AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Lays The Smackdown On The Intel Core i5-10600K

Ryzen Desktop Processor

Ryzen Desktop Processor (Image credit: AMD)

After previously sharing benchmark results for the Ryzen 9 5950X, @Tum_Apisak has done it again. This time around, the chip detective uncovered submissions for the Ryzen 5 5600X, which will likely battle it out with Intel's Core i5-10600K.

Here's literally everything we know about the Ryzen 5000 series, both official and unofficial, but for a bit of a quick introduction, the Ryzen 5 5600X comes wielding six Zen 3 cores with 12 threads, 32MB of L3 cache, and base and boost clock speeds of 3.7 GHz and 4.6 GHz, respectively. The Core i5-10600K, which also has a six-core, 12-thread design, has 12MB of L3 cache and features a 4.1 GHz base clock and 4.8 GHz boost clock.

The Core i5-10600K clearly boasts higher boost clocks and a more generous thermal limit. Intel's contender conforms to a 125W TDP (thermal design power) rating, while the Ryzen 5 5600X is rated for 65W. Theoretically, the Core i5-10600K should be faster since it has more breathing room to execute. However, the Ryzen 5 5600X leverages AMD's groundbreaking Zen 3 microarchitecture, so don't count the Ryzen 5 5600X out just yet.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X (Image credit: SiSoftware)

You can't judge a processor's overall performance based on a couple of benchmarks, though. Furthermore, preliminary benchmarks should be taken with a bucket of salt. However, from what we're seeing so far, the Ryzen 5 5600X is poised to be a tough rival.

The SiSoftware Sandra submissions show the Ryzen 5 5600X hauling in Processor Arithmetic and Processor Multi-Media scores of 255.22 GOPS and 904.38 Mpix/s, respectively. The average scores for the Core i5-10600K are 224.07 GOPS and 662.33 Mpix/s. That means the Ryzen 5 5600X outperformed the Core i5-10600K by 13.9% and 36.5%, respectively.

On the other hand, the Ryzen 5 3600X has average Processor Arithmetic and Processor Multi-Media scores of 214.89 GOPS and 625.51 Mpix/s, respectively. Therefore, the Ryzen 5 5600X was up to 18.8% and 44.6% faster than its previous-gen counterpart. The performance improvements fall more or less in line with the gains for the Ryzen 9 5950X over the Ryzen 9 3950X.

SiSoftware Sandra's just one piece of the puzzle. AMD's Ryzen 5000 processors go up for purchase on November 5. It's easy to imagine that we'll have complete reviews of the new Zen 3 chips for your viewing pleasure with that timeframe. 

Zhiye Liu
RAM Reviewer and News Editor

Zhiye Liu is a Freelance News Writer at Tom’s Hardware US. Although he loves everything that’s hardware, he has a soft spot for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.

  • Gurg
    For anyone that runs SISoftware Sandra 6-8 hours a day it appears the 5600x may be your CPU. Think I'll wait for the review with the gaming suite chart and both CPUs OC to see which chip is best.

    With only a 4.6ghz boost, the 5600x may not even be able to beat a 5ghz OC 9600k in the gaming suite charts. The 9600k is just $169 at Microcenter
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    Gurg said:
    With only a 4.6ghz boost, the 5600x may not even be able to beat a 5ghz OC 9600k in the gaming suite charts.
    Comparing a stock CPU with an overclocked one drawing nearly twice as much power isn't exactly a fair comparison and I doubt very many people waiting until the 9600k got discounted to $170 at MC before buying one will invest every extra dollar required in all of the other components needed to get a decent stable OC.
    Reply
  • VforV
    Gurg said:
    For anyone that runs SISoftware Sandra 6-8 hours a day it appears the 5600x may be your CPU. Think I'll wait for the review with the gaming suite chart and both CPUs OC to see which chip is best.

    With only a 4.6ghz boost, the 5600x may not even be able to beat a 5ghz OC 9600k in the gaming suite charts. The 9600k is just $169 at Microcenter
    I love how narrow minded people are, thinking that a 6c/6t CPU is a good investment in 2020... Unless you plan to upgrade again next year that CPU is gonna age very bad soon.

    Also I would not even raise my hope it can beat 5600x, even OC.
    Reply
  • joeblowsmynose
    InvalidError said:
    Comparing a stock CPU with an overclocked one drawing nearly twice as much power isn't exactly a fair comparison ...

    That's how the comparisons seem to be going lately ... lol. My curiosity is truly piqued to see how close AMD marketing slides are to objective reality across several scenarios.
    Reply
  • Geezer760
    Gurg said:
    For anyone that runs SISoftware Sandra 6-8 hours a day it appears the 5600x may be your CPU. Think I'll wait for the review with the gaming suite chart and both CPUs OC to see which chip is best.

    With only a 4.6ghz boost, the 5600x may not even be able to beat a 5ghz OC 9600k in the gaming suite charts. The 9600k is just $169 at Microcenter
    Does microcenter ship items? can you purchase items online and have them shipped from microcenter to anywhere in the US? if not, good luck, your only in luck if you live near a microcenter for that price, so you'd have to goto Newegg @ $199 and Amazon @ $199 as well.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    Geezer760 said:
    Does microcenter ship items?
    MC's super deals are usually in-store-pickup-only.
    Reply
  • CerianK
    VforV said:
    I love how narrow minded people are, thinking that a 6c/6t CPU is a good investment in 2020...
    Even though I plan on building a new gaming, etc., PC shortly, I still have to rebuild my old dual CPU server that just had a motherboard failure ($86 US, used). Luckily, I was also able to pick up a matched pair of 12 core processors (24 cores / 48 threads!) for only $300 US total as an upgrade. They support AVX, but not AVX2, which isn't a deal-breaker for what I do.

    Looking forward, I can't imagine anyone investing in less than 6 cores / 12 threads... better yet 8/16, just to be safe.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    CerianK said:
    Looking forward, I can't imagine anyone investing in less than 6 cores / 12 threads... better yet 8/16, just to be safe.
    Pretty sure the jump to 8c16t is still one bridge too far for the majority of domestic PCs at current prices. That won't become well-established mainstream until prices come down with TSMC's 5nm and Intel's 7nm.
    Reply
  • Gurg
    InvalidError said:
    MC's super deals are usually in-store-pickup-only.

    25 store locations nationwide
    https://www.microcenter.com/site/stores/default.aspx
    Reply
  • Gurg
    InvalidError said:
    Comparing a stock CPU with an overclocked one drawing nearly twice as much power isn't exactly a fair comparison and I doubt very many people waiting until the 9600k got discounted to $170 at MC before buying one will invest every extra dollar required in all of the other components needed to get a decent stable OC.
    5600x won't OC???? It's just not fair! So sad!
    What we are seeing are successive releases of new CPUs that just aren't offering significant if any performance increases in most common PC used programs for gaming , MS Office or internet over the 9 series Intel K cpus especially if overclocked. Unless programs you use needs more than a six core CPU you might be better served buying a decent AIO water cooler and overclocking a lesser priced 9600K or 10600K .

    Future proofing is buying on sale a decent AIO water cooler, PSU,, case, keyboard, speakers, mouse or monitor that can be moved to successive builds. not in buying superfluous cores that your programs never require.

    The additional power needed to OC only costs about $20 a year
    Reply