Pentium Silver vs Ryzen 5 5600

Intel

Pentium Silver

W2020
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Ryzen 5 5600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022
Ryzen family
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Pentium Silver vs Ryzen 5 5600 Performance Spectrum

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.

Pentium Silver 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.

Pentium Silver 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.

Pentium Silver

2020

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • Lower PassMark (2,989 vs 21,550).
    • No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

    Ryzen 5 5600

    2022

    Why buy it

    • Better for gaming: +195.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • 100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
    • Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Pentium Silver.

    Trade-offs

    • Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Pentium Silver mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Ryzen 5 5600 better than Pentium Silver?
    Yes. Ryzen 5 5600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 195.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 621% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
    Which one is better for gaming?
    If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 5600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 195.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
    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 621% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.
    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 at an unclear MSRP at $199 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 195.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2020). That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

    Pentium Silver vs Ryzen 5 5600 Technical Specifications

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

    Intel

    Pentium Silver

    The Pentium Silver is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. Passmark benchmark score: 2,989 points. Launch price was $69.

    AMD

    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 Ryzen 5 5600 is built on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the Pentium Silver scores 2,989 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 151.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600.

    FeaturePentium SilverRyzen 5 5600
    Cores / Threads
    6 / 12
    Boost Clock
    4.4 GHz
    Base Clock
    3.5 GHz
    L3 Cache
    32 MB (total)
    L2 Cache
    512K (per core)
    Process
    7 nm
    Architecture
    Vermeer (2020−2025)
    PassMark
    2,989
    21,550+621%
    Cinebench R23 Multi
    11,077
    Geekbench 6 Single
    2,052
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    8,600
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Silver) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.

    FeaturePentium SilverRyzen 5 5600
    Integrated GPU
    No
    Unlocked
    Yes
    AVX-512
    No
    Virtualization
    AMD-V
    Target Use
    Desktop