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

✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 PRO 5945.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 23,200).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.1% higher average FPS across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

2022

Why buy it

✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 PRO 5945.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.1% higher average FPS across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 23,200).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (32 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 better than Ryzen 5 3600?

Yes. Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 13.1% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data, 144.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 95.4% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 13.1% more average FPS across 40 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is the better fit. You are getting 144.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.1% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 3600 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 9 PRO 5945 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019), 100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 32 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 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 9 PRO 5945 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
1080p
low	200 FPS	164 FPS
medium	161 FPS	136 FPS
high	135 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	149 FPS
medium	119 FPS	119 FPS
high	96 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	83 FPS
medium	58 FPS	72 FPS
high	46 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	46 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
1080p
low	442 FPS	630 FPS
medium	404 FPS	544 FPS
high	332 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	381 FPS
1440p
low	420 FPS	524 FPS
medium	359 FPS	460 FPS
high	303 FPS	385 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	315 FPS
4K
low	297 FPS	307 FPS
medium	259 FPS	271 FPS
high	230 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	221 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
1080p
low	442 FPS	845 FPS
medium	442 FPS	670 FPS
high	442 FPS	586 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	494 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	676 FPS
medium	442 FPS	535 FPS
high	442 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	432 FPS	387 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	480 FPS
medium	361 FPS	398 FPS
high	305 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	293 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
1080p
low	442 FPS	864 FPS
medium	442 FPS	864 FPS
high	442 FPS	836 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	743 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	864 FPS
medium	442 FPS	757 FPS
high	442 FPS	661 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	626 FPS
medium	442 FPS	557 FPS
high	413 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	423 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3600 and Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

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 9 PRO 5945

The Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 34,549 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 3600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 — a 11.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3600 scores 17,685 against the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945's 34,549 — a 64.6% lead for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 9,500 vs 23,200 (83.8% advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,295 vs 2,175, a 50.7% lead for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,898 vs 12,500 (147.3% advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600 vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.7 GHz+12%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+20%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	64 MB+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark	17,685	34,549+95%
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500	23,200+144%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,295	2,175+68%
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	12,500+559%

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 4.0. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 3600) vs 20 (Ryzen 9 PRO 5945) — the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600) and X570,B550,A520,X470,B450 (Ryzen 9 PRO 5945).

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 3600 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: Yes (Ryzen 5 3600) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 9 PRO 5945). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation, Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 targets High-end Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400; Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 rivals Core i9-12900.