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

✅+36.8% higher PassMark.
✅+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

❌Launch MSRP is still $449 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌200% higher power demand at 105W 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

✅Draws 35W instead of 105W, a 70W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Ryzen 7 5800X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,257 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 5800X

2020

Ryzen 9 5980HS

2021

Why buy it

✅+36.8% higher PassMark.
✅+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

✅Draws 35W instead of 105W, a 70W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Ryzen 7 5800X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $449 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌200% higher power demand at 105W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 5980HS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,257 vs 27,712).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5980HS better than Ryzen 7 5800X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 5980HS is ahead with a 2.2% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5800X pulls ahead with 36.8% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 5800X also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5800X is the better fit. You are getting 36.8% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 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 9 5980HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 5800X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 5980HS is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $449 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 5800X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 36.8% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 5800X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (61.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 9 5980HS is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020). 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 7 5800X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 5980HS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 9 5980HS
1080p
low	206 FPS	277 FPS
medium	178 FPS	250 FPS
high	146 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	170 FPS	241 FPS
medium	142 FPS	195 FPS
high	115 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	168 FPS
medium	74 FPS	138 FPS
high	59 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	93 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen 9 5980HS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 9 5980HS
1080p
low	662 FPS	506 FPS
medium	558 FPS	464 FPS
high	466 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	417 FPS	342 FPS
1440p
low	563 FPS	485 FPS
medium	493 FPS	407 FPS
high	423 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	294 FPS
4K
low	350 FPS	334 FPS
medium	308 FPS	288 FPS
high	288 FPS	263 FPS
ultra	250 FPS	227 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen 9 5980HS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 9 5980HS
1080p
low	693 FPS	506 FPS
medium	651 FPS	506 FPS
high	570 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	464 FPS	506 FPS
1440p
low	693 FPS	506 FPS
medium	573 FPS	506 FPS
high	498 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	413 FPS	463 FPS
4K
low	484 FPS	506 FPS
medium	410 FPS	469 FPS
high	363 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	302 FPS	348 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen 9 5980HS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 9 5980HS
1080p
low	693 FPS	506 FPS
medium	693 FPS	506 FPS
high	693 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	693 FPS	506 FPS
1440p
low	693 FPS	506 FPS
medium	693 FPS	506 FPS
high	672 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	593 FPS	477 FPS
4K
low	604 FPS	506 FPS
medium	550 FPS	463 FPS
high	495 FPS	410 FPS
ultra	436 FPS	346 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 5800X Open Ryzen 9 5980HS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 5800X and Ryzen 9 5980HS

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 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

Both the Ryzen 7 5800X and Ryzen 9 5980HS share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HS — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5980HS (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 5800X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5980HS uses Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 5800X scores 27,712 against the Ryzen 9 5980HS's 20,257 — a 31.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 5800X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 5800X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HS.

Feature	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 9 5980HS
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz	4.8 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+27%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	27,712+37%	20,257

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 5800X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), 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 7 5800X 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 7 5800X) vs 16 (Ryzen 9 5980HS) — the Ryzen 7 5800X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Ryzen 7 5800X	Ryzen 9 5980HS
Socket	AM4	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	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

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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 7 5800X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 5800X targets Desktop, Ryzen 9 5980HS targets Mobile High-End.