AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS and AMD Ryzen 5 9600X occupy different corners of the performance spectrum, and the benchmark data reflects a clear split. The 9600X, a desktop Zen 5 part, dominates 19 of 23 head-to-head tests, often by double-digit margins, while the 8845HS, a mobile Zen 4 chip, secures 4 wins in specialized workloads. The overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical—the 8845HS posts an average of 29955 against the 9600X's 29713, a negligible 0.8% difference—but that parity masks opposite strengths: the 9600X wins on raw compute and single-thread speed, while the 8845HS counters with higher integer throughput and data-heavy tasks. Both CPUs sit at the 81st percentile among all processors, yet the 9600X achieves that standing with fewer cores, signaling a more efficient architecture per thread.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is the clear winner in general-purpose and multi-threaded benchmarks. Its 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a 5.40 GHz boost clock outperforms the 8-core, 16-thread 8845HS across Cinebench R15 and R23, Geekbench, and PassMark multithread tests. The 9600X leads the R23 multicore test by 7.6% (17528.5 vs 16192), Geekbench multicore by 15.4% (14438 vs 12212), and PassMark multithread by 5.1% (30027 vs 28498). These are not marginal wins; they reflect a fundamental performance advantage in sustained, all-core workloads. The 9600X also dominates single-thread performance, with a 28.8% lead in Geekbench single-core (2923 vs 2081) and a 19% edge in Cinebench R23 single-core (2183.5 vs 1769). For users running rendering, compilation, or any software that scales with core speed, the 9600X is the definitive pick.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS takes a different route. Its 4 wins come in PassMark data compression (1% ahead), data encryption (22.7% ahead), integer math (8.7% ahead), and random string sorting (15.3% ahead). These workloads favor the 8845HS's larger core count and the specific instruction handling of its 16 MB shared L3 cache. The encryption win is particularly decisive: 20416 vs 16638, a 22.7% margin that suggests the 8845HS handles cryptographic operations far more efficiently. The integer math score of 97747 vs 89918 (8.7% ahead) and random string sorting of 41446 vs 35946 (15.3% ahead) reinforce a pattern: the 8845HS is better suited to data manipulation tasks that don't rely purely on clock speed. This makes it a stronger choice for certain database, compression, or encryption-heavy workflows, despite losing the broader compute benchmarks.

The Verdict

The data points to one conclusion: the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is the superior processor for almost every measurable performance metric. It wins 19 of 23 tests, including all 3DMark variants, all Cinebench versions, both Geekbench tests, and the majority of PassMark workloads. Its single-thread performance is categorically superior, with a 21% lead in 3DMark single-thread (1253 vs 990) and a 19.3% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core (342 vs 276). The 9600X achieves this despite having 2 fewer cores and 4 fewer threads, which means its Zen 5 architecture delivers more work per core than Zen 4. For anyone building a desktop system where CPU performance is the priority, the 9600X is the only defensible choice.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS is not without merit, but its wins are narrow and specialized. It beats the 9600X in data encryption by 22.7%, random string sorting by 15.3%, and integer math by 8.7%, plus a marginal 1% in data compression. These are real advantages for specific server or workstation tasks, but they don't compensate for a 28.8% deficit in Geekbench single-core or a 15.4% deficit in Geekbench multicore. The 8845HS also carries a 45 W TDP versus the 9600X's 65 W, but that's a power profile detail, not a performance justification. If the workload is exclusively encryption or integer-heavy data processing, the 8845HS can be justified; for everything else, the 9600X wins outright.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 9600X's most decisive wins are in single-thread and low-thread-count tests. In Geekbench single-core, it scores 2923 against the 8845HS's 2081, a 28.8% advantage that is the largest margin in the entire comparison. The 3DMark 2-thread test shows a 21.7% lead (2456 vs 1924), and the 4-thread test a 20.6% lead (4649 vs 3690). These results indicate that the 9600X's Zen 5 cores are dramatically faster per thread, which is critical for applications that are lightly threaded or that scale poorly across cores. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1253 vs 990 (21% ahead) reinforces this, as does the Cinebench R15 single-core score of 342 vs 276 (19.3% ahead).

