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AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K: Comparison
What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K?
L3 cache is where these two genuinely part company, AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 32 MB against Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K 12 MB, a 63% lead for AMD Ryzen 5 9600X. Add l2 cache to that, 6 MB on the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X versus 3 MB on the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K, and the pattern holds. Pcie lanes runs the same way, 24 on the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X versus 20 on the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K, another win for AMD Ryzen 5 9600X.
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K: which one fits your build
Take the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X for mainstream gaming and everyday desktop builds wanting an accessible entry point into AMD's AM5 Zen 5 platform. Avoid it for buyers needing strong multi-threaded performance for content creation, the 8-core 9700X offers meaningfully more. Take the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K for gaming-focused desktop builds wanting unlocked overclocking on a 6-core Rocket Lake chip at a lower price than the 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 9600X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, total cores, performance cores, efficiency cores, total threads and p-core base clock included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 5 further specifications as well.
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K price
Cost splits them too. Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K sits at $262, AMD Ryzen 5 9600X at $279, 6% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K differ on p-core boost clock?
Yes. P-Core Boost Clock reads 5.4 GHz on the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X versus 4.9 GHz on the Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K.
Is the Integrated Graphics the same on the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- AMD
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Intel
Product Line
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Ryzen 5
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Core i5
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Desktop
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Desktop
Model Number
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 9600X
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 11600K
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Granite Ridge
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Rocket Lake
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 2024
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 2021
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 65 W
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 125 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Intel UHD Graphics 750
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Desktop
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Zen 5, Ryzen 9000 Series
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Rocket Lake
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- AM5
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- FCLGA1200
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Current
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- End of Life
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 4 nm
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 14 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 6
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 6
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 6
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 6
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 0
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 0
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 12
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 12
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Yes
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 3.9 GHz
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 3.9 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 5.4 GHz
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 4.9 GHz
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 6 MBBest
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 3 MB-50%
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 32 MBBest
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 12 MB-62%
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 65 W
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 125 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- DDR5-5600Best
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- DDR4-3200
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 5600 MT/sBest
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 4 MT/s
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 2
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 2
ECC Support
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Yes
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- No
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Yes
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Yes
iGPU Model
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Intel UHD Graphics 750
iGPU Compute Units
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 2
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 32
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- PCIe 5.0
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- PCIe 4.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- 24
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- 20-17%
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- $279
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- $262
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Boxed Retail
- Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K
- Retail
Which one should you pick?
Choose 9600X if you want the higher L2 cache (6 MB vs 3 MB), the higher L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB) and the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).
Choose 11600K if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 5 9600X | Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11600K |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $279.00 View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | |
| Consumercarts listing | $262.00 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.
Verdict
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
8 / 10 Expert Rating
The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a strong 6-core entry point to AM5, with excellent single-core speed for gaming builds on a budget.