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

✅Better for gaming: +37.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $201 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 197.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 36.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅200% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 5825C can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 5825C

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Ryzen 5 5600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,551 vs 11,077).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 36.4 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Ryzen 7 5825C

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $201 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 197.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 36.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅200% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Ryzen 5 5600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 5825C can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,551 vs 11,077).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 36.4 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600 better than Ryzen 7 5825C?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 37.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 16% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 48.0% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 5600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 37.7% 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 5600 is the better fit. You are getting 16% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5600 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600 is $201 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $400 MSRP, and it gives you a 37.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 197.5% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 36.4 PassMark/$), 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 7 5825C is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 7 5825C Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 7 5825C
1080p
low	161 FPS	173 FPS
medium	130 FPS	149 FPS
high	112 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	101 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	148 FPS
medium	113 FPS	125 FPS
high	95 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	82 FPS
medium	69 FPS	74 FPS
high	55 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	46 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen 7 5825C

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 7 5825C
1080p
low	508 FPS	236 FPS
medium	419 FPS	201 FPS
high	351 FPS	176 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	156 FPS
1440p
low	447 FPS	203 FPS
medium	375 FPS	179 FPS
high	323 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	313 FPS	140 FPS
medium	268 FPS	127 FPS
high	243 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	106 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen 7 5825C

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 7 5825C
1080p
low	539 FPS	364 FPS
medium	526 FPS	364 FPS
high	483 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	364 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	364 FPS
medium	434 FPS	364 FPS
high	396 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	339 FPS	324 FPS
4K
low	371 FPS	364 FPS
medium	298 FPS	316 FPS
high	255 FPS	278 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	219 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen 7 5825C

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 7 5825C
1080p
low	539 FPS	364 FPS
medium	539 FPS	364 FPS
high	539 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	364 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	364 FPS
medium	539 FPS	364 FPS
high	539 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	364 FPS
4K
low	501 FPS	364 FPS
medium	448 FPS	364 FPS
high	398 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	345 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen 7 5825C

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600 and Ryzen 7 5825C

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 7 5825C

The Ryzen 7 5825C is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 May 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 14,561 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5825C offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 5825C has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5825C — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5825C (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5825C uses Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Ryzen 7 5825C's 14,561 — a 38.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 11,077 vs 9,551 (14.8% advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,052 vs 1,961, a 4.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,600 vs 7,145 (18.5% advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5825C.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 7 5825C
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+75%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (2020−2025)	Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023)
PassMark	21,550+48%	14,561
Cinebench R23 Multi	11,077+16%	9,551
Geekbench 6 Single	2,052+5%	1,961
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,600+20%	7,145

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 5825C uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 5600 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600) vs 8 (Ryzen 7 5825C) — the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: B550,X570,B450,X470,A520 (Ryzen 5 5600) and SoC (Ryzen 7 5825C).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 7 5825C
Socket	AM4	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	24+200%	8

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600) vs Yes (Ryzen 7 5825C). The Ryzen 7 5825C includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 8), while the Ryzen 5 5600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 7 5825C
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon Vega 8
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	Yes
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 5825C debuted at $400. On MSRP ($199 vs $400), the Ryzen 5 5600 is $201 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600 delivers 108.3 pts/$ vs 36.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5825C — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 99.4% better value option.