The 9600X also wins multi-threaded tests, but by smaller margins. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 17528.5 vs 16192, a 7.6% lead that shows the 8845HS's extra 2 cores partially offset the per-core deficit. The 3DMark 16-thread test is close: 7585 vs 7404, a 2.4% lead for the 9600X. The 3DMark max-thread test is even tighter at 7590 vs 7413 (2.3% ahead). In PassMark physics, the 9600X wins by 33.1% (2012 vs 1347), and in find prime numbers by 62.7% (233 vs 87), the largest margin in any test. The 8845HS's counter-wins are concentrated in data-heavy PassMark tests: encryption (20416 vs 16638, 22.7% ahead), random string sorting (41446 vs 35946, 15.3% ahead), and integer math (97747 vs 89918, 8.7% ahead). Data compression is nearly a tie at 344439 vs 341021 (1% for the 8845HS).

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has better single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X wins every single-thread test. It leads by 28.8% in Geekbench single-core (2923 vs 2081), 21% in 3DMark single-thread (1253 vs 990), and 19% in Cinebench R23 single-core (2183.5 vs 1769).

Q: Does the 8845HS win any multi-threaded tests?

A: No. The 9600X wins all multi-threaded benchmarks, including Cinebench R23 multicore (17528.5 vs 16192, 7.6% ahead), Geekbench multicore (14438 vs 12212, 15.4% ahead), and PassMark multithread (30027 vs 28498, 5.1% ahead).

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the 9600X scores 233 vs the 8845HS's 87, a 62.7% advantage. The second-largest is Geekbench single-core at 28.8%.

Q: Are there workloads where the 8845HS is faster?

A: Yes, four specific PassMark tests: data encryption (20416 vs 16638, 22.7% ahead), random string sorting (41446 vs 35946, 15.3% ahead), integer math (97747 vs 89918, 8.7% ahead), and data compression (344439 vs 341021, 1% ahead).

Q: How do their overall benchmark averages compare?

A: The 8845HS has an average benchmark score of 29955, while the 9600X scores 29713. The 9600X is 0.8% behind the 8845HS in average score, despite winning 19 of 23 individual tests.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, compared to the 8845HS's 5.10 GHz. The 9600X also has a higher base clock at 3.90 GHz vs 3.80 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on different architectures and target different platforms. The AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS uses Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X uses the newer Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename, also on a 4 nm TSMC process, but with a different microarchitecture design. The 8845HS integrates 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die, while the 9600X packs 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. The smaller die with fewer transistors for the 9600X is notable given its performance advantage, indicating Zen 5's improved instructions-per-clock efficiency.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The 8845HS has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The 9600X increases L1 to 80 KB per core, keeps L2 at 1 MB per core, and doubles the shared L3 to 32 MB. This larger L3 cache likely contributes to the 9600X's strong single-thread and low-thread-count performance, as more data can be held closer to the cores. Both support dual-channel DDR5 memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, but the 9600X supports ECC memory while the 8845HS does not.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The 8845HS features a Radeon 780M, a more capable integrated GPU, while the 9600X has a basic Radeon Graphics. The 8845HS is a mobile part on AMD Socket FP8, while the 9600X is a desktop part on AMD Socket AM5. The 9600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, while the 8845HS is locked. PCIe support also differs: the 8845HS uses Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the 9600X uses Gen 5 with 24 lanes, offering double the bandwidth per lane for compatible devices.

Specification Differences

The most direct specification comparison shows the 9600X with a higher base clock (3.90 GHz vs 3.80 GHz) and higher boost clock (5.40 GHz vs 5.10 GHz). The 8845HS has more cores (8 vs 6) and more threads (16 vs 12), but the 9600X compensates with superior per-core performance. The 9600X has a higher TDP at 65 W versus the 8845HS's 45 W, reflecting its desktop design and higher power envelope. The 8845HS is a mobile processor with a 2023-12-05 release date, while the 9600X is a desktop processor released on 2024-08-07. The 9600X has a launch MSRP of $279, while the 8845HS has no listed launch MSRP.

Memory support is identical in type and bandwidth: both use dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s. The key difference is ECC support, which the 9600X offers and the 8845HS lacks. The 8845HS has a larger L1 cache per core at 64 KB, while the 9600X has 80 KB per core; both have 1 MB L2 per core. The L3 cache is a major differentiator: the 9600X has 32 MB shared, double the 8845HS's 16 MB. The 8845HS uses AMD Socket FP8 with a part number of 100-000001322(FP7r2), 100-000001384(FP7), or 100-000001311(FP8), while the 9600X uses AMD Socket AM5 with part number 100-000001405. The 9600X is unlocked for overclocking; the 8845HS is not.