Core i3-4100E
VS
Ryzen 5 5600

Core i3-4100E vs Ryzen 5 5600

Intel

Core i3-4100E

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2013
VS
AMD

Ryzen 5 5600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. The Core i3-4100E is positioned at rank #1127 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4100E

#1114
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
3574%
#1115
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
3521%
#1116
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
3233%
#1117
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
3218%
#1118
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
3189%
#1120
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
3079%
#1121
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
2952%
#1122
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
2948%
#1123
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
2868%
#1126
Pentium Dual Core T4300
MSRP: $150|Avg: $99
100%
#1127
Core i3-4100E
MSRP: $225|Avg: $30
100%
#1128
Core i7-3520M
MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A
100%
#1129
Core i3-2310E
MSRP: $225|Avg: $20
100%
#1130
Core i5-2510E
MSRP: $230|Avg: $30
100%
#1131
Core m5-6Y54
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
99%
#1133
Core i3-2330E
MSRP: $225|Avg: $10
99%
#1134
Core i5-4288U
MSRP: $342|Avg: N/A
95%
#1135
Core m3-6Y30
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
95%
#1136
Core i3-2340UE
MSRP: $200|Avg: $200
94%
#1137
Core i7-2820QM
MSRP: $568|Avg: N/A
94%
#1138
Core i5-520M
MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A
94%
#1140
Celeron 807
MSRP: $70|Avg: $10
93%
#1141
Pentium B950
MSRP: $134|Avg: $35
93%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 5600

#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
135%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
123%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
123%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
121%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
118%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
116%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
116%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
115%
#16
Core Ultra 5 225F
MSRP: $231|Avg: $150
112%
#17
Core Ultra 7 265K
MSRP: $309|Avg: $285
110%
#18
Ryzen 9 3900
MSRP: $499|Avg: $150
109%
#19
Ryzen 5 3600X
MSRP: $249|Avg: $90
108%
#20
Core i7-14700KF
MSRP: $384|Avg: $260
107%
#21
Core i7-14700K
MSRP: $409|Avg: $270
103%
#22
Ryzen 5 4500
MSRP: $129|Avg: $85
101%
#23
Ryzen 5 5600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $115
100%
#24
Celeron G5925
MSRP: $62|Avg: $15
100%
#25
Ryzen 5 7500F
MSRP: $179|Avg: $145
98%
#26
Core Ultra 5 245
MSRP: $319|Avg: $220
97%
#27
Ryzen 7 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $86
97%
#28
Core Ultra 7 265KF
MSRP: $379|Avg: $323
97%
#29
Core Ultra 7 265F
MSRP: $369|Avg: $276
95%
#30
Core i5-12400F
MSRP: $174|Avg: $110
95%
#31
Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G
MSRP: $130|Avg: $80
94%
#32
Ryzen 7 2700X
MSRP: $329|Avg: $100
93%
#33
Core i3-10100F
MSRP: $88|Avg: $50
93%
#34
Ryzen 5 7400F
MSRP: $150|Avg: $147
93%
#35
Ryzen 5 9600X
MSRP: $279|Avg: $178
90%
#36
Ryzen 7 3800X
MSRP: $399|Avg: $140
88%
#37
Ryzen 3 5300G
MSRP: $130|Avg: $80
87%
#38
Ryzen 9 7900X
MSRP: $549|Avg: $316
87%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Ryzen 5 5600 (2022) utilizes 7 nm technology and DDR4-3200, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightCore i3-4100ERyzen 5 5600
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($30)
⚠️ Higher cost ($115)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)
✨ Modern (Vermeer (2020−2025) / 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i3-4100E (2013) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightCore i3-4100ERyzen 5 5600
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+204%)
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($30)
⚠️ Higher cost ($115)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-4100E and Ryzen 5 5600

Intel

Core i3-4100E

The Core i3-4100E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB + 3 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,848 points. Launch price was $225.

AMD

Ryzen 5 5600

The Ryzen 5 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 21,550 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

The Core i3-4100E packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 5600 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Core i3-4100E versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 — a 58.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i3-4100E uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4100E scores 1,848 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 168.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 550 vs 2,052, a 115.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4100E vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600.

FeatureCore i3-4100ERyzen 5 5600
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
6 / 12+200%
Boost Clock
2.4 GHz
4.4 GHz+83%
Base Clock
2.4 GHz
3.5 GHz+46%
L3 Cache
3 MB (total)
32 MB (total)+967%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
512K (per core)+100%
Process
22 nm
7 nm-68%
Architecture
Haswell (2013−2015)
Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark
1,848
21,550+1066%
Cinebench R23 Multi
11,077
Geekbench 6 Single
550
2,052+273%
Geekbench 6 Multi
8,600
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-4100E uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3L-1600 on the Core i3-4100E versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600 — the Ryzen 5 5600 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 5 5600 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-4100E) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600) — the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: QM87,HM86,HM87 (Core i3-4100E) and B550,X570,B450,X470,A520 (Ryzen 5 5600).

FeatureCore i3-4100ERyzen 5 5600
Socket
BGA1364
AM4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed
DDR3L-1600
DDR4-3200+33%
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
128 GB+700%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
24+50%
🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-4100E) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600). The Core i3-4100E includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4600), while the Ryzen 5 5600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-4100E targets Embedded, Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i3-4100E rivals Embedded R-Series.

FeatureCore i3-4100ERyzen 5 5600
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
HD Graphics 4600
Unlocked
No
Yes
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
AMD-V
Target Use
Embedded
Desktop
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-4100E launched at $225 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600 debuted at $199. At current prices ($30 vs $115), the Core i3-4100E is $85 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-4100E delivers 61.6 pts/$ vs 187.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600 — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 101% better value option.

FeatureCore i3-4100ERyzen 5 5600
MSRP
$225
$199-12%
Avg Price (30d)
$30-74%
$115
Performance per Dollar
61.6
187.4+204%
Release Date
2013
2022