How do the scores compare?

AMD Ryzen 5 2600 scores 31.3/100 overall; Intel Core i7-9700K scores 37.6/100. AMD Ryzen 5 2600 wins 7 individual spec rows, Intel Core i7-9700K wins 11.

What are the main differences between the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and the Intel Core i7-9700K?

AMD Ryzen 5 2600 advantages: 50% higher threads: 12 vs 8; 50% higher L2 cache: 3 MB vs 2 MB; 50% higher CPU PCIe lanes: 24 vs 16; 33% higher L3 cache: 16 MB vs 12 MB; 32% lower Base TDP: 65 W vs 95 W; Lower launch price: $199 vs $374. Intel Core i7-9700K advantages: Stronger Single-core score: 39 vs 23; Stronger Multi-core score: 36 vs 32; 100% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 64 GB; 47% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 1,680 vs 1,140; 35% higher Max turbo power: 119 W vs 88 W.

Which is cheaper: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel Core i7-9700K?

AMD Ryzen 5 2600 launched cheaper at $199, versus $374 for the Intel Core i7-9700K.

AMD Ryzen 5 2600 vs Intel Core i7-9700K

AMD

AMD Ryzen 5 2600

$199

WINNER

Intel

Intel Core i7-9700K

$374

23.2Single-core39

31.6Multi-core35.5

40.5Gaming39.8

7 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 5 260011 spec wins — Intel Core i7-9700K

InnoReviews verdict

Intel Core i7-9700K wins this desktop processor face-off, 37.6 to 31.3, pulling ahead mainly in Single-core (+16) and Multi-core (+4). AMD Ryzen 5 2600 still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.

Which would you pick?

Key differences

Reasons to pick the AMD Ryzen 5 2600

50% higher threads: 12 vs 8
50% higher L2 cache: 3 MB vs 2 MB
50% higher CPU PCIe lanes: 24 vs 16
33% higher L3 cache: 16 MB vs 12 MB
32% lower Base TDP: 65 W vs 95 W
Lower launch price: $199 vs $374

Reasons to pick the Intel Core i7-9700K

Stronger Single-core score: 39 vs 23
Stronger Multi-core score: 36 vs 32
100% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 64 GB
47% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 1,680 vs 1,140
35% higher Max turbo power: 119 W vs 88 W

General

General comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 versus Intel Core i7-9700K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 2600	Intel Core i7-9700K
Announced	2018	2018
Socket	AM4	LGA1151-v2
Process	12 nm+14%	14 nm
Base TDP	65 W+32%	95 W
Max turbo power	88 W	119 W+35%
Unlocked multiplier	Yes	Yes
Cooler included	Yes	No

Cores & Clocks

Cores & Clocks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 versus Intel Core i7-9700K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 2600	Intel Core i7-9700K
Cores	6	8+33%
Performance cores	6	8+33%
Efficiency cores	0	0
Threads	12+50%	8
Base clock	3.4 GHz	3.6 GHz+6%
Boost clock	3.9 GHz	4.9 GHz+26%
L2 cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB
L3 cache	16 MB+33%	12 MB

Integrated GPU

Integrated GPU comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 versus Intel Core i7-9700K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 2600	Intel Core i7-9700K
iGPU	—	Intel UHD Graphics 630
iGPU clock	—	1,200 MHz

Memory

Memory comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 versus Intel Core i7-9700K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 2600	Intel Core i7-9700K
Memory support	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2666
Max memory	64 GB	128 GB+100%
Memory channels	2	2

Platform

Platform comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 versus Intel Core i7-9700K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 2600	Intel Core i7-9700K
PCIe version	3	3
CPU PCIe lanes	24+50%	16

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 versus Intel Core i7-9700K
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 2600	Intel Core i7-9700K
Geekbench 6 (single)	1,140Top 90%	1,680+47%Top 53%
Geekbench 6 (multi)	5,300Top 72%	7,000+32%Top 57%
Cinebench R23 (single)	980Top 88%	1,250+28%Top 66%
Cinebench R23 (multi)	7,400Top 72%	9,700+31%Top 59%
PassMark	13,400Top 69%	14,300+7%Top 64%

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