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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +30.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $201 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 144.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 36.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅200% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 9,551).
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 5825C can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 5825C

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Ryzen 5 3600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 36.4 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Ryzen 7 5825C

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +30.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $201 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 144.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 36.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅200% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Ryzen 5 3600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 9,551).
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 5825C can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 36.4 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5825C better than Ryzen 5 3600?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 3600 is ahead with a 30.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5825C pulls ahead with 0.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Ryzen 5 3600 also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5825C is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 5825C is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 7 5825C is 101.0% more expensive on MSRP at $400 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you 0.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 3600 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 30.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 3600 is also 144.1% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 36.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 7 5825C is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Ryzen 5 3600 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 5825C Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 5825C
1080p
low	200 FPS	173 FPS
medium	161 FPS	149 FPS
high	135 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	101 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	148 FPS
medium	119 FPS	125 FPS
high	96 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	82 FPS
medium	58 FPS	74 FPS
high	46 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	46 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 7 5825C

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 5825C
1080p
low	442 FPS	236 FPS
medium	404 FPS	201 FPS
high	332 FPS	176 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	156 FPS
1440p
low	420 FPS	203 FPS
medium	359 FPS	179 FPS
high	303 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	297 FPS	140 FPS
medium	259 FPS	127 FPS
high	230 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	106 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 7 5825C

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 5825C
1080p
low	442 FPS	364 FPS
medium	442 FPS	364 FPS
high	442 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	364 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	364 FPS
medium	442 FPS	364 FPS
high	442 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	432 FPS	324 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	364 FPS
medium	361 FPS	316 FPS
high	305 FPS	278 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	219 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 7 5825C

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 5825C
1080p
low	442 FPS	364 FPS
medium	442 FPS	364 FPS
high	442 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	364 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	364 FPS
medium	442 FPS	364 FPS
high	442 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	364 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	364 FPS
medium	442 FPS	364 FPS
high	413 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	345 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 7 5825C

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3600 and Ryzen 7 5825C

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

Ryzen 7 5825C

The Ryzen 7 5825C is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 May 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 14,561 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 3600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5825C offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 5825C has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5825C — a 6.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5825C (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5825C uses Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3600 scores 17,685 against the Ryzen 7 5825C's 14,561 — a 19.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 9,500 vs 9,551 (0.5% advantage for the Ryzen 7 5825C). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,295 vs 1,961, a 40.9% lead for the Ryzen 7 5825C that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,898 vs 7,145 (116% advantage for the Ryzen 7 5825C). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5825C.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 5825C
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.5 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+80%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023)
PassMark	17,685+21%	14,561
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500	9,551
Geekbench 6 Single	1,295	1,961+51%
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	7,145+276%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 5825C uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 3600 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 3600) vs 8 (Ryzen 7 5825C) — the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600) and SoC (Ryzen 7 5825C).

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 5825C
Socket	AM4	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	24+200%	8

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support Yes virtualization. The Ryzen 7 5825C includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 8), while the Ryzen 5 3600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 7 5825C
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon Vega 8
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Yes	Yes
Target Use	Gaming/Budget Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 3600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 5825C debuted at $400. On MSRP ($199 vs $400), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $201 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 3600 delivers 88.9 pts/$ vs 36.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5825C — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 83.8% better value option.