Intel Core i7-6950X vs AMD Ryzen 5 2600X

Processor comparisons   24-03-2021
   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i7-6950X vs AMD Ryzen 5 2600X tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for rendering, streaming, machine learning, programming, video editing. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or different benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special test applications such as VeraCrypt, MATLAB, AIDA64, Furmark, WPrime, Dolphin Emulator, 7zip, Gears 5, SuperPi, Blender, Handbrake, UserBenchmark, Prime95, 3DMark, PassMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, PCMark 10, RealBench, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15).
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or Intel Core i7-6950X.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-6950X

55%

Ryzen 5 2600X

54%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i7-6950X is 1% better than Ryzen 5 2600X. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-6950X

56%

Ryzen 5 2600X

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: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, NBA 2K20, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, Forza Horizon 4, Metro Exodus, Control, DOTA 2A, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Horizon Zero Dawn, Microsoft Flight Simulator, League of Legends (LOL), Ghostrunner, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	99.4	94.6
Valorant	113.0	107.5
Cyberpunk 2077	63.3	60.2
Apex Legends	106.2	101.1
Call of Duty Warzone	84.7	80.6
Overwatch	91.5	87.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	77.9	74.2
DOOM Eternal	56.5	53.8
Warzone	88.1	83.9
Assassin's Creed	94.9	90.3
Valheim	93.8	89.3

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 tested computers not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i7-6950X

28%

Ryzen 5 2600X

39%

To make a finishing resolution 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 2600X is more energy efficient than the Core i7-6950X as it consumes less power: 140W vs. 95W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the CPU uses all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i7-6950X	AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	152	176
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1819	1380
Cinbench 20 Single-core	498	421
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4827	3048
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1091	1074
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12713	7514

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

	Intel Core i7-6950X	AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Single-Core	2377	2438
Multi-Core	17125	14033

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

	Intel Core i7-6950X	AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Single-Core	1204	1127
Multi-Core	11187	6497

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-6950X	AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Announcement date	April 01, 2016	April 19, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	LGA2011-v3	AM4
Core name	Broadwell E	Pinnacle Ridge
Architecture	x86	Zen
Generation	6	2
Turbo Frequency	3.5 MHz	4.2 MHz
Frequency	3 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	10	6
Threads	20	12
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	12 nm
Transistors count		3600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	140 W	95 W
Memory type	DDR4 2400/2133	DDR4
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		2933
Memory bandwidth
L1 cache		576KB
L2 cache		3MB
L3 cache	25 MB	16MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		YD260XBCM6IAF YD260XBCAFBOX YD260XBCAFMPK

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 5 2600X is 16% better than Core i7-6950X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-6950X has 4 more core than Ryzen 5 2600X. 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 i7-6950X is better: 24
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 5 2600X is better: 12
Although it should be understood that the summary data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i7-6950X and AMD Ryzen 5 2600X before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i7-6950X - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i7-6950X specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 5 2600X specs and review.