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Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 9 5900HX

CPUCPUGPUGPU
AMD

Ryzen 5 5600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022
Ryzen family
·······
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VS
AMD

Ryzen 9 5900HX

8 Cores16 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2021
Ryzen family
·······
Buy on Amazon

Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 9 5900HX Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 5 5600
6 / 12
21,550
0.0%
brand logoRyzen 3 8440U
brand logoRyzen 5 4600HS
brand logoRyzen 7 PRO 5875U
brand logoRyzen 7 7445HS
brand logoRyzen 9 5900X
brand logoRyzen 9 9955HX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 9960X
Ryzen 9 5900HX
8 / 16
22,198
+3.0%
brand logoRyzen 5 7235HS
brand logoRyzen 7 PRO 4750U
brand logoRyzen 5 6600U
brand logoRyzen 5 PRO 5655G
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX
brand logoRyzen 9 9900X3D
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 9960X

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 9 5900HX 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low161 FPS
medium130 FPS
high112 FPS
ultra93 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low189 FPS
medium156 FPS
high127 FPS
ultra100 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low508 FPS
medium419 FPS
high351 FPS
ultra310 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low555 FPS
medium466 FPS
high394 FPS
ultra343 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low539 FPS
medium526 FPS
high483 FPS
ultra414 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low555 FPS
medium555 FPS
high555 FPS
ultra555 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low539 FPS
medium539 FPS
high539 FPS
ultra539 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low555 FPS
medium555 FPS
high555 FPS
ultra555 FPS
Among Us

Among Us

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
Apex Legends

Apex Legends

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low300 FPS
medium279 FPS
high255 FPS
ultra230 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low300 FPS
medium300 FPS
high300 FPS
ultra300 FPS
ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low267 FPS
medium205 FPS
high173 FPS
ultra150 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low301 FPS
medium225 FPS
high197 FPS
ultra178 FPS
Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low163 FPS
medium143 FPS
high118 FPS
ultra98 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low317 FPS
medium270 FPS
high207 FPS
ultra164 FPS
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low351 FPS
medium299 FPS
high259 FPS
ultra220 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low307 FPS
medium260 FPS
high218 FPS
ultra191 FPS
Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone

1080P
Ryzen 5 5600
low236 FPS
medium216 FPS
high181 FPS
ultra170 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 9 5900HX
low237 FPS
medium219 FPS
high182 FPS
ultra170 FPS
Check FPS with Custom Builds

Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 9 5900HX: 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

  • ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
  • ✅Costs $67 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $266 MSRP).
  • ✅Delivers 29.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 83.5 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $266 MSRP).
  • ✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (11,077 vs 13,955).
  • ❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
  • ❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 5900HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 5900HX

2021

Why buy it

  • ✅Better for gaming: +12.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
  • ✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon RX Vega 8, while Ryzen 5 5600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
  • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 83.5 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($266 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900HX better than Ryzen 5 5600?
Yes. Ryzen 9 5900HX is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 12.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 26% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 3.0% higher PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900HX is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 12.9% 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 9 5900HX is the stronger fit. You are getting 26% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 9 5900HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 9 5900HX comes in 33.7% more expensive on MSRP at $266 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it still gives you a 12.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600 is also 29.8% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 83.5 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds 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) and 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen 9 5900HX 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 9 5900HX

The Ryzen 9 5900HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 22,198 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900HX offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900HX has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900HX — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900HX (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900HX uses Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Ryzen 9 5900HX's 22,198 — a 3% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900HX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 11,077 vs 13,955 (23% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900HX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,052 vs 1,845, a 10.6% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,600 vs 7,587 (12.5% advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5900HX.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 9 5900HX
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz
4.6 GHz+5%
Base Clock
3.5 GHz+6%
3.3 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)
Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark
21,550
22,198+3%
Cinebench R23 Multi
11,077
13,955+26%
Geekbench 6 Single
2,052+11%
1,845
Geekbench 6 Multi
8,600+13%
7,587
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900HX 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 — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600) vs 16 (Ryzen 9 5900HX) — the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: B550,X570,B450,X470,A520 (Ryzen 5 5600) and FP6 (Ryzen 9 5900HX).

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 9 5900HX
Socket
AM4
FP6
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-3200
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4-4266
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB+100%
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
Yes
No
PCIe Lanes
24+50%
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The Ryzen 9 5900HX includes integrated graphics (Radeon RX Vega 8), while the Ryzen 5 5600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop, Ryzen 9 5900HX targets Gaming Laptop / Mobile Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900HX rivals Core i9-11980HK.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 9 5900HX
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
—
Radeon RX Vega 8
Unlocked
Yes
Yes
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
AMD-V
Target Use
Desktop
Gaming Laptop / Mobile Workstation
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Ryzen 5 5600 was priced at $199, while the Ryzen 9 5900HX came in at $266. On launch pricing ($199 vs $266), Ryzen 5 5600 was $67 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600 delivers 108.3 pts/$ vs 83.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 5900HX — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 25.9% better value option.

FeatureRyzen 5 5600Ryzen 9 5900HX
MSRP
$199-25%
$266
Performance per Dollar
108.3+30%
83.5
Release Date
2022
2021
Search Ryzen 5 5600 on AmazonSearch Ryzen 9 5900HX on Amazon

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