Core i5-11600K vs Ryzen 5 5600G

CPU

GPU

Core i5-11600K

6 Cores12 Thrd125 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2021

Core family

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Ryzen 5 5600G

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2021

Ryzen family

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Core i5-11600K vs Ryzen 5 5600G Performance Spectrum

Core i5-11600K

6 / 12

19,520

0.0%

19,696

+0.9%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

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 i5-11600K vs Ryzen 5 5600G 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 i5-11600K vs Ryzen 5 5600G: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-11600K

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,520 vs 19,696).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌
1.2% HIGHER MSRP
$262 MSRPvs$259 MSRP
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600G

2021

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $3 less on MSRP ($259 MSRP vs $262 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600G better than Core i5-11600K?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-11600K is ahead with a 18.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600G pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600G also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600G is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5600G is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 5600G comes in $3 cheaper on MSRP at $259 MSRP versus $262 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i5-11600K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 18.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 2.1% better value on MSRP (76.0 vs 74.5 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i5-11600K 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 5 5600G makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 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 i5-11600K vs Ryzen 5 5600G Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-11600K

The Core i5-11600K 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 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,520 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 5600G

The Ryzen 5 5600G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,696 points. Launch price was $259.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-11600K and Ryzen 5 5600G share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i5-11600K versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600G — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-11600K (base: 3.9 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Core i5-11600K uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600G uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11600K scores 19,520 against the Ryzen 5 5600G's 19,696 — a 0.9% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600G. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11600K vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600G.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 5 5600G
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+11%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz	3.9 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	Cezanne (2021−2025)
PassMark	19,520	19,696

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11600K uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600G uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-11600K) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600G) — the Ryzen 5 5600G offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 500 series,Intel 400 series (Core i5-11600K) and AMD 400 series,AMD 500 series (Ryzen 5 5600G).

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 5 5600G
Socket	LGA1200	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i5-11600K supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-11600K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600G). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 750 (Core i5-11600K) and Radeon Graphics (Vega 7) (Ryzen 5 5600G) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11600K targets Desktop, Ryzen 5 5600G targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 5 5600G
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 750	Radeon Graphics (Vega 7)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Desktop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i5-11600K was priced at $262, while the Ryzen 5 5600G came in at $259. On launch pricing ($262 vs $259), Ryzen 5 5600G was $3 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-11600K delivers 74.5 pts/$ vs 76.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600G — making the Ryzen 5 5600G the 2% better value option.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 5 5600G
MSRP	$262	$259-1%
Performance per Dollar	74.5	76.0+2%
Release Date	2021	2021

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