Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U

AMD

Ryzen 5 5600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022
Ryzen family
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VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 4700U

8 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2020

Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U Performance Spectrum

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.

Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +32.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +300% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB).
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen 7 4700U.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 4700U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen 7 4700U

2020

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (13,174 vs 21,550).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 32 MB).
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600 better than Ryzen 7 4700U?
Yes. Ryzen 5 5600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 32.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 63.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 5600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 32.6% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 63.6% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 5 5600 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 5600 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $199 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 32.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Ryzen 5 5600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), 300% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 7 4700U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

AMD

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.

AMD

Ryzen 7 4700U

The Ryzen 7 4700U 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 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 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: 13,174 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 4700U offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Ryzen 7 4700U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4700U — a 7.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 4700U uses Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Ryzen 7 4700U's 13,174 — a 48.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4700U.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 4700U
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 8+33%
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz+7%
4.1 GHz
Base Clock
3.5 GHz+75%
2 GHz
L3 Cache
32 MB (total)+300%
8 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
512 kB (per core)
Process
7 nm
7 nm
Architecture
Vermeer (2020−2025)
Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)
PassMark
21,550+64%
13,174
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 7 4700U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 4700U
Socket
AM4
FP6
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
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 7 4700U). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 4700U
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Desktop