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 5600F

2025

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5980HS across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (20,225 vs 20,257).
❌Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 5980HS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 5980HS

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.1% higher average FPS across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Ryzen 5 5600F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Ryzen 5 5600F

2025

Ryzen 9 5980HS

2021

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.1% higher average FPS across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Ryzen 5 5600F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5980HS across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (20,225 vs 20,257).
❌Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 5980HS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5980HS better than Ryzen 5 5600F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 5980HS is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 43.1% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.2% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5980HS is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 43.1% more average FPS across 48 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5980HS is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 5980HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 5980HS is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $99 MSRP, and it gives you a 43.1% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (204.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 5600F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2021) and 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 5600F Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 5980HS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 9 5980HS
1080p
low	157 FPS	277 FPS
medium	127 FPS	250 FPS
high	108 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	241 FPS
medium	110 FPS	195 FPS
high	89 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	168 FPS
medium	55 FPS	138 FPS
high	44 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	93 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600F Open Ryzen 9 5980HS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 9 5980HS
1080p
low	323 FPS	506 FPS
medium	279 FPS	464 FPS
high	221 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	177 FPS	342 FPS
1440p
low	277 FPS	485 FPS
medium	242 FPS	407 FPS
high	198 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	294 FPS
4K
low	195 FPS	334 FPS
medium	174 FPS	288 FPS
high	148 FPS	263 FPS
ultra	116 FPS	227 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600F Open Ryzen 9 5980HS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 9 5980HS
1080p
low	506 FPS	506 FPS
medium	493 FPS	506 FPS
high	451 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	388 FPS	506 FPS
1440p
low	506 FPS	506 FPS
medium	412 FPS	506 FPS
high	374 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	463 FPS
4K
low	357 FPS	506 FPS
medium	289 FPS	469 FPS
high	247 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	348 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600F Open Ryzen 9 5980HS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 9 5980HS
1080p
low	506 FPS	506 FPS
medium	506 FPS	506 FPS
high	506 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	506 FPS	506 FPS
1440p
low	506 FPS	506 FPS
medium	506 FPS	506 FPS
high	503 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	477 FPS
4K
low	452 FPS	506 FPS
medium	406 FPS	463 FPS
high	362 FPS	410 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	346 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600F Open Ryzen 9 5980HS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600F and Ryzen 9 5980HS

Ryzen 5 5600F

The Ryzen 5 5600F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 September 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). 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: 20,225 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 9 5980HS

The Ryzen 9 5980HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,257 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5980HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 5980HS has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600F versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HS — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5980HS (base: 3 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600F uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5980HS uses Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600F scores 20,225 against the Ryzen 9 5980HS's 20,257 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 9 5980HS. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HS.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 9 5980HS
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.8 GHz+20%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (2020−2025)	Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	20,225	20,257

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600F uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 5980HS uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 5600F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600F) vs 16 (Ryzen 9 5980HS) — the Ryzen 5 5600F offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600F	Ryzen 9 5980HS
Socket	AM4	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	LPDDR4-4266
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+300%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	24+50%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The Ryzen 9 5980HS includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (8CU)), while the Ryzen 5 5600F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600F targets Desktop, Ryzen 9 5980HS targets Mobile High-End.