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 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $549 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 8945HS moves to FP8 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 8945HS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 8945HS.

Ryzen 9 8945HS

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 105W, a 60W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Ryzen 9 5900X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Ryzen 9 5900X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,200 vs 21,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Ryzen 9 8945HS

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 105W, a 60W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Ryzen 9 5900X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Ryzen 9 5900X.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $549 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 105W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 8945HS moves to FP8 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 8945HS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 8945HS.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,200 vs 21,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 64 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Ryzen 9 8945HS?

Yes. Ryzen 9 5900X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 7.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 22.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 31.7% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 7.5% 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 5900X is the better fit. You are getting 22.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 300% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 5900X is at an unclear MSRP at $549 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 7.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 9 8945HS is the more future-proof choice 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 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.

Ryzen 9 5900X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 8945HS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen 9 8945HS
1080p
low	323 FPS	265 FPS
medium	291 FPS	240 FPS
high	243 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	307 FPS	234 FPS
medium	248 FPS	192 FPS
high	192 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	157 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	162 FPS
medium	156 FPS	135 FPS
high	115 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	91 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen 9 8945HS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen 9 8945HS
1080p
low	772 FPS	488 FPS
medium	647 FPS	401 FPS
high	508 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	450 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	619 FPS	427 FPS
medium	536 FPS	369 FPS
high	443 FPS	316 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	269 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	281 FPS
medium	318 FPS	255 FPS
high	289 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	205 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen 9 8945HS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen 9 8945HS
1080p
low	832 FPS	740 FPS
medium	645 FPS	740 FPS
high	558 FPS	729 FPS
ultra	459 FPS	623 FPS
1440p
low	721 FPS	740 FPS
medium	565 FPS	644 FPS
high	488 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	467 FPS
4K
low	511 FPS	540 FPS
medium	421 FPS	474 FPS
high	374 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	357 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen 9 8945HS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen 9 8945HS
1080p
low	974 FPS	740 FPS
medium	974 FPS	740 FPS
high	934 FPS	740 FPS
ultra	826 FPS	740 FPS
1440p
low	959 FPS	740 FPS
medium	843 FPS	740 FPS
high	726 FPS	657 FPS
ultra	617 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	694 FPS	574 FPS
medium	621 FPS	511 FPS
high	541 FPS	455 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	393 FPS

Open Ryzen 9 5900X Open Ryzen 9 8945HS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen 9 8945HS

Ryzen 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

Ryzen 9 8945HS

The Ryzen 9 8945HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (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): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 29,584 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 9 5900X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 9 8945HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 8945HS — a 8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 8945HS (base: 3.7 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Ryzen 9 8945HS uses Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 38,955 against the Ryzen 9 8945HS's 29,584 — a 27.3% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 21,000 vs 17,200 (19.9% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,174 vs 2,686, a 21.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 8945HS that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 11,888 vs 13,283 (11.1% advantage for the Ryzen 9 8945HS). L3 cache: 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 8945HS.

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen 9 8945HS
Cores / Threads	12 / 24+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	5.2 GHz+8%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	4 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	64 MB+300%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)	Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	38,955+32%	29,584
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,000+22%	17,200
Geekbench 6 Single	2,174	2,686+24%
Geekbench 6 Multi	11,888	13,283+12%

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 9 5900X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 9 8945HS uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 9 5900X versus LPDDR5x-7500, DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 8945HS — the Ryzen 9 8945HS supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 8945HS 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 9 5900X) vs 20 (Ryzen 9 8945HS) — the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X) and FP7,FP8 (Ryzen 9 8945HS).

Feature	Ryzen 9 5900X	Ryzen 9 8945HS
Socket	AM4	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	LPDDR5x-7500, DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 8945HS supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The Ryzen 9 8945HS includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Ryzen 9 5900X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation, Ryzen 9 8945HS targets Premium Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K; Ryzen 9 8945HS rivals Core Ultra 9 185H.