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 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.
✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 45W.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 105W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (23,300 vs 28,325).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7600X moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Ryzen 9 5980HX

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.
✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 105W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 45W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (23,300 vs 28,325).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7600X moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7600X better than Ryzen 9 5980HX?

Yes. Ryzen 5 7600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 4.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 21.6% 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 7600X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 4.1% 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 7600X is the better fit. You are getting 21.6% 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 7600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 7600X is at an unclear MSRP at $299 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 4.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 7600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of FP6, 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 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 7600X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 5980HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 7600X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
1080p
low	266 FPS	260 FPS
medium	246 FPS	239 FPS
high	210 FPS	201 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	170 FPS
1440p
low	226 FPS	231 FPS
medium	189 FPS	192 FPS
high	154 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	136 FPS
4K
low	157 FPS	159 FPS
medium	131 FPS	134 FPS
high	101 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	91 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 7600X Open Ryzen 9 5980HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 7600X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
1080p
low	649 FPS	428 FPS
medium	524 FPS	356 FPS
high	436 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	386 FPS	273 FPS
1440p
low	544 FPS	357 FPS
medium	455 FPS	312 FPS
high	388 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	236 FPS
4K
low	341 FPS	245 FPS
medium	290 FPS	220 FPS
high	271 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	232 FPS	180 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 7600X Open Ryzen 9 5980HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 7600X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
1080p
low	708 FPS	582 FPS
medium	652 FPS	582 FPS
high	571 FPS	576 FPS
ultra	484 FPS	472 FPS
1440p
low	708 FPS	582 FPS
medium	554 FPS	532 FPS
high	479 FPS	451 FPS
ultra	409 FPS	372 FPS
4K
low	463 FPS	456 FPS
medium	392 FPS	396 FPS
high	341 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	281 FPS	282 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 7600X Open Ryzen 9 5980HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 7600X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
1080p
low	708 FPS	582 FPS
medium	708 FPS	582 FPS
high	708 FPS	582 FPS
ultra	708 FPS	582 FPS
1440p
low	708 FPS	582 FPS
medium	708 FPS	582 FPS
high	658 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	571 FPS	475 FPS
4K
low	560 FPS	511 FPS
medium	502 FPS	460 FPS
high	452 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	391 FPS	348 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 7600X Open Ryzen 9 5980HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 7600X and Ryzen 9 5980HX

Ryzen 5 7600X

The Ryzen 5 7600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,325 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

The Ryzen 9 5980HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 23,300 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 7600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5980HX offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 5980HX has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HX — a 9.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600X (base: 4.7 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 7600X uses the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture (5 nm, 6 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 7600X scores 28,325 against the Ryzen 9 5980HX's 23,300 — a 19.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HX.

Feature	Ryzen 5 7600X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	5.3 GHz+10%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	4.7 GHz+42%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	6 MB+1100%	512 kB (per core)
Process	5 nm, 6 nm-29%	7 nm
Architecture	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)	Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	28,325+22%	23,300
Cinebench R23 Multi	15,300	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,900	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,800	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 7600X uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 5 7600X versus LPDDR4-4266 on the Ryzen 9 5980HX — the Ryzen 5 7600X supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 5 7600X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 28 (Ryzen 5 7600X) vs 16 (Ryzen 9 5980HX) — the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Ryzen 5 7600X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Socket	AM5	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200+25%	LPDDR4-4266
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	28+75%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 5 7600X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 5 7600X) and Radeon Graphics (8CU) (Ryzen 9 5980HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming, Ryzen 9 5980HX targets Mobile High-End. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

Feature	Ryzen 5 7600X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)	Radeon Graphics (8CU)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	Mobile High-End