AMD Ryzen 5 5500GT vs AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data paints a surprisingly split picture for these two six-core, twelve-thread Ryzen 5 parts. The desktop-oriented 5500GT and the mobile-focused 8640HS trade blows depending on the workload, with the 8640HS taking 10 of the 15 head-to-head comparisons while the 5500GT wins the remaining 5. The most dramatic divergence appears in the Cinebench suite, where the two processors swap victories with large margins.

The 5500GT dominates the Cinebench R23 tests. In multicore, it scores 15,848 against 11,486 for the 8640HS, a 38% advantage. The single-core R23 result is similarly one-sided: 2,237 versus 1,711, putting the 5500GT 30.7% ahead. These are substantial gaps, not marginal wins. However, the older Cinebench R15 tests flip the result entirely. The 8640HS scores 1,845 multicore versus 1,597 for the 5500GT, a 13.4% deficit for the desktop chip, and 268 single-core versus 225, a 16% gap. The database shows an odd generational inversion between R15 and R23 results, which suggests the two processors respond very differently to the workload characteristics of each benchmark version.

PassMark tests also split the field. The 5500GT wins data compression (243,904 versus 226,544, a 7.7% edge), data encryption (14,754 versus 13,551, an 8.9% edge), and extended instructions (17,027 versus 15,855, a 7.4% edge). The 8640HS counters with wins in find prime numbers (70 versus 54, a 22.9% margin), floating point math (39,725 versus 36,694, a 7.6% margin), integer math (68,173 versus 64,218, a 5.8% margin), multithread (19,889 versus 19,000, a 4.5% margin), physics (970 versus 840, a 13.4% margin), random string sorting (27,316 versus 24,583, a 10% margin), and single thread (3,584 versus 3,066, a 14.5% margin). The single-thread PassMark result appears twice in the pack with identical values, confirming the 8640HS has a clear per-core throughput advantage in this suite.

The average benchmark scores tell a nuanced story. The 5500GT posts an average of 26,748 across the database, placing it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. The 8640HS averages 26,106, sitting at the 78th percentile. Their nearest rivals confirm they occupy similar performance territory: the 5500GT sits within 0.4% of the AMD EPYC 9554 and within 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-12700H, while the 8640HS sits within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 5 8540U and within 0.4% of the Intel Core i7-14701TE. Despite the R23 blowout, the overall database averages keep these two within 2.4% of each other.

Architecture Differences

The underlying designs could hardly be more different. The 5500GT uses Zen 3 architecture on the Cezanne codename, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It packs 10,700 million transistors into a 180 mm² die. The 8640HS uses Zen 4 architecture on the Hawk Point codename, built on TSMC's 4 nm process with 25,000 million transistors in a 178 mm² die. The newer process packs more than double the transistor count into a slightly smaller die, a reflection of the denser 4 nm node.

Cache configurations differ as well. Both share 64 KB of L1 per core and 16 MB of L3, but the L2 cache doubles on the 8640HS: 1 MB per core versus 512 KB per core. That larger L2 could explain some of the 8640HS's wins in latency-sensitive PassMark workloads.

The platform separation is stark. The 5500GT is a desktop part on AMD Socket AM4 with DDR4 memory support, dual-channel memory bus, and 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. It uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The 8640HS is a mobile chip on AMD Socket FP8 with DDR5 memory, dual-channel bus, and 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, a 75% higher theoretical ceiling. It supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes. The 5500GT has an unlocked multiplier, while the 8640HS does not.

Integrated graphics also differ. The 5500GT carries Radeon Vega 7, while the 8640HS carries Radeon 760M. The 5500GT launched on 2024-01-07 with a launch MSRP of $125. The 8640HS launched on 2023-12-05 with no recorded launch MSRP. The 5500GT's part number is 100-000001489, while the 8640HS spans three part numbers: 100-000001373 (FP7r2), 100-000001380 (FP7), and 100-000001358 (FP8). The 5500GT belongs to the 5000 series, the 8640HS to the 8000 series. Both remain in active production.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500GT, with a score of 15,848 versus 11,486 for the 8640HS, a 38% advantage.

Q: How do the single-thread PassMark scores compare?

A: The 8640HS leads with 3,584 versus 3,066 for the 5500GT, a 14.5% margin. This result appears twice in the database with identical values.

