 85.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 135.8 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($179 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Trade-offs

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

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen 7 5700

2022

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $120 less on MSRP ($179 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 85.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 135.8 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($179 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5700 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 24,317).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 135.8 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 5700.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5700 better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Yes. Ryzen 7 5700 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 5.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 11.3% 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 5700 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.7% 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 5700 is the better fit. You are getting 11.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 5700 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 5700 is $120 cheaper on MSRP at $179 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 85.9% better value on MSRP (135.8 vs 73.1 PassMark/$), 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 5700 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 7 5700 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 5700
1080p
low	203 FPS	179 FPS
medium	174 FPS	152 FPS
high	140 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	102 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	153 FPS
medium	141 FPS	126 FPS
high	113 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	84 FPS
medium	76 FPS	75 FPS
high	60 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	46 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 5700

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 5700
1080p
low	464 FPS	417 FPS
medium	387 FPS	352 FPS
high	324 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	360 FPS
medium	334 FPS	316 FPS
high	290 FPS	278 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	237 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	248 FPS
medium	226 FPS	224 FPS
high	205 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	182 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 5700

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 5700
1080p
low	546 FPS	608 FPS
medium	473 FPS	574 FPS
high	432 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	431 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	509 FPS
medium	413 FPS	436 FPS
high	375 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	376 FPS
medium	292 FPS	318 FPS
high	255 FPS	280 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	220 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 5700

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 5700
1080p
low	546 FPS	608 FPS
medium	546 FPS	608 FPS
high	546 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	608 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	608 FPS
medium	546 FPS	608 FPS
high	546 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	520 FPS
medium	484 FPS	465 FPS
high	435 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	358 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 5700

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 5700

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 7 5700

The Ryzen 7 5700 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. 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: 24,317 points. Launch price was $179.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5700 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 5700 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5700 — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5700 uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen 7 5700's 24,317 — a 10.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 7 5700.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 5700
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	3.7 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+100%	16 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Cezanne (2021−2025)
PassMark	21,845	24,317+11%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	11,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,000
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,600

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 4.0. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 24 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X) and A520,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 7 5700).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 5700
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop, Ryzen 7 5700 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 5700 rivals Core i5-13400F.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 5700
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 5700 debuted at $179. On MSRP ($299 vs $179), the Ryzen 7 5700 is $120 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600X delivers 73.1 pts/$ vs 135.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5700 — making the Ryzen 7 5700 the 60.1% better value option.