Ryzen 3 1300X vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

Ryzen 3 1300X vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 3 1300X

4 / 4

6,923

0.0%

Athlon 300U

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

4 / 8

6,928

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

About PassMark

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.

Ryzen 3 1300X vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Ryzen 3 1300X vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Ryzen 3 1300X

2017

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,923 vs 6,928).
❌Launch MSRP is still $129 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1300X.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U better than Ryzen 3 1300X?

Yes. Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 10.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 10.7% 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 PRO 3500U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is still the better call for a fresh build. Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $129 MSRP, and it still gives you a 10.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 3 1300X only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the better recommendation now. At roughly 6,923 PassMark with 4 cores and 4 threads, it only really makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 3 1300X vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Ryzen 3 1300X

The Ryzen 3 1300X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,923 points. Launch price was $129.

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

The Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,928 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 3 1300X packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 1300X versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Ryzen 3 1300X uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U uses Picasso (2019−2022) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 1300X scores 6,923 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U's 6,928 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 1300X vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U.

Feature	Ryzen 3 1300X	Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+62%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Zen (2017−2020)	Picasso (2019−2022)
PassMark	6,923	6,928
Cinebench R23 Multi	3,486	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,120	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	3,155	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 3 1300X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.