Ryzen 5 5600 vs Ryzen Z1

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

✅+17.1% 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 Z1.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen Z1 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen Z1 moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen Z1

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,406 vs 21,550).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Ryzen Z1

2023

Why buy it

✅+17.1% 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 Z1.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen Z1 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen Z1 moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,406 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 Z1 better than Ryzen 5 5600?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Z1 is ahead with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 30 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600 pulls ahead with 17.1% 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 better fit. You are getting 17.1% 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 Z1 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Z1 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 30 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 5600 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 17.1% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Z1 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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.

Ryzen 5 5600 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Z1 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	161 FPS	262 FPS
medium	130 FPS	234 FPS
high	112 FPS	195 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	167 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	231 FPS
medium	113 FPS	187 FPS
high	95 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	162 FPS
medium	69 FPS	133 FPS
high	55 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	89 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen Z1

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	508 FPS	433 FPS
medium	419 FPS	339 FPS
high	351 FPS	291 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	250 FPS
1440p
low	447 FPS	360 FPS
medium	375 FPS	295 FPS
high	323 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	219 FPS
4K
low	313 FPS	271 FPS
medium	268 FPS	227 FPS
high	243 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	171 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen Z1

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	539 FPS	460 FPS
medium	526 FPS	460 FPS
high	483 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	460 FPS
medium	434 FPS	460 FPS
high	396 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	339 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	371 FPS	460 FPS
medium	298 FPS	437 FPS
high	255 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	306 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen Z1

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	539 FPS	460 FPS
medium	539 FPS	460 FPS
high	539 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	460 FPS
medium	539 FPS	460 FPS
high	539 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	501 FPS	460 FPS
medium	448 FPS	460 FPS
high	398 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	370 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Ryzen Z1

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600 and Ryzen Z1

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 Z1

The Ryzen Z1 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Maio 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,406 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5600 and Ryzen Z1 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen Z1 — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z1 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen Z1 uses Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Ryzen Z1's 18,406 — a 15.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen Z1.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Ryzen Z1
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
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 (Zen4) (2023)
PassMark	21,550+17%	18,406
Cinebench R23 Multi	11,077	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,052	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,600	—