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AMD Ryzen 5 1600X vs Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K: Comparison

What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 5 1600X and Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K?

Start with l3 cache, because it is the widest measured gap between them: AMD Ryzen 5 1600X 16 MB against Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K 12 MB, 25% in favour of AMD Ryzen 5 1600X. AMD Ryzen 5 1600X also leads on l2 cache, 3 MB on the AMD Ryzen 5 1600X versus 1.5 MB on the Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K. There is a split on socket status as well, End of Life on the AMD Ryzen 5 1600X versus Mature on the Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K. AMD Ryzen 5 1600X also leads on pcie lanes, 20 on the AMD Ryzen 5 1600X versus 16 on the Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K.

Which should you buy, AMD Ryzen 5 1600X or Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K?

The AMD Ryzen 5 1600X suits buyers specifically wanting genuine first-generation Zen 6-core capability. Avoid it for buyers prioritizing per-core performance, later Zen generations offer meaningfully better single-threaded results. Take the Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K for gaming-focused desktop builds wanting strong per-core performance and overclocking headroom at a lower price than 8-core options. It is the wrong buy for buyers needing more than 6 cores for heavy multi-threaded productivity work.

What AMD Ryzen 5 1600X and Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K have in common

Everything else lines up. Total cores, performance cores, efficiency cores, total threads and form factor read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 5 further specifications as well.

AMD Ryzen 5 1600X vs Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K price

Price will not decide this: $249 against $262 at the last check.

Frequently asked questions

Do the AMD Ryzen 5 1600X and Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K differ on p-core boost clock?

Yes. P-Core Boost Clock reads 4 GHz on the AMD Ryzen 5 1600X versus 4.8 GHz on the Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K.

Is the Market Segment the same on the AMD Ryzen 5 1600X and Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K?

It is. Both are listed at Desktop, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    AMD
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Intel
  • Product Line

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    Ryzen 5
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Core i5
  • Form Factor

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    Desktop
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Desktop
  • Model Number

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    1600X
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    10600K
  • Codename

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    Summit Ridge
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Comet Lake
  • Release Year

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    2017
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    2020
  • TDP

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    95 W
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    125 W
  • iGPU

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    None
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
  • Market Segment

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    Desktop
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Desktop
  • Microarchitecture

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    Zen, Ryzen 1000 Series
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Comet Lake
  • Socket

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    AM4
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    FCLGA1200
  • Socket Status

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    End of Life
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Mature
  • Process Node

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    14 nm
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    14 nm
  • Total Cores

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    6
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    6
  • Performance Cores

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    6
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    6
  • Efficiency Cores

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    0
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    0
  • Total Threads

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    12
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    12
  • SMT Enabled

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    Yes
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Yes
  • P-Core Base Clock

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    3.6 GHz
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    4.1 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    4 GHz
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    4.8 GHz
  • L2 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    3 MBBest
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    1.5 MB-50%
  • L3 Cache

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    16 MBBest
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    12 MB-25%
  • Base Power

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    95 W
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    125 W
  • Max Turbo Power

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    95 W
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    182W
  • Memory Type

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    DDR4-2666
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    DDR4-2933
  • Max Memory Speed

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    2666 MT/sBest
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    4 MT/s
  • Memory Channels

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    2
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    2
  • ECC Support

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    No
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    No
  • Integrated Graphics

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    No
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Yes
  • PCIe Generation

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    3.0
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    PCIe 3.0
  • PCIe Lanes

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    20
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    16-20%
  • Launch MSRP

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    $249
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    $262
  • Retail Availability

    AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
    Retail
    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Retail

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose 1600X if you want the higher L2 cache (3 MB vs 1.5 MB), the higher L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB) and the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).

    Choose 10600K if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Price comparison

    RetailerAMD Ryzen 5 1600XIntel 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10600K
    Consumercarts listing

    $249.00

    View on Consumercarts listing
    Amazon

    $262.00

    View on Amazon
    NeweggView on Newegg

    Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.

    More comparisons in Processors (CPUs)