Ryzen 5 4600U vs Ryzen 5 3500X
Ryzen 5 4600U
Ryzen 5 3500X
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 3500X
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Ryzen 5 4600U | Ryzen 5 3500X |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($171) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) / 7 nm) | ✨ Modern (Matisse (2019−2020) / 7 nm, 12 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Ryzen 5 4600U | Ryzen 5 3500X |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($171) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 4600U and Ryzen 5 3500X
Ryzen 5 4600U
The Ryzen 5 4600U 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 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: 13,043 points. Launch price was $149.
Ryzen 5 3500X
The Ryzen 5 3500X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 24 September 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 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: 13,165 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Ryzen 5 4600U packs 6 cores / 12 threads, matching the Ryzen 5 3500X's 6 cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 4600U versus 4.1 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3500X — a 2.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3500X (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen 5 4600U uses the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3500X uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 4600U scores 13,043 against the Ryzen 5 3500X's 13,165 — a 0.9% lead for the Ryzen 5 3500X. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 4600U vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3500X.
| Feature | Ryzen 5 4600U | Ryzen 5 3500X |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 6 / 6 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz | 4.1 GHz+2% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.6 GHz+71% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 32 MB (total)+300% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 7 nm | 7 nm, 12 nm |
| Architecture | Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) | Matisse (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 13,043 | 13,165 |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen 5 4600U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3500X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Ryzen 5 4600U | Ryzen 5 3500X |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP6 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 24 |
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