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AMD Ryzen 5 4600U vs AMD Ryzen 5 5500H: Comparison

What is the difference between Ryzen 5 4600U and Ryzen 5 5500H?

These two are close on paper, and total cores is the only measure that separates them at all: Ryzen 5 4600U 6 against Ryzen 5 5500H 4. They differ on p-core base clock too, 2.1 GHz on the Ryzen 5 4600U versus 3.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500H. There is a split on tdp as well, 15 W on the Ryzen 5 4600U versus 45 W on the Ryzen 5 5500H. Add l2 cache to that, 3 MB on the Ryzen 5 4600U versus 2 MB on the Ryzen 5 5500H, and the pattern holds. They differ on product line too, Ryzen 5 on the Ryzen 5 4600U versus Ryzen on the Ryzen 5 5500H. They differ on form factor too, Laptop on the Ryzen 5 4600U versus Laptops, Desktops on the Ryzen 5 5500H.

Who each one is for

Take the Ryzen 5 4600U for mainstream thin-and-light laptops wanting genuine 6-core, 12-thread multi-threaded performance at 15W. Avoid it for buyers wanting the absolute strongest ultraportable performance, the 8-core Ryzen 7 4700U/4800U offer meaningfully more within the same generation. The Ryzen 5 5500H is the one to take for mainstream desktop builds and everyday productivity, though it is not built for extreme overclocking (unless K/X-series) and workstation-class multi-threaded workloads.

Where the two are identical

Everything else lines up. Efficiency cores, l3 cache, integrated graphics, socket and market segment read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 2 further specifications as well.

Frequently asked questions

Do the Ryzen 5 4600U and Ryzen 5 5500H differ on performance cores?

Yes. Performance Cores reads 6 on the Ryzen 5 4600U versus 4 on the Ryzen 5 5500H.

Is the SMT Enabled the same on the Ryzen 5 4600U and Ryzen 5 5500H?

It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Product Line

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    Ryzen 5
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    Ryzen
  • Form Factor

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    Laptop
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    Laptops, Desktops
  • Model Number

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    4600U
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    5500H
  • Codename

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    Renoir
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    Cezanne
  • Release Year

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    2020
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    2021
  • TDP

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    15 W
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    45 W
  • iGPU

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    AMD Radeon RX Vega 6
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    AMD Radeon Graphics
  • Market Segment

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    Laptop
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    Laptop
  • Microarchitecture

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    Zen 2, Ryzen 4000 Series "Renoir"
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    Zen 3
  • Socket

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    FP6
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    FP6
  • Process Node

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    7 nm
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    TSMC 7nm FinFET
  • Total Cores

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    6Best
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    4
  • Performance Cores

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    6Best
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    4
  • Efficiency Cores

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    0
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    0
  • Total Threads

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    12Best
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    8
  • SMT Enabled

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    Yes
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    Yes
  • P-Core Base Clock

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    2.1 GHz
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    3.3 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    4.0 GHz
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    4.2 GHz
  • L2 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    3 MBBest
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    2 MB-33%
  • L3 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    8 MB
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    8 MB
  • Base Power

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    15 W
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    45 W
  • Memory Type

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    DDR4, LPDDR4
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    DDR4, LPDDR4
  • Integrated Graphics

    AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
    Yes
    AMD Ryzen 5 5500H
    Yes

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose 4600U if you want the higher L2 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB) and the higher L3 cache (8 MB vs 8 MB).

    Choose 5500H if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.