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).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 8945H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 30,240).
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌712.5% higher power demand at 65W vs 8W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 8945H moves to FP7/FP7r2/FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen 9 8945H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 8W instead of 65W, a 57W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7/FP7r2/FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen 9 8945H

2023

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 8W instead of 65W, a 57W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7/FP7r2/FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 8945H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 30,240).
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌712.5% higher power demand at 65W vs 8W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 8945H moves to FP7/FP7r2/FP8 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 8945H better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Yes. Ryzen 9 8945H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 23.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 38.4% 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 9 8945H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 23.1% 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 9 8945H is the better fit. You are getting 38.4% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 8945H is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 8945H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 23.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 8945H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FP7/FP7r2/FP8 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 5600X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 8945H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	203 FPS	269 FPS
medium	174 FPS	243 FPS
high	140 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	236 FPS
medium	141 FPS	193 FPS
high	113 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	164 FPS
medium	76 FPS	136 FPS
high	60 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	92 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	464 FPS	513 FPS
medium	387 FPS	421 FPS
high	324 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	323 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	448 FPS
medium	334 FPS	388 FPS
high	290 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	285 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	295 FPS
medium	226 FPS	267 FPS
high	205 FPS	253 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	217 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	546 FPS	756 FPS
medium	473 FPS	756 FPS
high	432 FPS	647 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	756 FPS
medium	413 FPS	637 FPS
high	375 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	464 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	541 FPS
medium	292 FPS	473 FPS
high	255 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	355 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 9 8945H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	546 FPS	756 FPS
medium	546 FPS	756 FPS
high	546 FPS	756 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	754 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	756 FPS
medium	546 FPS	756 FPS
high	546 FPS	660 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	573 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	572 FPS
medium	484 FPS	511 FPS
high	435 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	394 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 9 8945H

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 9 8945H

The Ryzen 9 8945H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,240 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 8945H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 8945H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 8945H — a 12.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 8945H (base: 3.7 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen 9 8945H's 30,240 — a 32.2% lead for the Ryzen 9 8945H. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 8945H.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 8945H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5.2 GHz+13%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	4 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	32 MB+100%	16 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	8 MB+1500%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	21,845	30,240+38%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	17,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,617
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	12,662

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses FP7/FP7r2/FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 8945H — the Ryzen 9 8945H supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 8945H supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 20 (Ryzen 9 8945H) — 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 FP7,FP7r2,FP8 (Ryzen 9 8945H).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 8945H
Socket	AM4	FP7/FP7r2/FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 8945H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The Ryzen 9 8945H includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop, Ryzen 9 8945H targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 8945H rivals Core i9-13900H.