AMD Ryzen 7 5700 vs AMD Ryzen 7 5825U Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and AMD Ryzen 7 5825U share the same Zen 3 architecture, 8 cores, and 16 threads, but they are engineered for entirely different environments. The 5700 is a desktop processor with a 65W TDP, while the 5825U is a 15W mobile part designed for laptops. Benchmark data shows a clear performance hierarchy, but the 5825U’s role in portable systems makes raw speed only part of the story.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Ryzen 7 5700 dominates every single benchmark in the comparison, winning all 17 recorded tests. The most dramatic gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the 5700 scores 20,655 against the 5825U’s 10,152—a massive 103.5% advantage. This is more than double the mobile chip’s output, reflecting the desktop part’s ability to sustain high clocks across all cores under a 65W envelope. The single-core Cinebench R23 result tells a similar story: 2,916 versus 1,452, a 100.8% delta that shows the 5700’s 4.60 GHz boost clock versus the 5825U’s 4.50 GHz isn’t just a small edge—it’s a fundamental throughput difference.

Geekbench multi-core shows a 36.6% lead for the 5700 (9,959 vs 7,288), while single-core is closer at 17.9% (1,907 vs 1,618). The 5700’s advantage narrows in lighter workloads like PassMark single-thread, where it leads 3,296 to 3,053—only an 8% gap. That result suggests the 5825U’s lower base clock (2.00 GHz vs 3.70 GHz) hurts sustained performance, but its boost capability keeps it competitive in short, lightly-threaded bursts.

In memory-sensitive tasks, the 5700 shines. PassMark data compression scores 316,699 versus 221,938, a 42.7% win, and data encryption shows a 42.6% edge (20,096 vs 14,088). These workloads benefit from the desktop chip’s higher sustained clocks and identical 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth. Integer math (90,091 vs 72,577) and floating-point math (51,427 vs 38,482) both favor the 5700 by 24.1% and 33.6% respectively, reinforcing that the desktop part delivers more work per watt—or rather, more work per clock.

The 5825U’s best showing is in PassMark single-thread, where the 8% delta is the smallest of any test. It also comes within 20.8% in find prime numbers (58 vs 48), a test that often scales with raw frequency. However, in every multi-threaded test, the 5700’s lead exceeds 24%, with extended instructions (21,945 vs 14,394) and random string sorting (33,138 vs 23,539) showing 52.5% and 40.8% gaps respectively. The data is unambiguous: the 5700 is faster in every measurable way, but the 5825U’s efficiency profile means it’s not meant to win these races.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 7 5700 wins every benchmark category in this comparison, making it the clear choice for desktop workloads where power draw is irrelevant. Its 103.5% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core means it excels at video rendering, 3D modeling, and any CPU-bound productivity task that can use all 16 threads. The 42.7% advantage in data compression and 42.6% in encryption also make it strong for file archival, database work, and secure communications processing. Gamers will appreciate the 8% single-thread edge and the 17.9% Geekbench single-core lead, though the 5700 lacks integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is mandatory.

The Ryzen 7 5825U’s wins are not in raw performance but in its platform characteristics. As a 15W mobile chip with an FP6 socket, it’s designed for thin-and-light laptops where sustained all-core load is rare. Its Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics mean it can run a display without a discrete GPU, which the 5700 cannot do. The 5825U’s lower base clock (2.00 GHz) allows it to idle efficiently, and while it loses in every benchmark, its 78th percentile ranking among all CPUs shows it’s far from slow—it’s just optimized for a different power budget. For users who need a capable processor in a portable chassis with acceptable battery life, the 5825U is the only viable option here, despite losing all 17 head-to-head tests.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on TSMC’s 7 nm process with 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die, and both use the Zen 3 architecture. The 5700’s codename is Cezanne, while the 5825U is Barcelo—but both belong to the same generation and share the same core design. Cache configurations are identical: 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of L3. The 5825U’s L3 is listed as shared, while the 5700’s is not explicitly labeled, but the capacity is the same.

