Core i5-2550K vs Pentium Gold G5620

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 i5-2550K vs Pentium Gold G5620 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 i5-2550K vs Pentium Gold G5620: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-2550K

2012

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Pentium Gold G5620.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium Gold G5620 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,228 vs 4,251).
❌Launch MSRP is still $235 MSRP, while Pentium Gold G5620 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌75.9% higher power demand at 95W vs 54W.

Pentium Gold G5620

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 54W instead of 95W, a 41W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-2550K.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold G5620 better than Core i5-2550K?

Yes. Pentium Gold G5620 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better 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, Pentium Gold G5620 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.0% 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, Pentium Gold G5620 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Gold G5620 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium Gold G5620 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $235 MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-2550K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2012 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (18.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1155.

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

Pentium Gold G5620 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2012) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-2550K vs Pentium Gold G5620 Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-2550K

The Core i5-2550K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,228 points. Launch price was $189.

Pentium Gold G5620

The Pentium Gold G5620 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 February 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 4,251 points. Launch price was $93.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-2550K packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium Gold G5620 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-2550K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-2550K versus 4 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5620 — a 5.1% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold G5620 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i5-2550K uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium Gold G5620 uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-2550K scores 4,228 against the Pentium Gold G5620's 4,251 — a 0.5% lead for the Pentium Gold G5620. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total) on the Core i5-2550K vs 4 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold G5620.

Feature	Core i5-2550K	Pentium Gold G5620
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	4 GHz+18%
L3 Cache	6144 kB (total)+50%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark	4,228	4,251
Cinebench R23 Multi	4,058	—
Geekbench 6 Single	707	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,010	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-2550K uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold G5620 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-2550K	Pentium Gold G5620
Socket	LGA1155	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—