Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 7 7840H

AMD

Ryzen 5 5600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 7840H

8 Cores16 Thrd35 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2023

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

  • +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 7840H.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7840H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (21,550 vs 27,832).
  • Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 7840H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
  • Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 7840H moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen 7 7840H

2023

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +35.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
  • Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

  • Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 7840H better than Ryzen 5 5600?
Yes. Ryzen 7 7840H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 35.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 29.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 7840H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 35.7% 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 7 7840H is the better fit. You are getting 29.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 7 7840H is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 7 7840H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 35.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Ryzen 7 7840H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 7840H
1080p
low161 FPS268 FPS
medium130 FPS241 FPS
high112 FPS206 FPS
ultra93 FPS176 FPS
1440p
low141 FPS234 FPS
medium113 FPS191 FPS
high95 FPS158 FPS
ultra78 FPS138 FPS
4K
low79 FPS160 FPS
medium69 FPS132 FPS
high55 FPS102 FPS
ultra44 FPS89 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 7840H
1080p
low508 FPS499 FPS
medium419 FPS415 FPS
high351 FPS358 FPS
ultra310 FPS318 FPS
1440p
low447 FPS437 FPS
medium375 FPS383 FPS
high323 FPS331 FPS
ultra277 FPS280 FPS
4K
low313 FPS290 FPS
medium268 FPS265 FPS
high243 FPS250 FPS
ultra209 FPS215 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 7840H
1080p
low539 FPS696 FPS
medium526 FPS696 FPS
high483 FPS696 FPS
ultra414 FPS650 FPS
1440p
low539 FPS696 FPS
medium434 FPS637 FPS
high396 FPS548 FPS
ultra339 FPS464 FPS
4K
low371 FPS534 FPS
medium298 FPS460 FPS
high255 FPS409 FPS
ultra197 FPS344 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 7840H
1080p
low539 FPS696 FPS
medium539 FPS696 FPS
high539 FPS696 FPS
ultra539 FPS696 FPS
1440p
low539 FPS696 FPS
medium539 FPS696 FPS
high539 FPS696 FPS
ultra493 FPS631 FPS
4K
low501 FPS619 FPS
medium448 FPS553 FPS
high398 FPS496 FPS
ultra349 FPS434 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600 and Ryzen 7 7840H

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 7840H

The Ryzen 7 7840H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600. Passmark benchmark score: 27,832 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7840H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 7840H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7840H — a 14.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7840H (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7840H uses Phoenix (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Ryzen 7 7840H's 27,832 — a 25.4% lead for the Ryzen 7 7840H. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7840H.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 7840H
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz
5.1 GHz+16%
Base Clock
3.5 GHz
3.8 GHz+9%
L3 Cache
32 MB (total)+100%
16 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
1 MB (per core)+100%
Process
7 nm
4 nm-43%
Architecture
Vermeer (2020−2025)
Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark
21,550
27,832+29%
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 7840H uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 7840H
Socket
AM4
FP8
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 7 7840H). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 7 7840H
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Desktop