Ryzen 5 2600E vs Ryzen 5 5600

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.

Ryzen 5 2600E 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.

Ryzen 5 2600E 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.

Ryzen 5 2600E

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (12,346 vs 21,550).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 32 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 5600.

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Ryzen 5 2600E.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 2600E mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600 better than Ryzen 5 2600E?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 31.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 74.6% 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 31.0% 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 74.6% 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 at an unclear MSRP at $199 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 31.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (108.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2018), 100% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 5 2600E vs Ryzen 5 5600 Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 5 2600E

The Ryzen 5 2600E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 12,346 points. Launch price was $149.

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

Both the Ryzen 5 2600E and Ryzen 5 5600 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 2600E versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 2600E uses the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture (12 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 2600E scores 12,346 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 54.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 2600E vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Ryzen 5 2600E	Ryzen 5 5600
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.4 GHz+10%
Base Clock	3.1 GHz	3.5 GHz+13%
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	12 nm	7 nm-42%
Architecture	Zen+ (2018−2019)	Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark	12,346	21,550+75%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	11,077
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,052
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,600