Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 9 5900HS

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 9 5900HS 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 9 5900HS: 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

✅+1.6% higher PassMark.
✅+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 9 5900HS.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5900HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Ryzen 9 5900HS

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,214 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 9 5900HS?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 9 5900HS is ahead with a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600 pulls ahead with 1.6% 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 5600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.6% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has 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 better buy right now. Ryzen 5 5600 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $199 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1.6% better PassMark. The compromise is that Ryzen 9 5900HS is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2021), 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 9 5900HS Technical Specifications

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

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 9 5900HS

The Ryzen 9 5900HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,214 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900HS has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900HS — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900HS (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900HS uses Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Ryzen 9 5900HS's 21,214 — a 1.6% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5900HS.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen 9 5900HS
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.6 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+17%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (2020−2025)	Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	21,550+2%	21,214
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 9 5900HS uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.