Pentium 2117U vs Ryzen 5 3600
Pentium 2117U
Ryzen 5 3600
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. The Pentium 2117U is positioned at rank #117 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 2117U
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 3600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 2117U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Matisse (2019−2020) / 7 nm, 12 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 2117U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 2117U and Ryzen 5 3600
Pentium 2117U
The Pentium 2117U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,009 points. Launch price was $134.
Ryzen 5 3600
The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.
Processing Power
The Pentium 2117U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 3600 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Pentium 2117U versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 80% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 1.8 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Pentium 2117U uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 2117U scores 1,009 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 178.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 2117U vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.
| Feature | Pentium 2117U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 6 / 12+200% |
| Boost Clock | 1.8 GHz | 4.2 GHz+133% |
| Base Clock | 1.8 GHz | 3.6 GHz+100% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 32 MB (total)+1500% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512K (per core)+100% |
| Process | 22 nm | 7 nm, 12 nm-68% |
| Architecture | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) | Matisse (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 1,009 | 17,685+1653% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 9,500 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,295 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,898 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 2117U uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 2117U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1023 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 24 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 2117U) / Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.
| Feature | Pentium 2117U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
| Target Use | — | Gaming/Budget Workstation |
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