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Core i5-2500K vs Ryzen 7 5700X

CPUCPUGPUGPU
Intel

Core i5-2500K

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2011
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 5700X

8 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2022
Ryzen family
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Core i5-2500K vs Ryzen 7 5700X Performance Spectrum

Core i5-2500K
4 / 4
4,141
0.0%
brand logoCore i5-4210U
brand logoCore m3-8100Y
brand logoPentium Gold 4415U
brand logoCore i7-6567U
brand logoCore i7-12650HX
brand logoCore i9-13900HX
brand logoXeon w7-3465X
brand logoXeon w9-3575X
Ryzen 7 5700X
8 / 16
26,609
+542.6%
brand logoRyzen 7 PRO 4750U
brand logoRyzen 5 7535HS
brand logoRyzen 7 5800H
brand logoRyzen 7 7735H
brand logoRyzen AI Max PRO 390
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 3990X
brand logoRyzen 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 i5-2500K vs Ryzen 7 5700X 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low104 FPS
medium104 FPS
high104 FPS
ultra90 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low156 FPS
medium129 FPS
high115 FPS
ultra94 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low104 FPS
medium104 FPS
high104 FPS
ultra104 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low649 FPS
medium549 FPS
high448 FPS
ultra404 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low104 FPS
medium104 FPS
high104 FPS
ultra104 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low665 FPS
medium557 FPS
high509 FPS
ultra439 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low104 FPS
medium104 FPS
high104 FPS
ultra104 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low665 FPS
medium665 FPS
high665 FPS
ultra665 FPS
Among Us

Among Us

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra56 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
Apex Legends

Apex Legends

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low104 FPS
medium104 FPS
high104 FPS
ultra104 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low300 FPS
medium300 FPS
high300 FPS
ultra300 FPS
ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low104 FPS
medium104 FPS
high104 FPS
ultra104 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low289 FPS
medium219 FPS
high191 FPS
ultra172 FPS
Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low104 FPS
medium104 FPS
high103 FPS
ultra80 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low278 FPS
medium245 FPS
high191 FPS
ultra155 FPS
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low33 FPS
medium25 FPS
high12 FPS
ultra6 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low351 FPS
medium300 FPS
high259 FPS
ultra221 FPS
Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone

1080P
Core i5-2500K
low104 FPS
medium104 FPS
high104 FPS
ultra104 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low238 FPS
medium218 FPS
high185 FPS
ultra172 FPS
Check FPS with Custom Builds

Core i5-2500K vs Ryzen 7 5700X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-2500K

2011

Why buy it

  • ✅Costs $74 less on MSRP ($225 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
  • ✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 3000, while Ryzen 7 5700X needs a discrete GPU.
  • ✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 5700X.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (3,200 vs 14,000).
  • ❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 32 MB).
  • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.4 vs 89.0 PassMark/$ ($225 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
  • ❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 5700X

2022

Why buy it

  • ✅Better for gaming: +194.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 6 MB).
  • ✅Delivers 383.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.0 vs 18.4 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $225 MSRP).
  • ✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.
  • ✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • ❌
    32.9% HIGHER MSRP
    $299 MSRPvs$225 MSRP
  • ❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-2500K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
  • ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-2500K.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5700X better than Core i5-2500K?
Yes. Ryzen 7 5700X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 194.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 337.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 542.6% 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 5700X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 194.6% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5700X is the stronger fit. You are getting 337.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 433.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 6 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 7 5700X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 5700X comes in 32.9% more expensive on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $225 MSRP, and it still gives you a 194.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 383.5% better value on MSRP (89.0 vs 18.4 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Ryzen 7 5700X makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2011), 433.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 6 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-2500K vs Ryzen 7 5700X Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Core i5-2500K

The Core i5-2500K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,141 points. Launch price was $216.

AMD

Ryzen 7 5700X

The Ryzen 7 5700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: 26,609 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-2500K packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 5700X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i5-2500K versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5700X — a 21.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5700X (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-2500K uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5700X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-2500K scores 4,141 against the Ryzen 7 5700X's 26,609 — a 146.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 3,200 vs 14,000 (125.6% advantage for the Ryzen 7 5700X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 684 vs 2,116, a 102.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 2,032 vs 9,715 (130.8% advantage for the Ryzen 7 5700X). L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-2500K vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5700X.

FeatureCore i5-2500KRyzen 7 5700X
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
8 / 16+100%
Boost Clock
3.7 GHz
4.6 GHz+24%
Base Clock
3.3 GHz
3.4 GHz+3%
L3 Cache
6 MB (total)
32 MB (total)+433%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
512K (per core)+100%
Process
32 nm
7 nm-78%
Architecture
Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark
4,141
26,609+543%
Cinebench R23 Multi
3,200
14,000+338%
Geekbench 6 Single
684
2,116+209%
Geekbench 6 Multi
2,032
9,715+378%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-2500K uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 7 5700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Core i5-2500K versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 5700X — the Ryzen 7 5700X supports 140.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 5700X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-2500K) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 5700X) — the Ryzen 7 5700X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: P67,Z68,Z77 (Core i5-2500K) and A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 7 5700X).

FeatureCore i5-2500KRyzen 7 5700X
Socket
LGA1155
AM4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 4.0+100%
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333
DDR4-3200+140%
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
128 GB+300%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
24+50%
🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Core i5-2500K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 5700X). The Core i5-2500K includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Ryzen 7 5700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2500K targets Gaming, Ryzen 7 5700X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-2500K rivals FX-6300; Ryzen 7 5700X rivals Core i7-11700K.

FeatureCore i5-2500KRyzen 7 5700X
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
HD Graphics 3000
—
Unlocked
Yes
Yes
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
VT-x
AMD-V
Target Use
Gaming
Gaming
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i5-2500K was priced at $225, while the Ryzen 7 5700X came in at $299. On launch pricing ($225 vs $299), Core i5-2500K was $74 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-2500K delivers 18.4 pts/$ vs 89.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5700X — making the Ryzen 7 5700X the 131.5% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-2500KRyzen 7 5700X
MSRP
$225-25%
$299
Performance per Dollar
18.4
89.0+384%
Release Date
2011
2022
Search Core i5-2500K on AmazonSearch Ryzen 7 5700X on Amazon

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