Ryzen 7 5700X vs Ryzen 9 7940H

AMD

Ryzen 7 5700X

8 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2022

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 9 7940H

8 Cores16 Thrd35 WWMax: 5.2 GHz2023

Popular choices:

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.

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 7 5700X

2022

Why buy it

  • +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 9 7940H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (14,000 vs 17,200).
  • Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
  • Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 7940H moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen 9 7940H

2023

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +15.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
  • Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Ryzen 7 5700X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7940H better than Ryzen 7 5700X?
Yes. Ryzen 9 7940H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 15.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 22.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 9.6% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 7940H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 15.6% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 7940H is the better fit. You are getting 22.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 9 7940H is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 5700X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 7940H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 15.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 5700X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (89.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Ryzen 9 7940H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetRyzen 7 5700XRyzen 9 7940H
1080p
low156 FPS268 FPS
medium129 FPS241 FPS
high115 FPS206 FPS
ultra94 FPS176 FPS
1440p
low137 FPS234 FPS
medium111 FPS191 FPS
high95 FPS158 FPS
ultra78 FPS138 FPS
4K
low77 FPS160 FPS
medium67 FPS132 FPS
high55 FPS102 FPS
ultra43 FPS89 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetRyzen 7 5700XRyzen 9 7940H
1080p
low649 FPS502 FPS
medium549 FPS417 FPS
high448 FPS360 FPS
ultra404 FPS319 FPS
1440p
low552 FPS439 FPS
medium484 FPS385 FPS
high407 FPS332 FPS
ultra350 FPS282 FPS
4K
low343 FPS291 FPS
medium303 FPS267 FPS
high277 FPS251 FPS
ultra245 FPS216 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetRyzen 7 5700XRyzen 9 7940H
1080p
low665 FPS729 FPS
medium557 FPS729 FPS
high509 FPS729 FPS
ultra439 FPS650 FPS
1440p
low554 FPS729 FPS
medium458 FPS637 FPS
high419 FPS548 FPS
ultra358 FPS464 FPS
4K
low402 FPS534 FPS
medium322 FPS460 FPS
high292 FPS409 FPS
ultra229 FPS344 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetRyzen 7 5700XRyzen 9 7940H
1080p
low665 FPS729 FPS
medium665 FPS729 FPS
high665 FPS729 FPS
ultra665 FPS729 FPS
1440p
low665 FPS729 FPS
medium665 FPS729 FPS
high607 FPS716 FPS
ultra533 FPS631 FPS
4K
low545 FPS619 FPS
medium488 FPS553 FPS
high439 FPS496 FPS
ultra385 FPS434 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 5700X and Ryzen 9 7940H

AMD

Ryzen 7 5700X

The Ryzen 7 5700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: 26,609 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

Ryzen 9 7940H

The Ryzen 9 7940H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600. Passmark benchmark score: 29,151 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 7 5700X and Ryzen 9 7940H share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5700X versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7940H — a 12.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940H (base: 3.4 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Ryzen 7 5700X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7940H uses Phoenix (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 5700X scores 26,609 against the Ryzen 9 7940H's 29,151 — a 9.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 14,000 vs 17,200 (20.5% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,116 vs 2,646, a 22.3% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 9,715 vs 13,495 (32.6% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940H). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5700X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7940H.

FeatureRyzen 7 5700XRyzen 9 7940H
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
8 / 16
Boost Clock
4.6 GHz
5.2 GHz+13%
Base Clock
3.4 GHz
4 GHz+18%
L3 Cache
32 MB (total)+100%
16 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
1 MB (per core)+100%
Process
7 nm
4 nm-43%
Architecture
Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark
26,609
29,151+10%
Cinebench R23 Multi
14,000
17,200+23%
Geekbench 6 Single
2,116
2,646+25%
Geekbench 6 Multi
9,715
13,495+39%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 5700X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 7940H uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 5700X versus DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 7940H — the Ryzen 9 7940H supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 7940H supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 7 5700X) vs 20 (Ryzen 9 7940H) — the Ryzen 7 5700X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 7 5700X) and FP7,FP7r2,FP8 (Ryzen 9 7940H).

FeatureRyzen 7 5700XRyzen 9 7940H
Socket
AM4
FP8
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-3200
DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
256 GB+100%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
24+20%
20
🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 7940H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 7 5700X) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen 9 7940H). The Ryzen 9 7940H includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Ryzen 7 5700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 5700X targets Gaming, Ryzen 9 7940H targets High-performance Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 5700X rivals Core i7-11700K; Ryzen 9 7940H rivals Core i9-13900H.

FeatureRyzen 7 5700XRyzen 9 7940H
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon 780M
Unlocked
Yes
Yes
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
AMD-V
AMD-V, SVM
Target Use
Gaming
High-performance Gaming Laptop