AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS vs AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS and AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS are both 6-core, 12-thread mobile processors on the same 35 W TDP, but they represent different generations of AMD’s architecture. The 5600HS takes 4 of 6 head-to-head benchmark wins, yet the 4600HS posts surprising victories in Cinebench R23. The data shows a split personality: the 5600HS is the consistent all-rounder for Geekbench and older Cinebench workloads, while the 4600HS dominates the newer Cinebench R23 tests despite its lower boost clock. Both chips sit at the 54th percentile of all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are virtually identical—3447 for the 5600HS versus 3444 for the 4600HS, a delta of just 0.1% from the nearest rival. This makes the choice less about raw capability and more about which specific workload you prioritize.

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS is the pick for users whose daily drivers rely on Geekbench-style multi-threaded and single-threaded performance, as it leads the 4600HS by 24.5% in Geekbench multi-core and 21.3% in Geekbench single-core. It also wins decisively in Cinebench R15, with a 27.5% multi-core advantage and a 28.9% single-core advantage. The 5600HS benefits from Zen 3 architecture, which shows in its 4.20 GHz boost clock versus 4.00 GHz for the 4600HS.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS, however, is the unexpected winner in Cinebench R23, where it beats the 5600HS by 21.4% in multi-core and 20.4% in single-core. This is a dramatic reversal given that the 4600HS is the older Zen 2 part with a lower boost clock. If your software suite is heavily weighted toward Cinebench R23—common in some 3D rendering pipelines—the 4600HS is the data-backed choice despite its age. Otherwise, the 5600HS’s four benchmark wins make it the safer default for mixed workloads.

Architecture Differences

The 5600HS uses the Zen 3 architecture on the Cezanne codename, while the 4600HS uses Zen 2 on Renoir. Both are built on TSMC’s 7 nm process, but the 5600HS packs 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die, whereas the 4600HS has 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. The 5600HS also doubles the L3 cache, offering 16 MB shared versus 8 MB shared on the 4600HS. Both have 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, but the larger L3 on the 5600HS is a key architectural advantage for cache-sensitive applications.

Integrated graphics differ too: the 5600HS carries Radeon Vega 7, while the 4600HS has Radeon RX Vega 6. This suggests the 5600HS has one additional GPU compute unit, which could matter for light gaming or media acceleration. Both support DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with identical 68.3 GB/s bandwidth, and both use PCIe Gen 3. The 5600HS was released on 2021-01-11, over a year after the 4600HS’s 2020-01-05 launch, but both remain Active in production. Neither has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is off the table for both.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS boosts to 4.20 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS tops out at 4.00 GHz. Both have the same 3.00 GHz base clock.

Q: Is the 5600HS always faster in multi-core tests?

A: No. The 5600HS wins Cinebench R15 multi-core (1563 vs 1226, +27.5%) and Geekbench multi-core (6395 vs 5135, +24.5%), but the 4600HS wins Cinebench R23 multi-core (12171 vs 9564, +21.4% for the 4600HS).

Q: Do both CPUs have the same amount of cache?

A: No. The 5600HS has 16 MB shared L3 cache, while the 4600HS has only 8 MB shared. L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB and 512 KB per core, respectively.

Q: Which CPU has better integrated graphics?

A: The 5600HS features Radeon Vega 7, whereas the 4600HS has Radeon RX Vega 6. The naming suggests the 5600HS has a higher-tier iGPU, though benchmark data for graphics is not provided.

Q: Are these CPUs comparable in overall benchmark averages?

A: Yes, they are nearly identical. The 5600HS has an average benchmark score of 3447, and the 4600HS scores 3444. They sit at the same 54th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Which CPU is newer?

A: The 5600HS was released on 2021-01-11, while the 4600HS came out on 2020-01-05. Both are from the same 5000 and 4000 series respectively, but the 5600HS is the newer part.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS | AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS |

|---|---|---|

| Series | 5000 series | 4000 series |

| Boost Clock | 4.20 GHz | 4.00 GHz |

| Architecture | Zen 3 | Zen 2 |

| Codename | Cezanne | Renoir |

| Transistors | 10,700 million | 9,800 million |

| Die Size | 180 mm² | 156 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Vega 7 | Radeon RX Vega 6 |

| Release Date | 2021-01-11 | 2020-01-05 |

All other key specs are identical: 6 cores, 12 threads, 3.00 GHz base clock, 35 W TDP, AMD Socket FP6, 7 nm process, TSMC foundry, DDR4 memory, dual-channel bus, 68.3 GB/s bandwidth, no ECC support, PCIe Gen 3, and locked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 5600HS is the clear winner in four of the six head-to-head tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 1563 versus 1226 for the 4600HS, a 27.5% lead. The single-core R15 test shows an even bigger gap: 223 versus 173, a 28.9% advantage. Geekbench results follow the same pattern, with the 5600HS taking multi-core 6395 to 5135 (+24.5%) and single-core 1569 to 1293 (+21.3%). These are substantial margins that point to a meaningful generational uplift in most workloads.

The 4600HS fights back hard in Cinebench R23. In multi-core, it scores 12171 versus 9564 for the 5600HS, a 21.4% victory for the older chip. Single-core R23 sees the 4600HS at 1718 versus 1367, a 20.4% win. This is a stark contradiction: the 4600HS loses by roughly 20-29% in R15 and Geekbench, yet wins by similar margins in R23. The data does not explain why, but the pattern is consistent across both R23 tests, suggesting a workload-specific optimization rather than a fluke.

The overall win count favors the 5600HS at 4 wins to 2, but the average benchmark scores tell a different story—3447 vs 3444, a negligible 0.1% difference that places them as near-identical rivals alongside the Intel Core i7-10870H (3446) and Intel Core i7-5960X (3442).

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS wins in general-purpose multi-threaded and single-threaded tasks as measured by Geekbench, where its 24.5% multi-core and 21.3% single-core leads are decisive. It also dominates legacy Cinebench R15 workloads, making it the better choice for older rendering or simulation software that has not been updated to leverage newer benchmark methodologies. The larger 16 MB L3 cache and higher 4.20 GHz boost clock likely contribute to these wins, especially in latency-sensitive or lightly threaded applications.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS wins specifically in Cinebench R23, which is increasingly used as a modern standard for CPU rendering performance. Its 21.4% multi-core and 20.4% single-core victories over the 5600HS are too large to ignore. If your primary application is a current-generation renderer that mirrors R23’s workload, the 4600HS delivers more throughput despite being the older architecture. This is an unusual result, but the benchmark data is unambiguous: the 4600HS is the R23 champion.

For a mixed workload, the 5600HS is the safer recommendation because it wins more tests and matches the 4600HS in overall average score. For a render farm or content-creation rig that relies on R23-style benchmarks, the 4600HS offers a counterintuitive but data-backed performance edge. Neither chip is a clear winner in every scenario, so the choice hinges on which benchmark suite best represents your actual software stack.