Core i5-11500 vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D

CPU

GPU

Core i5-11500

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2021

Core family

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Ryzen 7 7800X3D

8 Cores16 Thrd120 WWMax: 5 GHz2023

Ryzen family

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Core i5-11500 vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D Performance Spectrum

Core i5-11500

6 / 12

17,096

0.0%

34,293

+100.6%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

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.

Core i5-11500 vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-11500 vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-11500

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $257 less on MSRP ($192 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Delivers 16.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.0 vs 76.4 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 120W, a 55W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7800X3D across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,883 vs 18,500).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 7800X3D moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +51.4% higher average FPS across 36 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 76.4 vs 89.0 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
❌84.6% higher power demand at 120W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-11500.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 7800X3D better than Core i5-11500?

Yes. Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 51.4% average FPS lead across 36 shared CPU game tests in our data, 87.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 100.6% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 51.4% more average FPS across 36 shared CPU game tests. It also has a clear cache advantage at 96 MB versus 12 MB.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the stronger fit. You are getting 87.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 7 7800X3D is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-11500 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 7 7800X3D comes in 133.9% more expensive on MSRP at $449 MSRP versus $192 MSRP, and it still gives you a 51.4% average FPS lead across 36 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-11500 is also 16.6% better value on MSRP (89.0 vs 76.4 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i5-11500 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 7 7800X3D makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 96 MB L3 cache instead of 12 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-11500 vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-11500

The Core i5-11500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 17,096 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 34,293 points. Launch price was $449.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-11500 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-11500 versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (base: 2.7 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Core i5-11500 uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11500 scores 17,096 against the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 34,293 — a 66.9% lead for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 9,883 vs 18,500 (60.7% advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,064 vs 2,700, a 26.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,564 vs 15,000 (54.6% advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11500 vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Feature	Core i5-11500	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.7 GHz	4.4 GHz+63%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+700%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+25500%	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	5 nm-64%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	17,096	34,293+101%
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,883	18,500+87%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,064	2,700+31%
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,564	15,000+75%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11500 uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-11500 versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports 62.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-11500) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H510,B560,Z590,H470,Z490 (Core i5-11500) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D).

Feature	Core i5-11500	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Socket	LGA1200	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200+63%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 7800X3D has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-11500) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). Both include integrated graphics — UHD 750 (Core i5-11500) and AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11500 targets Gaming, Ryzen 7 7800X3D targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-11500 rivals Ryzen 5 5600X; Ryzen 7 7800X3D rivals Intel Core i7-14700K.

Feature	Core i5-11500	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD 750	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i5-11500 was priced at $192, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D came in at $449. On launch pricing ($192 vs $449), Core i5-11500 was $257 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-11500 delivers 89.0 pts/$ vs 76.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — making the Core i5-11500 the 15.3% better value option.

Feature	Core i5-11500	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
MSRP	$192-57%	$449
Performance per Dollar	89.0+16%	76.4
Release Date	2021	2023

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