Ryzen 7 3800XT vs Ryzen 7 8840U

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 3800XT vs Ryzen 7 8840U 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 3800XT vs Ryzen 7 8840U: 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 3800XT

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.1% 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.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $399 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 8840U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌275% higher power demand at 105W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 8840U moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen 7 8840U

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 105W, a 77W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (23,415 vs 23,441).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 8840U better than Ryzen 7 3800XT?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 7 8840U is ahead with a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 3800XT pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 3800XT 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 7 3800XT is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 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 7 8840U is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 3800XT is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 7 8840U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $399 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Ryzen 7 3800XT is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.1% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 3800XT is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (58.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 7 8840U 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 7 3800XT vs Ryzen 7 8840U Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 7 3800XT

The Ryzen 7 3800XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 23,441 points. Launch price was $399.

Ryzen 7 8840U

The Ryzen 7 8840U 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 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: 23,415 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 7 3800XT and Ryzen 7 8840U share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3800XT versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 8840U — a 8.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 8840U (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3800XT uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 7 8840U uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3800XT scores 23,441 against the Ryzen 7 8840U's 23,415 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 3800XT. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3800XT vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 8840U.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3800XT	Ryzen 7 8840U
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz	5.1 GHz+9%
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+15%	3.3 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	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)
PassMark	23,441	23,415

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3800XT uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 8840U uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.