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

✅+12.7% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $163 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $362 MSRP).
✅Delivers 129.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 47.2 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $362 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (8,600 vs 9,986).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E-2378, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon E-2378

2021

Why buy it

✅+16.1% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,821 vs 2,052).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.2 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($362 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Xeon E-2378

2021

Why buy it

✅+12.7% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $163 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $362 MSRP).
✅Delivers 129.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 47.2 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $362 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+16.1% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (8,600 vs 9,986).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E-2378, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,821 vs 2,052).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.2 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($362 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600 better than Xeon E-2378?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E-2378 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 streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E-2378 is the better fit. You are getting 16.1% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 5600 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600 is $163 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $362 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon E-2378 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 16.1% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 129.7% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 47.2 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 5600 is the more future-proof choice 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 pick.

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

Xeon E-2378 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon E-2378
1080p
low	161 FPS	287 FPS
medium	130 FPS	257 FPS
high	112 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	187 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	235 FPS
medium	113 FPS	189 FPS
high	95 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	164 FPS
medium	69 FPS	134 FPS
high	55 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	91 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Xeon E-2378

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon E-2378
1080p
low	508 FPS	427 FPS
medium	419 FPS	427 FPS
high	351 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	362 FPS
1440p
low	447 FPS	427 FPS
medium	375 FPS	412 FPS
high	323 FPS	359 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	309 FPS
4K
low	313 FPS	351 FPS
medium	268 FPS	294 FPS
high	243 FPS	272 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	235 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Xeon E-2378

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon E-2378
1080p
low	539 FPS	427 FPS
medium	526 FPS	427 FPS
high	483 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	414 FPS	427 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	427 FPS
medium	434 FPS	427 FPS
high	396 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	339 FPS	427 FPS
4K
low	371 FPS	427 FPS
medium	298 FPS	427 FPS
high	255 FPS	399 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	332 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Xeon E-2378

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon E-2378
1080p
low	539 FPS	427 FPS
medium	539 FPS	427 FPS
high	539 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	539 FPS	427 FPS
1440p
low	539 FPS	427 FPS
medium	539 FPS	427 FPS
high	539 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	427 FPS
4K
low	501 FPS	427 FPS
medium	448 FPS	427 FPS
high	398 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	427 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5600 Open Xeon E-2378

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600 and Xeon E-2378

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.

Xeon E-2378

The Xeon E-2378 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Rocket Lake-E (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 17,069 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 5600 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E-2378 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E-2378 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon E-2378 — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2378 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E-2378 uses Rocket Lake-E (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600 scores 21,550 against the Xeon E-2378's 17,069 — a 23.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,052 vs 1,821, a 11.9% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,600 vs 9,986 (14.9% advantage for the Xeon E-2378). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600 vs 16 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2378.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon E-2378
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+35%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB (total)+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (2020−2025)	Rocket Lake-E (2021)
PassMark	21,550+26%	17,069
Cinebench R23 Multi	11,077	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,052+13%	1,821
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,600	9,986+16%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E-2378 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600) vs 20 (Xeon E-2378) — the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: B550,X570,B450,X470,A520 (Ryzen 5 5600) and C252,C256 (Xeon E-2378).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon E-2378
Socket	AM4	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Xeon E-2378 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600) vs Yes (Xeon E-2378). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600	Xeon E-2378
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V	Yes
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600 launched at $199 MSRP, while the Xeon E-2378 debuted at $362. On MSRP ($199 vs $362), the Ryzen 5 5600 is $163 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600 delivers 108.3 pts/$ vs 47.2 pts/$ for the Xeon E-2378 — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 78.7% better value option.