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: +99.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Costs $81 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $280 MSRP).
✅Delivers 193.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 30.3 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $280 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Ryzen Embedded R2544

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,486 vs 17,685).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 30.3 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($280 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Ryzen Embedded R2544

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +99.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Costs $81 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $280 MSRP).
✅Delivers 193.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 30.3 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $280 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,486 vs 17,685).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 30.3 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($280 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3600 better than Ryzen Embedded R2544?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 99.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 108.4% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 99.5% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better fit. You are getting 108.4% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 3600 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 3600 is $81 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $280 MSRP, and it gives you a 99.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 193.2% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 30.3 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen Embedded R2544 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 Embedded R2544 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Embedded R2544
1080p
low	200 FPS	162 FPS
medium	161 FPS	140 FPS
high	135 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	138 FPS
medium	119 FPS	117 FPS
high	96 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	63 FPS
medium	58 FPS	56 FPS
high	46 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	35 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Embedded R2544

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Embedded R2544
1080p
low	442 FPS	208 FPS
medium	404 FPS	180 FPS
high	332 FPS	165 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	130 FPS
1440p
low	420 FPS	179 FPS
medium	359 FPS	155 FPS
high	303 FPS	141 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	116 FPS
4K
low	297 FPS	133 FPS
medium	259 FPS	118 FPS
high	230 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	68 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Embedded R2544

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Embedded R2544
1080p
low	442 FPS	212 FPS
medium	442 FPS	212 FPS
high	442 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	212 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	212 FPS
medium	442 FPS	212 FPS
high	442 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	432 FPS	212 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	212 FPS
medium	361 FPS	212 FPS
high	305 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	204 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Embedded R2544

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Embedded R2544
1080p
low	442 FPS	212 FPS
medium	442 FPS	212 FPS
high	442 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	212 FPS
1440p
low	442 FPS	212 FPS
medium	442 FPS	212 FPS
high	442 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	442 FPS	212 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	212 FPS
medium	442 FPS	212 FPS
high	413 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	212 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 3600 Open Ryzen Embedded R2544

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 3600 and Ryzen Embedded R2544

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 Embedded R2544

The Ryzen Embedded R2544 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 30 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.35 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 8,486 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 3600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Embedded R2544 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Ryzen 5 3600 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen Embedded R2544 — a 12.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.35 GHz). The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen Embedded R2544 uses Picasso (2019−2022) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 3600 scores 17,685 against the Ryzen Embedded R2544's 8,486 — a 70.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600 vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen Embedded R2544.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Embedded R2544
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+14%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+7%	3.35 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+700%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-42%	12 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Picasso (2019−2022)
PassMark	17,685+108%	8,486
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,295	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 3600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Embedded R2544 uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Embedded R2544
Socket	AM4	FP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	24	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Ryzen 5 3600) / not specified (Ryzen Embedded R2544). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	Ryzen 5 3600	Ryzen Embedded R2544
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	Yes	—
Target Use	Gaming/Budget Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 3600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Ryzen Embedded R2544 debuted at $280. On MSRP ($199 vs $280), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $81 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 3600 delivers 88.9 pts/$ vs 30.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen Embedded R2544 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 98.3% better value option.