Ryzen 7 3700X vs Ryzen 9 5980HX

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 7 3700X vs Ryzen 9 5980HX 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 7 3700X vs Ryzen 9 5980HX: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 23,300).
❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 5980HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

2021

Why buy it

✅+3.9% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Ryzen 7 3700X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5980HX better than Ryzen 7 3700X?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 7 3700X is ahead with a 13.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5980HX pulls ahead with 3.9% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 3700X 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 9 5980HX is the stronger fit. You are getting 3.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 9 5980HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 3700X is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 9 5980HX comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it still gives you 3.9% better PassMark. The compromise is that Ryzen 7 3700X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 13.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 3700X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 9 5980HX makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 7 3700X vs Ryzen 9 5980HX Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 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 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

Ryzen 9 5980HX

The Ryzen 9 5980HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 23,300 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 7 3700X and Ryzen 9 5980HX share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HX — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5980HX (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 22,430 against the Ryzen 9 5980HX's 23,300 — a 3.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 5980HX. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HX.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+9%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+100%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Cezanne-HX (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	22,430	23,300+4%

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 5980HX uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus LPDDR4-4266 on the Ryzen 9 5980HX — the Ryzen 9 5980HX supports 33.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 3700X 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 7 3700X) vs 16 (Ryzen 9 5980HX) — the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700X	Ryzen 9 5980HX
Socket	AM4	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	LPDDR4-4266+33%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	24+50%	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X) / AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5980HX). The Ryzen 9 5980HX includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (8CU)), while the Ryzen 7 3700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5980HX targets Mobile High-End.