Ryzen Z2 vs Core i5-8600K
Ryzen Z2
Core i5-8600K
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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Ryzen Z2 is positioned at rank 115 and the Core i5-8600K is on rank 501, so the Ryzen Z2 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen Z2
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8600K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Ryzen Z2 | Core i5-8600K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) / 4 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Ryzen Z2 | Core i5-8600K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
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 Ryzen Z2 and Core i5-8600K
Ryzen Z2
The Ryzen Z2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,106 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i5-8600K
The Core i5-8600K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 October 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,134 points. Launch price was $257.
Processing Power
The Ryzen Z2 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i5-8600K offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Ryzen Z2 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 versus 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-8600K — a 17% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z2 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Ryzen Z2 uses the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Core i5-8600K uses Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Z2 scores 10,106 against the Core i5-8600K's 10,134 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-8600K. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen Z2 vs 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-8600K.
| Feature | Ryzen Z2 | Core i5-8600K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16+33% | 6 / 6 |
| Boost Clock | 5.1 GHz+19% | 4.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.3 GHz | 3.6 GHz+9% |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB+78% | 9 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 8 MB+3100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 4 nm-71% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) | Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) |
| PassMark | 10,106 | 10,134 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,550 |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen Z2 uses the FP7/FP7r2/FP8 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-8600K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Ryzen Z2 | Core i5-8600K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP7/FP7r2/FP8 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen Z2) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-8600K). The Core i5-8600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen Z2 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-8600K targets Gaming Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-8600K rivals Ryzen 5 2600X.
| Feature | Ryzen Z2 | Core i5-8600K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | UHD Graphics 630 |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Gaming Desktop |
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