The critical architectural difference is power delivery and packaging. The 5700 is a desktop socketed part (AM4) with a 65W TDP and an unlocked multiplier, meaning it can be overclocked. The 5825U is a mobile BGA part (FP6) with a 15W TDP and a locked multiplier. This 50W TDP gap explains the benchmark results: the 5700 can draw over four times the power to sustain higher clocks, while the 5825U must throttle to fit thermal limits of a laptop chassis. Both support DDR4 memory with dual-channel 51.2 GB/s bandwidth and ECC, but the 5700 offers 20 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus the 5825U’s 16. The 5825U includes Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics, while the 5700 has none—a functional difference that matters for system builds.

Specification Differences

The most obvious spec difference is clock speed. The 5700 runs at 3.70 GHz base and 4.60 GHz boost, while the 5825U is at 2.00 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost. That 1.70 GHz base clock gap is the primary driver of the performance chasm. TDP is the other major divider: 65W for the desktop chip versus 15W for the mobile chip. Socket types differ (AM4 vs FP6), and the 5700’s multiplier is unlocked while the 5825U’s is locked. PCIe lane counts differ (20 vs 16), and integrated graphics are present only on the 5825U. The 5700 has a launch MSRP of $179; the 5825U has no listed launch MSRP. Release dates are close—the 5700 in April 2022 and the 5825U in January 2022—but the 5700’s part number is 100-000000743 versus the 5825U’s 100-000000580.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Ryzen 7 5700 is significantly faster. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 20,655 versus the 5825U’s 10,152, a 103.5% advantage. Geekbench multi-core shows a 36.6% lead (9,959 vs 7,288).

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5825U competitive in single-thread performance?

A: It’s closer but still behind. The 5700 leads in PassMark single-thread by only 8% (3,296 vs 3,053), and in Geekbench single-core by 17.9% (1,907 vs 1,618). The 5825U’s boost clock of 4.50 GHz helps, but the lower base clock limits sustained performance.

Q: Can the Ryzen 7 5700 run without a dedicated graphics card?

A: No. The 5700 has no integrated graphics. The 5825U includes Radeon Vega 8, so it can drive a display alone.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Yes. Both support ECC memory and have identical dual-channel DDR4 memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

Q: Which CPU is better for a laptop?

A: The 5825U is the only option for mobile, with a 15W TDP and FP6 socket. The 5700 is a desktop part with a 65W TDP and requires an AM4 motherboard.

Q: How do their overall benchmark averages compare?

A: The 5700 has an average benchmark score of 25,517, while the 5825U scores 25,446—a 0.3% difference in the 5700’s favor. Both rank in the 78th percentile among all CPUs.

The Verdict

The data is one-sided: the Ryzen 7 5700 wins every benchmark, with margins ranging from 8% to 103.5%. If you’re building a desktop PC and need maximum multi-threaded performance for rendering, compilation, or heavy productivity, the 5700 is the obvious pick. Its 65W TDP and unlocked multiplier allow for overclocking, and its 20 PCIe Gen 3 lanes provide more expansion headroom. The 5825U’s only advantages are its integrated graphics, lower power draw, and mobile form factor—none of which appear in benchmark scores but are critical for laptop users.

The 5825U is not a bad processor; it’s just a different tool. Its 78th percentile ranking and average score of 25,446 place it near the 5700 in overall terms, but that average is skewed by the 5700’s lack of iGPU and the 5825U’s efficiency tuning. For a portable workstation that must run on battery, the 5825U delivers acceptable performance in a 15W envelope. For anyone who can plug into a wall and doesn’t need portability, the 5700’s 103.5% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the only verdict that matters. Choose the 5700 for raw speed, choose the 5825U for a quiet, cool, and graphics-capable laptop experience—just don’t expect the mobile chip to match the desktop part in sustained workloads.