Core i3-4170 vs Ryzen 5 5600

The Core i3-4170 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 3.7 GHz on the Core i3-4170 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 — a 17.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i3-4170 uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4170 scores 3,626 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 142.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,140 vs 2,052, a 57.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,897 vs 8,600 (127.7% advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600). L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4170 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600.

The Core i3-4170 uses the LGA1150 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 DDR3-1600 on the Core i3-4170 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 32 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-4170) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600) — the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: LGA1150 (Core i3-4170) and B550,X570,B450,X470,A520 (Ryzen 5 5600).

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 (Core i3-4170) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600). The Core i3-4170 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4400), while the Ryzen 5 5600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

The Core i3-4170 launched at $117 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600 debuted at $199. At current prices ($40 vs $115), the Core i3-4170 is $75 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-4170 delivers 90.7 pts/$ vs 187.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600 — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 69.6% better value option.