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

✅Costs $2,200 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 290.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 27.8 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 280W, a 215W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (11,077 vs 45,000).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.8 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($2,399 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌330.8% higher power demand at 280W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,200 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 290.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 27.8 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 280W, a 215W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +43.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅433.3% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (11,077 vs 45,000).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.8 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($2,399 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌330.8% higher power demand at 280W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX better than Ryzen 5 5600?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 5 5600 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 43.0% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 32 MB.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is the better fit. You are getting 306.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 32 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is 1105.5% more expensive on MSRP at $2,399 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 43.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600 is also 290.0% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 27.8 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper PRO 5965WX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 32 MB and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 6/12. That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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 Threadripper PRO 5965WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
1080p
low	161 FPS	224 FPS
medium	130 FPS	184 FPS
high	112 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	194 FPS
medium	113 FPS	156 FPS
high	95 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	94 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	94 FPS
medium	69 FPS	81 FPS
high	55 FPS	63 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	51 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
1080p
low	508 FPS	806 FPS
medium	419 FPS	684 FPS
high	351 FPS	535 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	464 FPS
1440p
low	447 FPS	655 FPS
medium	375 FPS	569 FPS
high	323 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	313 FPS	383 FPS
medium	268 FPS	335 FPS
high	243 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	265 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
1080p
low	539 FPS	812 FPS
medium	526 FPS	680 FPS
high	483 FPS	620 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	540 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	622 FPS
medium	434 FPS	521 FPS
high	396 FPS	470 FPS
ultra	339 FPS	405 FPS
4K
low	371 FPS	451 FPS
medium	298 FPS	360 FPS
high	255 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	259 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
1080p
low	539 FPS	1215 FPS
medium	539 FPS	1015 FPS
high	539 FPS	926 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	820 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	951 FPS
medium	539 FPS	828 FPS
high	539 FPS	715 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	611 FPS
4K
low	501 FPS	674 FPS
medium	448 FPS	605 FPS
high	398 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600 and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

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 Threadripper PRO 5965WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-03-08. It is based on the Chagall PRO (2022) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: sWRX8. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 66,614 points. Launch price was $2,399.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX uses Chagall PRO (2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX's 66,614 — a 102.2% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 11,077 vs 45,000 (121% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,052 vs 1,550, a 27.9% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,600 vs 15,500 (57.3% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 128 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	24 / 48+300%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.8 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)	128 MB+300%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (2020−2025)	Chagall PRO (2022)
PassMark	21,550	66,614+209%
Cinebench R23 Multi	11,077	45,000+306%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,052+32%	1,550
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,600	15,500+80%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX uses sWRX8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 5 5600) vs 8 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600) vs 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX offers 104 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: B550,X570,B450,X470,A520 (Ryzen 5 5600) and WRX80 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
Socket	AM4	sWRX8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	128+433%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX targets Professional Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX rivals Xeon Gold 6430.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Professional Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX debuted at $2399. On MSRP ($199 vs $2399), the Ryzen 5 5600 is $2200 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600 delivers 108.3 pts/$ vs 27.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 118.4% better value option.