Ryzen 5 240 vs Ryzen 7 3800XT

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 5 240 vs Ryzen 7 3800XT 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 5 240 vs Ryzen 7 3800XT: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Ryzen 5 240

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 105W, a 60W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3800XT across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (23,167 vs 23,441).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 3800XT

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+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 $399 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 240 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 240 moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3800XT better than Ryzen 5 240?

Yes. Ryzen 7 3800XT is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.2% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 3800XT is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.2% 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 7 3800XT is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has 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 7 3800XT is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 3800XT comes in at an unclear MSRP at $399 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (58.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 240 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of AM4. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Ryzen 5 240 vs Ryzen 7 3800XT Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 5 240

The Ryzen 5 240 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.3 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 23,167 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 3800XT

The Ryzen 7 3800XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 23,441 points. Launch price was $399.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 240 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 3800XT offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 3800XT has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 240 versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3800XT — a 6.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 240 (base: 4.3 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Ryzen 5 240 uses the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3800XT uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 240 scores 23,167 against the Ryzen 7 3800XT's 23,441 — a 1.2% lead for the Ryzen 7 3800XT. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 240 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3800XT.

Feature	Ryzen 5 240	Ryzen 7 3800XT
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+6%	4.7 GHz
Base Clock	4.3 GHz+13%	3.8 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	32 MB+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+51100%
Process	4 nm-43%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Hawk Point (2024−2025)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	23,167	23,441+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 240 uses the FP8 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 3800XT uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 240	Ryzen 7 3800XT
Socket	FP8	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 5 240) / AMD-V (Ryzen 7 3800XT). Primary use case: Ryzen 7 3800XT targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 240	Ryzen 7 3800XT
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Ryzen 5 240 was priced at $0, while the Ryzen 7 3800XT came in at $399. On launch pricing ($0 vs $399), Ryzen 5 240 was $399 cheaper.

Feature	Ryzen 5 240	Ryzen 7 3800XT
MSRP	$0-100%	$399
Performance per Dollar	—	58.7
Release Date	2025	2020

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