Ryzen 7 4980U vs Ryzen 5 3600
Ryzen 7 4980U
Ryzen 5 3600
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 7 4980U
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 3600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Ryzen 7 4980U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) / 7 nm) | ✨ Modern (Matisse (2019−2020) / 7 nm, 12 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Ryzen 7 4980U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 4980U and Ryzen 5 3600
Ryzen 7 4980U
The Ryzen 7 4980U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,469 points. Launch price was $299.
Ryzen 5 3600
The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). 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: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.
Processing Power
The Ryzen 7 4980U packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 7 4980U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4980U versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 4980U (base: 2 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen 7 4980U uses the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 4980U scores 17,469 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 1.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4980U vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.
| Feature | Ryzen 7 4980U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16+33% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 4.4 GHz+5% | 4.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 3.6 GHz+80% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 32 MB (total)+300% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 7 nm | 7 nm, 12 nm |
| Architecture | Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) | Matisse (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 17,469 | 17,685+1% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 9,500 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,295 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,898 |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen 7 4980U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Ryzen 7 4980U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP6 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 24 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 7 4980U) / Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.
| Feature | Ryzen 7 4980U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
| Target Use | — | Gaming/Budget Workstation |
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