Ryzen 5 240 vs Ryzen 9 5900X

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 9 5900X 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 9 5900X: 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 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (23,167 vs 38,955).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $549 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 9 5900X better than Ryzen 5 240?

Yes. Ryzen 9 5900X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 19.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 68.1% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 19.2% 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 9 5900X is the stronger fit. You are getting 68.1% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 9 5900X comes in at an unclear MSRP at $549 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 19.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 9 5900X 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 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 240 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 240 versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 240 (base: 4.3 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Ryzen 5 240 uses the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 240 scores 23,167 against the Ryzen 9 5900X's 38,955 — a 50.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 240 vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X.

Feature	Ryzen 5 240	Ryzen 9 5900X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+4%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	4.3 GHz+16%	3.7 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	64 MB+300%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+51100%
Process	4 nm-43%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Hawk Point (2024−2025)	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	23,167	38,955+68%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	21,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,174
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	11,888

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 240 uses the FP8 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 240	Ryzen 9 5900X
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 9 5900X). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

Feature	Ryzen 5 240	Ryzen 9 5900X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Workstation

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Ryzen 5 240 was priced at $0, while the Ryzen 9 5900X came in at $549. On launch pricing ($0 vs $549), Ryzen 5 240 was $549 cheaper.

Feature	Ryzen 5 240	Ryzen 9 5900X
MSRP	$0-100%	$549
Performance per Dollar	—	71.0
Release Date	2025	2020

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