Ryzen 3 8440U vs Ryzen 5 PRO 1600

Ryzen 3 8440U vs Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 3 8440U

4 / 8

11,957

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen 5 PRO 1600

6 / 12

11,875

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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 8440U vs Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 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 8440U vs Ryzen 5 PRO 1600: 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 8440U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 5 PRO 1600

2017

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 3 8440U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (11,875 vs 11,957).
❌Launch MSRP is still $219 MSRP, while Ryzen 3 8440U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 3 8440U moves to FP7 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 8440U better than Ryzen 5 PRO 1600?

Yes. Ryzen 3 8440U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% 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 3 8440U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.3% 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 3 8440U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 3 8440U is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 3 8440U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $219 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (54.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 3 8440U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2017), a healthier platform with FP7 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Ryzen 3 8440U vs Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 3 8440U

The Ryzen 3 8440U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 11,957 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 PRO 1600

The Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 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: 11,875 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 3 8440U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 8440U versus 3.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 — a 26.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 8440U (base: 3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 3 8440U uses the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 8440U scores 11,957 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 1600's 11,875 — a 0.7% lead for the Ryzen 3 8440U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 8440U vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 1600.

Feature	Ryzen 3 8440U	Ryzen 5 PRO 1600
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz+31%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.2 GHz+7%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+51100%
Process	4 nm-71%	14 nm
Architecture	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	11,957	11,875

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 3 8440U uses the FP7 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 1600 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.