The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 5800X are both desktop processors from AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series, based on the “Zen 3” architecture. These CPUs were released in late 2020. Here we have compared both CPUs in depth with benchmarks and gaming performance to determine which gives you a better value for money.
Main Differences
- Ryzen 5 5600X has a 4.6 GHz clock speed, while Ryzen 7 5800X has a 4.7 GHz Clock speed.
- Ryzen 7 5800X has 8 Cores and 16 Threads, while Ryzen 5 5600X has 6 Cores and 12 Threads.
Specs Comparison
Before we take a look at benchmarks, let’s compare some specifications for both CPUs.
| Ryzen 7 5800X | Ryzen 5 5600X | |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 6 |
| Threads | 16 | 12 |
| Base Clock Speed | 3.8 GHz | 3.7 GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 4.7 GHz | 4.6 GHz |
| Architecture | Zen 3 (Vermeer) | Zen 3 (Vermeer) |
| Socket | AM4 | AM4 |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB | 384 KB |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB | 3 MB |
| L3 Cache | 32 MB | 32 MB |
| Multiplier | 38x | 37x |
| Fabrication Process | 7nm | 7nm |
| Transistors | 4.15 billions | 4.15 billions |
| TDP | 105 W | 65 W |
| Max Temperature | 90°C | 95°C |
| Integrated Graphics | – | – |
| GPU Clock Seed | – | – |
| Memory | DDR4-3200 | DDR4-3200 |
| Memory Size | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Memory Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | Yes | Yes |
| PCI Express Version | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Release date | 08 October 2020 | 08 October 2020 |
Benchmarks
Now that we have compared basic specs, let’s compare some popular benchmark standards between these two CPUs to find out which one comes out on top in performance.
Passmark Single Core (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 3,446(+2%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 3,363
PassMark Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 27,762(27%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 21,861
Geekbench 6 Single Core (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 2,194(+4%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 2,113
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 10,206(+17%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 8,683
Cinebench 2024 Single Core (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 95(+1%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 94
Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 886(+38%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 639
Gaming benchmark tests
While benchmarks like Passmark and Geekbench give a general idea about the performance, they still don’t show the full picture. Here is the comparison between both CPUs in popular games to show you the real-life usage performance of these CPUs.
| Game | Ryzen 7 5800X(FPS) | Ryzen 5 5600X(FPS) |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege(Ultra 1080p) | 508 | 506 |
| Death Stranding (Very High 1080p) | 214 | 198 |
| Horizon Zero Dawn (Ultimate 1080p) | 164 | 161 |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider(Ultimate 1080p) | 165 | 159 |
| Borderlands 3 (Ultra 1080p) | 161 | 160 |
| Watch Dogs Legion (Ultra 1080p) | 115 | 114 |
| Hitman 2 (Ultra 1080p) | 151 | 150 |
| Far Cry New Dawn (Ultra 1080p) | 132 | 130 |
Productivity benchmark tests
Not everyone plans to use their PC for gaming purposes, but some people also use them for 3D design and video editing. So, we are also sharing some productivity benchmarks with you.
Blender (Lower is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 837(+25%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 1122
Vray (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 17,507(+35%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 12,994
Adobe Photoshop (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 1155(+7%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 1076
Adobe Premiere Pro (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 872(+17%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 746
Adobe After Effects (Higher is Better)
- Ryzen 7 5800X – 1247(+7%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 1164
Price
At the time of making this comparison, the Ryzen 5 5600X is available at $207, while the Ryzen 7 5800X is priced at $160. So, the Ryzen 5 5600X is around 176% more expensive compared to the Ryzen 7 5800X.
Conclusion – Which one should you buy?
Between the Ryzen 5 5600X and the Ryzen 7 5800X, the overall winner, when considering all benchmark data and current pricing, is clearly the Ryzen 7 5800X.
In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 7 5800X consistently outperforms the 5600X, especially in multi-core tests.
The 5800X shows a roughly 25% to 40% improvement in multi-threaded performance, while single-core scores are nearly identical between the two.
For users who engage in multitasking or use applications that scale well with more cores, like 3D rendering, compiling, and video editing, the 5800X is significantly faster.
In real-world content creation tests, the Ryzen 7 5800X also takes the lead. In Blender, V-Ray, and Adobe applications like Premiere Pro and After Effects, the 5800X delivers faster render times and smoother workflow performance.
These gains are often in the 10-30% range, which can make a meaningful difference for creators and professionals.
When it comes to gaming performance at 1080p ultra settings, both CPUs are nearly identical.
Across a wide range of titles, the frame rate difference is marginal, usually within 1-3 FPS, and often not noticeable during gameplay. This means that for strictly gaming purposes, either CPU performs similarly.
However, the major turning point is the current pricing. The Ryzen 7 5800X is available at $160, while the Ryzen 5 5600X costs $207.
This is highly unusual, considering that the 5800X is the higher-tier chip with more cores (8 vs 6), better performance, and a broader scope of capability.
Getting more performance for $47 less makes the 5800X a no-brainer in this comparison.
In conclusion, the Ryzen 7 5800X is not only faster in productivity tasks and equal in gaming performance, but it’s also more affordable right now.
Unless you have a specific need for the slightly lower power consumption of the 5600X, the 5800X is the superior choice in virtually every aspect.
