Core i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 5 5600

Core i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 5 5600 Performance Spectrum

Core i9-9900KS

8 / 16

19,397

0.0%

21,550

+11.1%

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 i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 5 5600 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 i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 5 5600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i9-9900KS

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,397 vs 21,550).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.8 vs 108.3 PassMark/$ ($513 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌95.4% higher power demand at 127W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅+11.1% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $314 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Delivers 186.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 108.3 vs 37.8 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 127W, a 62W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9900KS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600 better than Core i9-9900KS?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i9-9900KS is ahead with a 7.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600 pulls ahead with 11.1% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600 also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 11.1% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5600 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 5600 comes in $314 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $513 MSRP, and it still gives you 11.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i9-9900KS is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 7.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 186.4% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 37.8 PassMark/$), 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 5 5600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019), 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i9-9900KS vs Ryzen 5 5600 Technical Specifications

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

Core i9-9900KS

The Core i9-9900KS is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 127 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,397 points. Launch price was $513.

Ryzen 5 5600

The Ryzen 5 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 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: 21,550 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-9900KS packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-9900KS has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900KS versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Core i9-9900KS (base: 4 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i9-9900KS uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9900KS scores 19,397 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 10.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900KS vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i9-9900KS	Ryzen 5 5600
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5 GHz+14%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	4 GHz+14%	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark	19,397	21,550+11%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	11,077
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,052
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,600

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9900KS uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-9900KS	Ryzen 5 5600
Socket	LGA1151	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-9900KS) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i9-9900KS	Ryzen 5 5600
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i9-9900KS was priced at $513, while the Ryzen 5 5600 came in at $199. On launch pricing ($513 vs $199), Ryzen 5 5600 was $314 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-9900KS delivers 37.8 pts/$ vs 108.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600 — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 96.5% better value option.

Feature	Core i9-9900KS	Ryzen 5 5600
MSRP	$513	$199-61%
Performance per Dollar	37.8	108.3+187%
Release Date	2019	2022

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