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 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 96.1 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen 5 7400.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,550 vs 22,010).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7400 moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 7400

2025

Why buy it

✅+2.1% higher PassMark.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 96.1 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Ryzen 5 7400

2025

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 96.1 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen 5 7400.

Why buy it

✅+2.1% higher PassMark.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,550 vs 22,010).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7400 moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 96.1 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7400 better than Ryzen 5 5600?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 5600 is ahead with a 2.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 7400 pulls ahead with 2.1% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600 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 5 7400 is the better fit. You are getting 2.1% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 7400 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 7400 is 15.1% more expensive on MSRP at $229 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you 2.1% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 5600 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600 is also 12.7% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 96.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 5600 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 5 7400 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 5600 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7400 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 5 7400
1080p
low	161 FPS	146 FPS
medium	130 FPS	121 FPS
high	112 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	132 FPS
medium	113 FPS	108 FPS
high	95 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	72 FPS
medium	69 FPS	63 FPS
high	55 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	40 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen 5 7400

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 5 7400
1080p
low	508 FPS	296 FPS
medium	419 FPS	256 FPS
high	351 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	200 FPS
1440p
low	447 FPS	260 FPS
medium	375 FPS	230 FPS
high	323 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	182 FPS
4K
low	313 FPS	204 FPS
medium	268 FPS	183 FPS
high	243 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	146 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen 5 7400

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 5 7400
1080p
low	539 FPS	550 FPS
medium	526 FPS	550 FPS
high	483 FPS	550 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	550 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	550 FPS
medium	434 FPS	550 FPS
high	396 FPS	531 FPS
ultra	339 FPS	481 FPS
4K
low	371 FPS	419 FPS
medium	298 FPS	349 FPS
high	255 FPS	297 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	239 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen 5 7400

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 5 7400
1080p
low	539 FPS	550 FPS
medium	539 FPS	550 FPS
high	539 FPS	550 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	550 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	550 FPS
medium	539 FPS	550 FPS
high	539 FPS	550 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	533 FPS
4K
low	501 FPS	550 FPS
medium	448 FPS	510 FPS
high	398 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	379 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen 5 7400

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600 and Ryzen 5 7400

Ryzen 5 5600

The Ryzen 5 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 21,550 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 7400

The Ryzen 5 7400 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 September 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Raphael (2023−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 22,010 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5600 and Ryzen 5 7400 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7400 — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7400 uses Raphael (2023−2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Ryzen 5 7400's 22,010 — a 2.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 7400. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7400.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 5 7400
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+2%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+6%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Vermeer (2020−2025)	Raphael (2023−2025)
PassMark	21,550	22,010+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	11,077	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,052	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,600	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 7400 uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 5 7400
Socket	AM4	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	24	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600) / not specified (Ryzen 5 7400). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 5 7400
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 7400 debuted at $229. On MSRP ($199 vs $229), the Ryzen 5 5600 is $30 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600 delivers 108.3 pts/$ vs 96.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 7400 — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 11.9% better value option.