Pentium Silver N6000 vs Ryzen 5 3600
Pentium Silver N6000
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 Silver N6000 is positioned at rank #695 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower 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 Silver N6000
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 3600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Silver N6000 | 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 | ✨ Modern (Jasper Lake (2021) / 10 nm) | ✨ Modern (Matisse (2019−2020) / 7 nm, 12 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Silver N6000 | 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 Silver N6000 and Ryzen 5 3600
Pentium Silver N6000
The Pentium Silver N6000 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Jasper Lake (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.5 MB (total). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1338. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,989 points. Launch price was $69.
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 Silver N6000 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 3600 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Pentium Silver N6000 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 24% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Pentium Silver N6000 uses the Jasper Lake (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Silver N6000 scores 2,989 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 142.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 1,911 vs 9,500 (133% advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 473 vs 1,295, a 93% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,090 vs 1,898 (54.1% advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600). L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Pentium Silver N6000 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.
| Feature | Pentium Silver N6000 | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 6 / 12+50% |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz | 4.2 GHz+27% |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | 3.6 GHz+227% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 32 MB (total)+700% |
| L2 Cache | 1.5 MB (total)+200% | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 10 nm | 7 nm, 12 nm-30% |
| Architecture | Jasper Lake (2021) | Matisse (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 2,989 | 17,685+492% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,911 | 9,500+397% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 473 | 1,295+174% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,090 | 1,898+74% |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Silver N6000 uses the BGA1338 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2933 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 3600 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: 8 (Pentium Silver N6000) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 3600) — the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Pentium Silver N6000) and AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600).
| Feature | Pentium Silver N6000 | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1338 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2933 | DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 128 GB+700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | 24+200% |
Advanced Features
Only the Ryzen 5 3600 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Pentium Silver N6000) vs Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). The Pentium Silver N6000 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics (32 EU)), while the Ryzen 5 3600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium Silver N6000 targets Budget, Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Pentium Silver N6000 rivals Celeron N5105; Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.
| Feature | Pentium Silver N6000 | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics (32 EU) | — |
| Unlocked | No | Yes |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | Yes |
| Target Use | Budget | Gaming/Budget Workstation |
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