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).
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 41.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 51.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X.

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

2018

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Prism), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (16,959 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 51.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

2018

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 41.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 51.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Prism), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (16,959 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 51.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 28.8% 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 5 5600X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.5% 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 5 5600X is the better fit. You are getting 28.8% 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 5600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X is $30 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 41.7% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 51.5 PassMark/$), 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 5600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018), 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. 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 PRO 2700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
1080p
low	203 FPS	223 FPS
medium	174 FPS	191 FPS
high	140 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	113 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	183 FPS
medium	141 FPS	150 FPS
high	113 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	71 FPS
medium	76 FPS	63 FPS
high	60 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	38 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
1080p
low	464 FPS	346 FPS
medium	387 FPS	305 FPS
high	324 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	240 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	316 FPS
medium	334 FPS	285 FPS
high	290 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	218 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	232 FPS
medium	226 FPS	213 FPS
high	205 FPS	195 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	170 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
1080p
low	546 FPS	424 FPS
medium	473 FPS	424 FPS
high	432 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	424 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	424 FPS
medium	413 FPS	424 FPS
high	375 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	340 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	391 FPS
medium	292 FPS	323 FPS
high	255 FPS	284 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	228 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
1080p
low	546 FPS	424 FPS
medium	546 FPS	424 FPS
high	546 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	424 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	424 FPS
medium	546 FPS	424 FPS
high	546 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	424 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	424 FPS
medium	484 FPS	424 FPS
high	435 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	359 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

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 PRO 2700X

The Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 16,959 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X — a 11.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X's 16,959 — a 25.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+12%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+3%	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-42%	12 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	21,845+29%	16,959
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,255
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	6,243

🧠

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. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 20 (Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X) — 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 X470,B450,X370,B350,A320 (Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

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 PRO 2700X targets Workstation.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X debuted at $329. On MSRP ($299 vs $329), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $30 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600X delivers 73.1 pts/$ vs 51.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 34.5% better value option.