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

✅Costs $110 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 46,828).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.1% higher average FPS across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Delivers 56.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅16.7% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
36.8% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$299 MSRP

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $110 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.1% higher average FPS across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).
✅Delivers 56.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅16.7% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 46,828).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 114.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌
36.8% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$299 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Yes. Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 31.1% average FPS lead across 36 shared CPU game tests in our data, 114.4% 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 PRO 7945 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 31.1% more average FPS across 36 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is the better fit. You are getting 114.4% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 is 36.8% more expensive on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 31.1% average FPS lead across 36 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 56.7% better value on MSRP (114.5 vs 73.1 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 5600X 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 9 PRO 7945 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 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 PRO 7945 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945
1080p
low	203 FPS	269 FPS
medium	174 FPS	244 FPS
high	140 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	183 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	260 FPS
medium	141 FPS	212 FPS
high	113 FPS	168 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	151 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	180 FPS
medium	76 FPS	147 FPS
high	60 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	98 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945
1080p
low	464 FPS	660 FPS
medium	387 FPS	567 FPS
high	324 FPS	426 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	368 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	555 FPS
medium	334 FPS	495 FPS
high	290 FPS	384 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	306 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	313 FPS
medium	226 FPS	283 FPS
high	205 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	214 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945
1080p
low	546 FPS	1025 FPS
medium	473 FPS	1118 FPS
high	432 FPS	1041 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	875 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	940 FPS
medium	413 FPS	836 FPS
high	375 FPS	754 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	574 FPS
medium	292 FPS	495 FPS
high	255 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	378 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945
1080p
low	546 FPS	1171 FPS
medium	546 FPS	1015 FPS
high	546 FPS	981 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	854 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	1019 FPS
medium	546 FPS	888 FPS
high	546 FPS	762 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	639 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	754 FPS
medium	484 FPS	658 FPS
high	435 FPS	569 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

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 PRO 7945

The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 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 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 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: 46,828 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 — a 16% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 uses Raphael (2023−2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945's 46,828 — a 72.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5.4 GHz+17%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	3.7 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB	64 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Raphael (2023−2025)
PassMark	21,845	46,828+114%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	28,905
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,206
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	16,832

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 — the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 supports 22.2% 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. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 28 (Ryzen 9 PRO 7945) — the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 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 AMD X670E,AMD X670,AMD B650E,AMD B650,AMD A620 (Ryzen 9 PRO 7945).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945
Socket	AM4	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	28+17%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs true (Ryzen 9 PRO 7945). The Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 rivals Core i9-13900.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 9 PRO 7945
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon Graphics
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	true
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 debuted at $409. On MSRP ($299 vs $409), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $110 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600X delivers 73.1 pts/$ vs 114.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 — making the Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 the 44.2% better value option.