Intel Core i5-9600K vs AMD Ryzen 5 2600

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   For example you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice after reading the full tests Intel Core i5-9600K vs AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and understand which is better for games or normal use for streaming, rendering, programming, machine learning, video editing. Here is all information from real video editing and streaming tests or several benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests such as VeraCrypt, Handbrake, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, WPrime, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PCMark 10, Dolphin Emulator, SuperPi, MATLAB, Furmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), AIDA64, 3DMark, Blender, PassMark, UserBenchmark, Blender, Gears 5, 7zip, RealBench, Prime95.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

Fallout 76
Watch Dogs Legion
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Valheim
Overwatch
Death Stranding
Rainbow Six Siege
Cyberpunk 2077
Valorant
Borderlands 3
Apex Legends
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Fortnite
Red Dead Redemption 2
Last Man Standing
Grand Theft Auto V
DOOM: Eternal
Halo Infinite

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel Core i5-9600K.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-9600K

53%

Ryzen 5 2600

54%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 5 2600 is 1% better than Core i5-9600K. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-9600K

53%

Ryzen 5 2600

53%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a low game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which CPU comparisons were performed: PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Ghostrunner, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Metro Exodus, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, League of Legends (LOL), Monster Hunter World, Control, Forza Horizon 4, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, NBA 2K20, Horizon Zero Dawn, Battlefield V.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	94.5	94.8
Valorant	107.4	107.8
Cyberpunk 2077	60.1	60.4
Apex Legends	101.0	101.3
Call of Duty Warzone	80.6	80.8
Overwatch	87.0	87.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	74.1	74.4
DOOM Eternal	53.7	53.9
Warzone	83.8	84.1
Assassin's Creed	90.2	90.5
Valheim	89.1	89.5

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-9600K

48%

Ryzen 5 2600

56%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Ryzen 5 2600 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-9600K since it has less power consumption: 95W vs. 65W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, programming, streaming, video rendering or video editing, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-9600K	AMD Ryzen 5 2600
Cinbench 15 Single-core	204	164
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1165	1310
Cinbench 20 Single-core	481	374
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2624	2736
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1276	1024
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	7301	7220

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-9600K	AMD Ryzen 5 2600
Single-Core	2761	2280
Multi-Core	10894	13255

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-9600K	AMD Ryzen 5 2600
Single-Core	1396	1104
Multi-Core	6386	6712

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-9600K	AMD Ryzen 5 2600
Announcement date	October 01, 2018	April 19, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151-2	AM4
Core name	Coffee Lake	Pinnacle Ridge
Architecture	x86	Zen+
Generation	9	2
Turbo Frequency	4.6 MHz	3.9 MHz
Frequency	3.7 MHz	3.4 MHz
Cores	6	6
Threads	6	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s	4 Ã— 8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	12 nm
Transistors count	3600 millions	3600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	95 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		2933
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache		576KB
L2 cache		3MB
L3 cache	9 MB	16MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		YD2600BBM6IAF YD2600BBAFBOX YD2600BBAFMPK

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-9600K is 8% better than Ryzen 5 2600 in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-9600K is better: 14
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is better: 21
However, it should be realized that the summary data in the text above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i5-9600K and AMD Ryzen 5 2600 before making a decision which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-9600K specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 5 2600 specs and review.