AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G vs AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8500GE Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8500GE and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G are both six-core, twelve-thread processors, but they represent fundamentally different generations and platforms. The data shows the 8500GE wins 14 of 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, yet the 5655G counters with decisive victories in specific workloads. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical — 28054 for the 8500GE and 28032 for the 5655G, a delta of just 0.1% — placing both in the 80th percentile of all CPUs. This is a matchup where the overall score hides a stark split in workload suitability, driven by architectural divergence rather than raw capability.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8500GE is the clear winner for single-threaded responsiveness and multi-threaded rendering. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3909 beats the 5655G’s 3241 by 20.6%, a massive gap for everyday application feel. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the 8500GE scores 18395 versus 17249 for the 5655G, a 6.6% advantage that scales across all Cinebench versions — R15, R20, and R23 — with deltas between 6.5% and 6.7%. The 8500GE also dominates in PassMark multithread (21502 vs 19129, +12.4%) and random string sorting (31240 vs 25253, +23.7%). For physics simulation, the 8500GE is in another class entirely: 1237 versus 686, an 80.3% lead. Prime number finding shows the largest single delta at 69.4% (83 vs 49).

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G fights back in integer-heavy and data-processing tasks. Its PassMark integer math score of 67561 tops the 8500GE’s 63045 by 6.7%. Data compression also favors the 5655G: 255608 versus 248675, a 2.7% edge. The most significant win for the 5655G comes in data encryption, where it scores 15253 against 14163 — a 7.1% advantage. These three wins suggest that the older Zen 3 architecture retains an edge in specific cryptographic and compression workloads, likely due to higher sustained clock behavior under those instruction patterns.

Architecture Differences

The 8500GE is built on Zen 4 using TSMC’s 4 nm process, while the 5655G uses Zen 3 on TSMC’s 7 nm node. The transistor count reflects this: the 8500GE packs 20,900 million transistors into a 137 mm² die, whereas the 5655G has 10,700 million transistors on a larger 180 mm² die. That density advantage helps the 8500GE achieve a 5.00 GHz boost clock against the 5655G’s 4.40 GHz, despite a lower 3.40 GHz base clock compared to 3.90 GHz.

Cache configuration differs in L2. The 8500GE has 1 MB of L2 per core, double the 5655G’s 512 KB per core. Both share 16 MB of L3, but the 8500GE’s L3 is listed as shared across the chip, while the 5655G’s is simply 16 MB. The 8500GE uses the Phoenix2 codename and supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus delivering 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. The 5655G, codenamed Cezanne, is limited to DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. Both support ECC memory, but the 8500GE offers PCIe Gen 4 with 14 lanes, while the 5655G provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics differ significantly: the 8500GE carries a Radeon 740M, while the 5655G has a Radeon Vega 7. The 8500GE targets the mobile market segment, the 5655G is desktop-oriented. Power envelopes are distinct — the 8500GE has a 35 W TDP, the 5655G a 65 W TDP — which partly explains the clock and performance tradeoffs. Sockets are incompatible: AM5 for the 8500GE, AM4 for the 5655G.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8500GE boosts to 5.00 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G reaches 4.40 GHz.

Q: Do these CPUs support the same memory type?

A: No. The 8500GE supports DDR5 with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the 5655G supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. Both use dual-channel buses.

Q: Which chip wins in single-core performance?

A: The 8500GE wins every single-core benchmark. In Cinebench R23 single-core it scores 2597 versus 2435 (+6.7%), and in PassMark single-thread it scores 3909 versus 3241 (+20.6%).

Q: What is the largest performance delta in the head-to-head results?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark physics, where the 8500GE scores 1237 compared to the 5655G’s 686, an 80.3% advantage for the 8500GE.

Q: Are these processors on the same socket?

A: No. The 8500GE uses AMD Socket AM5, while the 5655G uses AMD Socket AM4. They are not interchangeable.

Q: Which chip has more L2 cache per core?

A: The 8500GE has 1 MB of L2 per core, double the 5655G’s 512 KB per core.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8500GE | AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G |

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

| Base Clock | 3.40 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | AMD Socket AM4 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Zen 3 |

| Codename | Phoenix2 | Cezanne |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 7 nm |

| Transistors | 20,900 million | 10,700 million |

| Die Size | 137 mm² | 180 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 14 Lanes | Gen 3, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 740M | Radeon Vega 7 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2024-04-15 | 2024-05-06 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 8500GE sweeps all six Cinebench tests. In R15 multi-core, it scores 1854 versus 1738 (+6.7%); R15 single-core is 261 versus 245 (+6.5%). R20 multi-core shows 7725 against 7244 (+6.6%), and R20 single-core is 1090 versus 1022 (+6.7%). R23 multi-core delivers 18395 versus 17249 (+6.6%), with R23 single-core at 2597 versus 2435 (+6.7%). These consistent deltas indicate a uniform architectural advantage across rendering workloads.

PassMark results tell a more nuanced story. The 8500GE wins extended instructions narrowly (17999 vs 17944, +0.3%) and floating point math (39233 vs 38649, +1.5%). Its multithread score of 21502 beats 19129 by 12.4%. Random string sorting goes to the 8500GE at 31240 versus 25253, a 23.7% margin. Single-thread performance is lopsided: 3909 versus 3241, a 20.6% lead. Physics shows the biggest gap at 80.3% (1237 vs 686), and prime number finding favors the 8500GE by 69.4% (83 vs 49).

The 5655G’s wins are concentrated in three PassMark subtests. Data compression: 255608 versus 248675 (-2.7%). Data encryption: 15253 versus 14163 (-7.1%). Integer math: 67561 versus 63045 (-6.7%). These are meaningful margins, especially encryption, where the 5655G’s 7.1% advantage suggests a specialized hardware path that the Zen 4 part does not replicate as effectively.

Overall, the 8500GE is the superior processor for general-purpose computing, rendering, and single-threaded tasks, with a 12.4% multithread lead and a 20.6% single-thread lead. The 5655G remains competitive only in specific integer, compression, and encryption workloads, where its older architecture holds unexpected advantages. The near-identical average scores (28054 vs 28032) obscure this split: buyers needing encryption throughput might prefer the 5655G, but the 8500GE’s broader wins make it the more versatile choice.