Ryzen 5 2600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U

Ryzen 5 2600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 5 2600

6 / 12

13,145

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen 7 4700U

8 / 8

13,174

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

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 5 2600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U 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 2600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U: 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 2600

2018

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 4700U.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,145 vs 13,174).
❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 4700U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen 7 4700U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 2600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 4700U better than Ryzen 5 2600?

Yes. Ryzen 7 4700U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% 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 7 4700U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.7% 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 7 4700U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 4700U is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 2600 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 7 4700U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 2600 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (66.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 7 4700U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 5 2600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 5 2600

The Ryzen 5 2600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Pinnacle Riege (Zen+) (2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,145 points. Launch price was $199.

Ryzen 7 4700U

The Ryzen 7 4700U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,174 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 2600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 4700U offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Ryzen 7 4700U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 2600 versus 4.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4700U — a 5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 4700U (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 2600 uses the Pinnacle Riege (Zen+) (2018) architecture (12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 4700U uses Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 2600 scores 13,145 against the Ryzen 7 4700U's 13,174 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 7 4700U. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 2600 vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4700U.

Feature	Ryzen 5 2600	Ryzen 7 4700U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 8+33%
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4.1 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+70%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)+100%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	3 MB+500%	512 kB (per core)
Process	12 nm	7 nm-42%
Architecture	Pinnacle Riege (Zen+) (2018)	Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)
PassMark	13,145	13,174
Cinebench R23 Multi	6,344	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,163	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	4,893	—

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 2600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 4700U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 2600	Ryzen 7 4700U
Socket	AM4	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Ryzen 5 2600) / not specified (Ryzen 7 4700U). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 2600 targets General Productivity. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 2600 rivals Core i5-9400.