Q: Which chip has the higher boost clock?

A: The 8640HS boosts to 4.90 GHz, while the 5500GT boosts to 4.40 GHz. The 5500GT has a higher base clock at 3.60 GHz versus 3.50 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: No. The 5500GT supports DDR4, while the 8640HS supports DDR5. The 8640HS also has a higher memory bandwidth at 89.6 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The 5500GT has an unlocked multiplier, while the 8640HS does not.

Q: How do their overall database percentile rankings compare?

A: The 5500GT ranks in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, and the 8640HS ranks in the 78th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are 26,748 and 26,106, respectively.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every platform-defining specification. The 5500GT uses the AMD Socket AM4, while the 8640HS uses AMD Socket FP8. The 5500GT runs Zen 3 (Cezanne) on 7 nm, the 8640HS runs Zen 4 (Hawk Point) on 4 nm. Transistor count jumps from 10,700 million to 25,000 million, while die size shrinks slightly from 180 mm² to 178 mm². L2 cache doubles from 512 KB per core to 1 MB per core. Memory support moves from DDR4 to DDR5, with bandwidth rising from 51.2 GB/s to 89.6 GB/s. PCIe generation advances from Gen 3 with 16 lanes to Gen 4 with 20 lanes. Base clock drops from 3.60 GHz to 3.50 GHz, while boost clock rises from 4.40 GHz to 4.90 GHz. TDP drops from 65 watts to 28 watts. The integrated GPU changes from Radeon Vega 7 to Radeon 760M. The market segment shifts from Desktop to Mobile. The 5500GT has an unlocked multiplier, the 8640HS does not. Release dates differ by about a month: 2024-01-07 for the 5500GT, 2023-12-05 for the 8640HS. The 5500GT carries a launch MSRP of $125; no launch MSRP is recorded for the 8640HS.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split based on workload type. The 5500GT is the stronger choice for sustained multithreaded rendering as measured by Cinebench R23, where it leads by 38% in multicore and 30.7% single-core. It also wins data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and the overall PassMark multithread test narrowly trails. The 8640HS is the stronger choice for PassMark-style integer, floating point, physics, sorting, and single-thread tasks, plus the older Cinebench R15 suite. Its 22.9% lead in find prime numbers and 14.5% lead in single-thread PassMark indicate a per-core efficiency edge that the 5500GT cannot match in those specific tests.

The 5500GT's 79th percentile ranking versus the 8640HS's 78th percentile is nearly a tie, and their average scores differ by only 642 points out of roughly 26,000. The 5500GT's 38% R23 multicore win is the single largest margin in the entire head-to-head set, while the 8640HS's largest win is 22.9% in find prime numbers. The 5500GT wins 5 tests, the 8640HS wins 10, but the magnitude of the 5500GT's wins in the Cinebench R23 suite outweighs the 8640HS's more numerous but generally smaller margins.

Where Each One Wins

The 5500GT wins in the Cinebench R23 suite, data compression, data encryption, and extended instructions. These results suggest it excels in content creation workloads that mirror R23's rendering patterns, as well as in compression and encryption tasks. Its 38% multicore advantage in R23 is the standout result in the entire comparison, and its 30.7% single-core R23 lead shows it is not merely a multithreaded brute. The 7.7% data compression and 8.9% data encryption wins add practical credibility for archiving and security workloads.

The 8640HS wins in find prime numbers, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, single-thread PassMark, and both Cinebench R15 tests. Its 22.9% find prime numbers margin is the second-largest delta in the comparison. The 10% random string sorting win and 13.4% physics win suggest strengths in simulation and data manipulation tasks. The 16% R15 single-core win and 13.4% R15 multicore win indicate that in legacy benchmark conditions, the 8640HS is the faster chip. The 14.5% single-thread PassMark margin reinforces its per-core lead in that suite.

The database does not show a single dominant processor. Instead, it shows two chips tuned for different environments: the 5500GT for desktop rendering and compression, the 8640HS for mobile efficiency and PassMark-style throughput. Buyers should match the workload to the chip, not assume one is universally faster. The 5500GT's unlocked multiplier and AM4 socket make it the more flexible desktop part, while the 8640HS's 28-watt TDP and DDR5 support position it for mobile systems where power efficiency and memory bandwidth matter more than raw R23 scores.