Ryzen 5 5600X vs Ryzen 5 8640U

CPU

GPU

Ryzen 5 5600X

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2020

Ryzen family

·······

Buy on Amazon

Ryzen 5 8640U

6 Cores12 Thrd28 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2023

Ryzen family

·······

Buy on Amazon

Ryzen 5 5600X vs Ryzen 5 8640U Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 5 5600X

6 / 12

21,845

+7.7%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen 5 8640U

6 / 12

20,274

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen 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 5600X vs Ryzen 5 8640U 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 5600X vs Ryzen 5 8640U: 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 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+7.7% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8640U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 8640U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 8640U moves to FP8 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 8640U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 8640U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 760M, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,274 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 8640U better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 5 8640U is ahead with a 6.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X pulls ahead with 7.7% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X 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 5600X is the stronger fit. You are getting 7.7% 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 8640U is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 5 8640U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Ryzen 5 5600X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 7.7% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 8640U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of AM4. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Ryzen 5 5600X vs Ryzen 5 8640U Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 8640U

The Ryzen 5 8640U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 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): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 20,274 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 5 8640U share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8640U — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8640U (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 5 8640U uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Ryzen 5 8640U's 20,274 — a 7.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8640U.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 8640U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+6%	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+51100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)
PassMark	21,845+8%	20,274
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	10,675
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,519
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	10,308

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 8640U uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus LPDDR5x-7500 on the Ryzen 5 8640U — the Ryzen 5 8640U supports 134.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 5 8640U supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 20 (Ryzen 5 8640U) — the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X) and SoC (Ryzen 5 8640U).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Ryzen 5 8640U
Socket	AM4	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	LPDDR5x-7500+134%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 5 8640U supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 5 8640U). The Ryzen 5 8640U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 760M), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop, Ryzen 5 8640U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 8640U rivals Core i5-1335U.