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 5800X

2020

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 8700F across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (27,712 vs 31,240).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.7 vs 115.7 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $270 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 8700F moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 7 8700F

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.7% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $179 less on MSRP ($270 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Delivers 87.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 115.7 vs 61.7 PassMark/$ ($270 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

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

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Ryzen 7 8700F

2024

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: +11.7% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $179 less on MSRP ($270 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Delivers 87.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 115.7 vs 61.7 PassMark/$ ($270 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 8700F across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (27,712 vs 31,240).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.7 vs 115.7 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $270 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 8700F moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 8700F better than Ryzen 7 5800X?

Yes. Ryzen 7 8700F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 11.7% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data, 12.7% 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 8700F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.7% more average FPS across 46 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 8700F is the better fit. You are getting 12.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 8700F is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 8700F is $179 cheaper on MSRP at $270 MSRP versus $449 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.7% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 87.5% better value on MSRP (115.7 vs 61.7 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 7 5800X can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Ryzen 7 8700F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020), a healthier platform with AM5 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 5800X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 8700F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 7 8700F
1080p
low	206 FPS	266 FPS
medium	178 FPS	240 FPS
high	146 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	170 FPS	233 FPS
medium	142 FPS	190 FPS
high	115 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	158 FPS
medium	74 FPS	131 FPS
high	59 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	88 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen 7 8700F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 7 8700F
1080p
low	662 FPS	483 FPS
medium	558 FPS	403 FPS
high	466 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	417 FPS	308 FPS
1440p
low	563 FPS	423 FPS
medium	493 FPS	374 FPS
high	423 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	273 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	283 FPS
medium	308 FPS	259 FPS
high	288 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	250 FPS	209 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen 7 8700F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 7 8700F
1080p
low	693 FPS	781 FPS
medium	651 FPS	781 FPS
high	570 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	464 FPS	649 FPS
1440p
low	693 FPS	766 FPS
medium	573 FPS	629 FPS
high	498 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	413 FPS	463 FPS
4K
low	484 FPS	530 FPS
medium	410 FPS	457 FPS
high	363 FPS	402 FPS
ultra	302 FPS	338 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen 7 8700F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 7 8700F
1080p
low	693 FPS	781 FPS
medium	693 FPS	781 FPS
high	693 FPS	781 FPS
ultra	693 FPS	781 FPS
1440p
low	693 FPS	781 FPS
medium	693 FPS	781 FPS
high	672 FPS	692 FPS
ultra	593 FPS	602 FPS
4K
low	604 FPS	615 FPS
medium	550 FPS	553 FPS
high	495 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	436 FPS	431 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen 7 8700F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 5800X and Ryzen 7 8700F

Ryzen 7 5800X

The Ryzen 7 5800X 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 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. Passmark benchmark score: 27,712 points. Launch price was $449.

Ryzen 7 8700F

The Ryzen 7 8700F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 31,240 points. Launch price was $270.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 7 5800X and Ryzen 7 8700F share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 8700F — a 6.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 8700F (base: 3.8 GHz vs 4.1 GHz). The Ryzen 7 5800X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 8700F uses Phoenix (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 5800X scores 27,712 against the Ryzen 7 8700F's 31,240 — a 12% lead for the Ryzen 7 8700F. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 5800X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 8700F.

Feature	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 7 8700F
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz	5 GHz+6%
Base Clock	3.8 GHz	4.1 GHz+8%
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)	Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark	27,712	31,240+13%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	18,040
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,649
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 5800X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 8700F uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 5800X versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 7 8700F — the Ryzen 7 8700F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 8700F 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 7 5800X) vs 20 (Ryzen 7 8700F) — the Ryzen 7 5800X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 5800X) and XB650,B650,A620 (Ryzen 7 8700F).

Feature	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 7 8700F
Socket	AM4	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 7 8700F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 5800X targets Desktop, Ryzen 7 8700F targets High-performance Gaming w/ dGPU. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 8700F rivals Core i7-14700F.

Feature	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 7 8700F
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	High-performance Gaming w/ dGPU

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 5800X launched at $449 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 8700F debuted at $270. On MSRP ($449 vs $270), the Ryzen 7 8700F is $179 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 5800X delivers 61.7 pts/$ vs 115.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 8700F — making the Ryzen 7 8700F the 60.9% better value option.