Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 7 5825U

AMD

Ryzen 5 5600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 5825U

8 Cores16 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2022

Popular choices:

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.

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: +8.7% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen 7 5825U.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 5825U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen 7 5825U

2022

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (18,050 vs 21,550).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600 better than Ryzen 7 5825U?
Yes. Ryzen 5 5600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data and 19.4% better 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 8.7% more average FPS across 2 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 19.4% better PassMark, 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 at an unclear MSRP at $199 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 8.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 5825U 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 5825U
1080p
low161 FPS173 FPS
medium130 FPS149 FPS
high112 FPS120 FPS
ultra93 FPS101 FPS
1440p
low141 FPS148 FPS
medium113 FPS125 FPS
high95 FPS101 FPS
ultra78 FPS84 FPS
4K
low79 FPS82 FPS
medium69 FPS74 FPS
high55 FPS59 FPS
ultra44 FPS46 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 5825U
1080p
low508 FPS236 FPS
medium419 FPS201 FPS
high351 FPS176 FPS
ultra310 FPS156 FPS
1440p
low447 FPS203 FPS
medium375 FPS179 FPS
high323 FPS161 FPS
ultra277 FPS138 FPS
4K
low313 FPS140 FPS
medium268 FPS127 FPS
high243 FPS121 FPS
ultra209 FPS106 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 5825U
1080p
low539 FPS451 FPS
medium526 FPS451 FPS
high483 FPS451 FPS
ultra414 FPS426 FPS
1440p
low539 FPS451 FPS
medium434 FPS437 FPS
high396 FPS392 FPS
ultra339 FPS324 FPS
4K
low371 FPS375 FPS
medium298 FPS316 FPS
high255 FPS278 FPS
ultra197 FPS219 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 5825U
1080p
low539 FPS451 FPS
medium539 FPS451 FPS
high539 FPS451 FPS
ultra539 FPS451 FPS
1440p
low539 FPS451 FPS
medium539 FPS451 FPS
high539 FPS451 FPS
ultra493 FPS451 FPS
4K
low501 FPS451 FPS
medium448 FPS451 FPS
high398 FPS402 FPS
ultra349 FPS345 FPS

Technical Specifications

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

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 5825U

The Ryzen 7 5825U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Barcelo-U (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. Passmark benchmark score: 18,050 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5825U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 5825U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5825U — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5825U (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5825U uses Barcelo-U (Zen 3) (2022−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Ryzen 7 5825U's 18,050 — a 17.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5825U.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 5825U
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-U (Zen 3) (2022−2023)
PassMark
21,550+19%
18,050
Cinebench R23 Multi
11,077
Geekbench 6 Single
2,052
Geekbench 6 Multi
8,600
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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 5825U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 5825U
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 5825U). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 5825U
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Desktop