Core i5-11500T vs Ryzen 5 5500U

Core i5-11500T vs Ryzen 5 5500U Performance Spectrum

Core i5-11500T

6 / 12

12,730

0.0%

12,736

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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 i5-11500T vs Ryzen 5 5500U 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 i5-11500T vs Ryzen 5 5500U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-11500T

2021

Why buy it

✅+37.7% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅66.7% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5500U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $192 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 5500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 5500U

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,900 vs 9,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11500T better than Ryzen 5 5500U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 5 5500U is ahead with a 3.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11500T pulls ahead with 37.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i5-11500T also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11500T is the stronger fit. You are getting 37.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i5-11500T is the better buy right now. Core i5-11500T comes in at an unclear MSRP at $192 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 37.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The compromise is that Ryzen 5 5500U is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (66.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i5-11500T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-11500T vs Ryzen 5 5500U Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-11500T

The Core i5-11500T 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 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 12,730 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 5500U

The Ryzen 5 5500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 12,736 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-11500T and Ryzen 5 5500U share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i5-11500T versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500U — a 2.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5500U (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-11500T uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5500U uses Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11500T scores 12,730 against the Ryzen 5 5500U's 12,736 — a 0% lead for the Ryzen 5 5500U. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 9,500 vs 6,900 (31.7% advantage for the Core i5-11500T). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,818 vs 1,100, a 49.2% lead for the Core i5-11500T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 6,306 vs 5,200 (19.2% advantage for the Core i5-11500T). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11500T vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5500U.

Feature	Core i5-11500T	Ryzen 5 5500U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4 GHz+3%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	2.1 GHz+40%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021)
PassMark	12,730	12,736
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,500+38%	6,900
Geekbench 6 Single	1,818+65%	1,100
Geekbench 6 Multi	6,306+21%	5,200

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11500T uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5500U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-11500T supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-11500T) vs 12 (Ryzen 5 5500U) — the Core i5-11500T offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H510,B560,Z590,Q570 (Core i5-11500T) and FP6 (Ryzen 5 5500U).

Feature	Core i5-11500T	Ryzen 5 5500U
Socket	LGA1200	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4 3200 MHz
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+67%	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core i5-11500T supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-11500T) vs true (Ryzen 5 5500U). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 750 (Core i5-11500T) and AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega 7) (Ryzen 5 5500U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11500T targets Quiet Desktop / SFF, Ryzen 5 5500U targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i5-11500T rivals Core i5-10500T.

Feature	Core i5-11500T	Ryzen 5 5500U
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 750	AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega 7)
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	true
Target Use	Quiet Desktop / SFF	Mobile