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 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $201 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,685 vs 34,827).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +77.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics, while Ryzen 5 3600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
101% HIGHER MSRP
$400 MSRPvs$199 MSRP

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $201 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +77.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Graphics, while Ryzen 5 3600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,685 vs 34,827).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 moves to AM5 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
101% HIGHER MSRP
$400 MSRPvs$199 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 better than Ryzen 5 3600?

Yes. Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 77.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 96.9% 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 PRO 7745 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 77.1% 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 7 PRO 7745 is the better fit. You are getting 96.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is 101.0% more expensive on MSRP at $400 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 77.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 3600 is also 2.1% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 87.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 3600 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. 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 3600 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
1080p
low	200 FPS	248 FPS
medium	161 FPS	231 FPS
high	135 FPS	200 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	172 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	218 FPS
medium	119 FPS	183 FPS
high	96 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	152 FPS
medium	58 FPS	127 FPS
high	46 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	86 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
1080p
low	442 FPS	616 FPS
medium	404 FPS	516 FPS
high	332 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	420 FPS	525 FPS
medium	359 FPS	461 FPS
high	303 FPS	387 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	331 FPS
4K
low	297 FPS	308 FPS
medium	259 FPS	276 FPS
high	230 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	228 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
1080p
low	442 FPS	871 FPS
medium	442 FPS	871 FPS
high	442 FPS	871 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	871 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	871 FPS
medium	442 FPS	870 FPS
high	442 FPS	788 FPS
ultra	432 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	581 FPS
medium	361 FPS	499 FPS
high	305 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	379 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
1080p
low	442 FPS	871 FPS
medium	442 FPS	871 FPS
high	442 FPS	871 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	847 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	871 FPS
medium	442 FPS	871 FPS
high	442 FPS	765 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	646 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	680 FPS
medium	442 FPS	599 FPS
high	413 FPS	530 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3600 and Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). 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: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

The Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 June 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 34,827 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 3600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 — a 23.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 uses Raphael (2023−2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3600 scores 17,685 against the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745's 34,827 — a 65.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745. Both processors carry 32 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	5.3 GHz+26%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	3.8 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Raphael (2023−2025)
PassMark	17,685	34,827+97%
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,295	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 3600 versus 5200 on the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 — the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 24 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600) and AM5 (Ryzen 7 PRO 7745).

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
Socket	AM4	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	5200+129900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+104857500%	128
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 3600 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: Yes (Ryzen 5 3600) vs AMD-V, IOMMU (Ryzen 7 PRO 7745). The Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics), while the Ryzen 5 3600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400; Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 rivals Core i7-13700.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	AMD Radeon Graphics
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	Yes	AMD-V, IOMMU
Target Use	Gaming/Budget Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 3600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 debuted at $400. On MSRP ($199 vs $400), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $201 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 3600 delivers 88.9 pts/$ vs 87.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 2% better value option.