Ryzen 5 5600X vs Ryzen Z1

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

✅+18.7% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen Z1 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen Z1 moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen Z1

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,406 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Ryzen Z1

2023

Why buy it

✅+18.7% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen Z1 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen Z1 moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,406 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Z1 better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Z1 is ahead with a 2.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X pulls ahead with 18.7% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X 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 5 5600X is the better fit. You are getting 18.7% 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 Z1 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Z1 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 5600X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 18.7% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Z1 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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 Z1 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	203 FPS	262 FPS
medium	174 FPS	234 FPS
high	140 FPS	195 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	167 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	231 FPS
medium	141 FPS	187 FPS
high	113 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	162 FPS
medium	76 FPS	133 FPS
high	60 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	89 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen Z1

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	464 FPS	429 FPS
medium	387 FPS	339 FPS
high	324 FPS	291 FPS
ultra	291 FPS	250 FPS
1440p
low	397 FPS	356 FPS
medium	334 FPS	295 FPS
high	290 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	219 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	268 FPS
medium	226 FPS	227 FPS
high	205 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	171 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen Z1

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	546 FPS	460 FPS
medium	473 FPS	460 FPS
high	432 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	358 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	508 FPS	460 FPS
medium	413 FPS	460 FPS
high	375 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	312 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	460 FPS
medium	292 FPS	437 FPS
high	255 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	306 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen Z1

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	546 FPS	460 FPS
medium	546 FPS	460 FPS
high	546 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	546 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	546 FPS	460 FPS
medium	546 FPS	460 FPS
high	546 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	524 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	529 FPS	460 FPS
medium	484 FPS	460 FPS
high	435 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	370 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600X Open Ryzen Z1

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen Z1

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 Z1

The Ryzen Z1 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Maio 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,406 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen Z1 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen Z1 — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z1 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Z1 uses Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen Z1's 18,406 — a 17.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen Z1.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen Z1
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+16%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Phoenix (Zen4) (2023)
PassMark	21,845+19%	18,406