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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-8600T

2018

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (9 MB vs 4 MB).
✅300% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 7520U.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7520U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $213 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 7520U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7520U moves to FT6 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 7520U

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FT6 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (4,527 vs 4,633).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 9 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-8600T.

Core i5-8600T

2018

Ryzen 5 7520U

2022

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (9 MB vs 4 MB).
✅300% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 7520U.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FT6 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7520U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $213 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 7520U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7520U moves to FT6 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (4,527 vs 4,633).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 9 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-8600T.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7520U better than Core i5-8600T?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 7520U is ahead with a 11.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-8600T pulls ahead with 2.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i5-8600T also has the bigger cache pool with 125% larger total L3 cache (9 MB vs 4 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-8600T is the better fit. You are getting 2.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 125% larger total L3 cache (9 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 7520U is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen 5 7520U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $213 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-8600T only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (43.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

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

Ryzen 5 7520U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018) and a healthier platform with FT6 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-8600T Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7520U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-8600T	Ryzen 5 7520U
1080p
low	175 FPS	170 FPS
medium	142 FPS	135 FPS
high	115 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	86 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	143 FPS
medium	121 FPS	112 FPS
high	96 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	76 FPS
medium	60 FPS	64 FPS
high	47 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i5-8600T Open Ryzen 5 7520U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-8600T	Ryzen 5 7520U
1080p
low	230 FPS	227 FPS
medium	230 FPS	227 FPS
high	206 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	175 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	227 FPS
medium	202 FPS	199 FPS
high	182 FPS	181 FPS
ultra	152 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	202 FPS	174 FPS
medium	177 FPS	153 FPS
high	156 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i5-8600T Open Ryzen 5 7520U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-8600T	Ryzen 5 7520U
1080p
low	230 FPS	227 FPS
medium	230 FPS	227 FPS
high	230 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	230 FPS	227 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	227 FPS
medium	230 FPS	227 FPS
high	230 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	230 FPS	227 FPS
4K
low	230 FPS	227 FPS
medium	213 FPS	227 FPS
high	184 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	146 FPS	219 FPS

Open Core i5-8600T Open Ryzen 5 7520U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-8600T	Ryzen 5 7520U
1080p
low	230 FPS	227 FPS
medium	230 FPS	227 FPS
high	230 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	230 FPS	227 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	227 FPS
medium	230 FPS	227 FPS
high	230 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	230 FPS	227 FPS
4K
low	230 FPS	227 FPS
medium	230 FPS	227 FPS
high	230 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	230 FPS	227 FPS

Open Core i5-8600T Open Ryzen 5 7520U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-8600T and Ryzen 5 7520U

Core i5-8600T

The Core i5-8600T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 9,201 points. Launch price was $213.

Ryzen 5 7520U

The Ryzen 5 7520U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Mendocino-U (Zen 2) (2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FT6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 9,063 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-8600T packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7520U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-8600T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i5-8600T versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7520U — a 15% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7520U (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-8600T uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7520U uses Mendocino-U (Zen 2) (2022) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8600T scores 9,201 against the Ryzen 5 7520U's 9,063 — a 1.5% lead for the Core i5-8600T. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 4,633 vs 4,527 (2.3% advantage for the Core i5-8600T). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,224 vs 797, a 42.3% lead for the Core i5-8600T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 4,470 vs 2,744 (47.9% advantage for the Core i5-8600T). L3 cache: 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-8600T vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7520U.

Feature	Core i5-8600T	Ryzen 5 7520U
Cores / Threads	6 / 6+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	4.3 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	2.8 GHz+22%
L3 Cache	9 MB (total)+125%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	6 nm-57%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Mendocino-U (Zen 2) (2022)
PassMark	9,201+2%	9,063
Cinebench R23 Multi	4,633+2%	4,527
Geekbench 6 Single	1,224+54%	797
Geekbench 6 Multi	4,470+63%	2,744

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8600T uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 7520U uses FT6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-8600T versus LPDDR5-5500 on the Ryzen 5 7520U — the Ryzen 5 7520U supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-8600T supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-8600T) vs 4 (Ryzen 5 7520U) — the Core i5-8600T offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H310,B360,H370,Q370,Z370,Z390 (Core i5-8600T) and FT6 (Ryzen 5 7520U).

Feature	Core i5-8600T	Ryzen 5 7520U
Socket	LGA1151	FT6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	LPDDR5-5500+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+700%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+300%	4

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: Yes (Core i5-8600T) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7520U). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i5-8600T) and Radeon 610M (Ryzen 5 7520U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU.