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AMD Ryzen 5 2600X vs Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K: Comparison
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X vs Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K l3 cache compared
On l3 cache the spread is 44%, AMD Ryzen 5 2600X 16 MB against Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K 9 MB, so AMD Ryzen 5 2600X takes it. L2 cache runs the same way, 3 MB on the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X versus 1.5 MB on the Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K, another win for AMD Ryzen 5 2600X. AMD Ryzen 5 2600X also leads on pcie lanes, 20 on the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X versus 16 on the Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K.
Who each one is for
Buy the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X for gaming and productivity desktop builds wanting genuine 6-core Zen+ performance. Avoid it for buyers with access to Zen 2 or newer chips, those generations offer meaningfully better per-core performance. Take the Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K for enthusiast gaming desktop builds wanting an unlocked 6-core chip without paying for hyperthreading. It is not the one for buyers needing hyperthreading for lightly multi-threaded work, the i7-8700K offers that alongside similar clocks.
Where the two are identical
Where they agree, they agree completely, total cores, performance cores, efficiency cores, p-core base clock and tdp included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 9 further specifications as well.
Which is cheaper, AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K?
Cost splits them too. AMD Ryzen 5 2600X sits at $229, Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K at $257, 12% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X and Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K differ on total threads?
Yes. Total Threads reads 12 on the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X versus 6 on the Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K.
Is the Socket Status the same on the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X and Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K?
It is. Both are listed at End of Life, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- AMD
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- Intel
Product Line
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- Ryzen 5
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- Core i5
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- Desktop
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- Desktop
Model Number
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 2600X
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 8600K
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- Pinnacle Ridge
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- Coffee Lake
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 2018
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 2017
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 95 W
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 95 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- None
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- Desktop
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- Zen+, Ryzen 2000 Series
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- Coffee Lake, 8th Gen Intel Core
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- AM4
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- FCLGA1151
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- End of Life
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- End of Life
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 12 nm
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 14 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 6
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 6
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 6
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 6
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 0
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 0
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 12Best
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 6
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- Yes
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- No
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 3.6 GHz
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 3.6 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 4.2 GHz
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 4.3 GHz
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 3 MBBest
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 1.5 MB-50%
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 16 MBBest
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 9 MB-44%
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 95 W
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 95 W
Max Turbo Power
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 128 W
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 95 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- DDR4
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- DDR4-2666
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 2933 MT/sBest
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 2666 MT/s
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 2
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 2
ECC Support
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- No
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- No
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- No
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- Yes
Copilot Plus Certified
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- No
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- No
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 3.0
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 3.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- 20
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- 16-20%
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- $229
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- $257
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- Retail
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K
- Retail
Which one should you pick?
Choose 2600X if you want the higher L2 cache (3 MB vs 1.5 MB), the higher L3 cache (16 MB vs 9 MB) and the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).
Choose 8600K if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8600K |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $229.00 View on Consumercarts listing | $257.00 View on Consumercarts listing |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.