Core i9-10900 vs Ryzen 5 5500GT

CPU

GPU

Core i9-10900

10 Cores20 Thrd65 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2020

Popular choices:

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Ryzen 5 5500GT

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2024

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i9-10900

10 / 20

19,163

+1.7%

18,846

0.0%

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.

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 i9-10900

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +34.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.7 vs 150.8 PassMark/$ ($483 MSRP vs $125 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 5500GT can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5500GT.

Ryzen 5 5500GT

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $358 less on MSRP ($125 MSRP vs $483 MSRP).
✅Delivers 280.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 150.8 vs 39.7 PassMark/$ ($125 MSRP vs $483 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 7, while Core i9-10900 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-10900.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10900 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,846 vs 19,163).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).

Core i9-10900

2020

Ryzen 5 5500GT

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +34.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $358 less on MSRP ($125 MSRP vs $483 MSRP).
✅Delivers 280.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 150.8 vs 39.7 PassMark/$ ($125 MSRP vs $483 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 7, while Core i9-10900 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-10900.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.7 vs 150.8 PassMark/$ ($483 MSRP vs $125 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 5500GT can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5500GT.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10900 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,846 vs 19,163).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10900 better than Ryzen 5 5500GT?

Yes. Core i9-10900 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 34.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.7% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-10900 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 34.3% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10900 is the better fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Core i9-10900 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5500GT makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-10900 is 286.4% more expensive on MSRP at $483 MSRP versus $125 MSRP, and it gives you a 34.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5500GT is also 280.0% better value on MSRP (150.8 vs 39.7 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 5500GT 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 5500GT is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i9-10900 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5500GT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-10900	Ryzen 5 5500GT
1080p
low	292 FPS	178 FPS
medium	259 FPS	148 FPS
high	219 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	239 FPS	152 FPS
medium	191 FPS	124 FPS
high	157 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	166 FPS	83 FPS
medium	135 FPS	74 FPS
high	104 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i9-10900 Open Ryzen 5 5500GT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-10900	Ryzen 5 5500GT
1080p
low	479 FPS	340 FPS
medium	479 FPS	287 FPS
high	479 FPS	256 FPS
ultra	479 FPS	222 FPS
1440p
low	479 FPS	301 FPS
medium	479 FPS	261 FPS
high	479 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	452 FPS	202 FPS
4K
low	454 FPS	234 FPS
medium	385 FPS	207 FPS
high	360 FPS	191 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	161 FPS

Open Core i9-10900 Open Ryzen 5 5500GT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-10900	Ryzen 5 5500GT
1080p
low	479 FPS	471 FPS
medium	479 FPS	471 FPS
high	479 FPS	471 FPS
ultra	479 FPS	418 FPS
1440p
low	479 FPS	471 FPS
medium	479 FPS	409 FPS
high	479 FPS	369 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	308 FPS
4K
low	479 FPS	339 FPS
medium	465 FPS	287 FPS
high	417 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	192 FPS

Open Core i9-10900 Open Ryzen 5 5500GT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-10900	Ryzen 5 5500GT
1080p
low	479 FPS	471 FPS
medium	479 FPS	471 FPS
high	479 FPS	471 FPS
ultra	479 FPS	471 FPS
1440p
low	479 FPS	471 FPS
medium	479 FPS	471 FPS
high	479 FPS	471 FPS
ultra	479 FPS	461 FPS
4K
low	479 FPS	471 FPS
medium	479 FPS	428 FPS
high	479 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	436 FPS	327 FPS

Open Core i9-10900 Open Ryzen 5 5500GT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10900 and Ryzen 5 5500GT

Core i9-10900

The Core i9-10900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 19,163 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 5500GT

The Ryzen 5 5500GT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 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: 18,846 points. Launch price was $125.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-10900 packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5500GT offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-10900 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10900 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500GT — a 14.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-10900 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i9-10900 uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5500GT uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10900 scores 19,163 against the Ryzen 5 5500GT's 18,846 — a 1.7% lead for the Core i9-10900. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i9-10900 vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5500GT.

Feature	Core i9-10900	Ryzen 5 5500GT
Cores / Threads	10 / 20+67%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+16%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	3.6 GHz+29%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+25%	16 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Cezanne (2021−2025)
PassMark	19,163+2%	18,846
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	10,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,412
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,514

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10900 uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 5500GT uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-10900	Ryzen 5 5500GT
Socket	LGA1200	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-10900) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5500GT). The Ryzen 5 5500GT includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 7), while the Core i9-10900 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5500GT targets Budget. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 5500GT rivals Core i5-12400.

Feature	Core i9-10900	Ryzen 5 5500GT
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon Vega 7
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Budget

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-10900 launched at $483 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5500GT debuted at $125. On MSRP ($483 vs $125), the Ryzen 5 5500GT is $358 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-10900 delivers 39.7 pts/$ vs 150.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5500GT — making the Ryzen 5 5500GT the 116.7% better value option.