Intel Core i7-8700 vs AMD Ryzen 5 2600X

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   Let's say you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i7-8700 vs AMD Ryzen 5 2600X tests and see which is better for games or normal use for video editing, machine learning, rendering, streaming, programming. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like VeraCrypt, Gears 5, AIDA64, Prime95, MATLAB, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, Handbrake, SuperPi, Blender, UserBenchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, Furmark, 7zip, DaVinci Resolve Studio, RealBench, 3DMark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PCMark 10, WPrime.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or Intel Core i7-8700.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-8700

53%

Ryzen 5 2600X

54%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 5 2600X is 1% better than Core i7-8700. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-8700

53%

Ryzen 5 2600X

53%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: Metro Exodus, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Battlefield V, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Ghostrunner, Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, Forza Horizon 4, NBA 2K20, Horizon Zero Dawn, Control, Half-Life: Alyx, League of Legends (LOL).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	94.8	94.6
Valorant	107.7	107.5
Cyberpunk 2077	60.3	60.2
Apex Legends	101.2	101.1
Call of Duty Warzone	80.8	80.6
Overwatch	87.2	87.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	74.3	74.2
DOOM Eternal	53.8	53.8
Warzone	84.0	83.9
Assassin's Creed	90.4	90.3
Valheim	89.4	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 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: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So 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 i7-8700

64%

Ryzen 5 2600X

39%

To make a final decision 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 Core i7-8700 is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 5 2600X as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 95W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. 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

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor turns on all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum performance. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account 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. Since 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 i7-8700	AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	203	176
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1434	1380
Cinbench 20 Single-core	481	421
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3547	3048
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1146	1074
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	7969	7514

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

	Intel Core i7-8700	AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Single-Core	2706	2438
Multi-Core	13125	14033

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

	Intel Core i7-8700	AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Single-Core	1260	1127
Multi-Core	6618	6497

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. 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, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-8700	AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Announcement date	October 01, 2017	April 19, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151-2	AM4
Core name	Coffee Lake	Pinnacle Ridge
Architecture	x86	Zen
Generation	8	2
Turbo Frequency	4.6 MHz	4.2 MHz
Frequency	3.2 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	6	6
Threads	12	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	12 nm
Transistors count	3200 millions	3600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	95 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	12 MB	16MB
Overclocking	Yes	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 11% better than Core i7-8700 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 i7-8700 is better: 25
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 5 2600X is better: 9
All the data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i7-8700 and AMD Ryzen 5 2600X before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i7-8700 specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 5 2600X specs and review.