AMD Ryzen 5 2600 vs Intel Core i9-12900K
23.2Single-core72.2
31.6Multi-core70.4
40.5Gamingspec-based63.8
4 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 5 260017 spec wins — Intel Core i9-12900K
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core i9-12900K wins this desktop processor face-off, 69.3 to 31.3, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+49) and multi-core (+39). 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
- 48% lower Base TDP: 65 W vs 125 W
- 20% higher CPU PCIe lanes: 24 vs 20
- Has Cooler included — the other doesn't
- Lower launch price: $199 vs $648
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i9-12900K
- Stronger single-core score: 72 vs 23
- Stronger multi-core score: 70 vs 32
- 367% higher L2 cache: 14 MB vs 3 MB
- 254% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 26,229 vs 7,400
- 229% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 17,450 vs 5,300
General
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i9-12900K |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2018 | 2021 |
| Socket | AM4 | LGA1700 |
| Process | 12 nm | 10 nm+17% |
| Base TDP | 65 W+48% | 125 W |
| Max turbo power | 88 W | 241 W+174% |
| Unlocked multiplier | Yes | Yes |
| Cooler included | Yes | No |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i9-12900K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 6 | 16+167% |
| Performance cores | 6 | 8+33% |
| Efficiency cores | 0 | 8 |
| Threads | 12 | 24+100% |
| Base clock | 3.4 GHz+6% | 3.2 GHz |
| Boost clock | 3.9 GHz | 5.2 GHz+33% |
| L2 cache | 3 MB | 14 MB+367% |
| L3 cache | 16 MB | 30 MB+88% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i9-12900K |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | — | Intel UHD Graphics 770 |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,550 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i9-12900K |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR4-2933 | DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 |
| Max memory | 64 GB | 128 GB+100% |
| Memory channels | 2 | 2 |
Platform
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i9-12900K |
|---|---|---|
| PCIe version | 3 | 5+67% |
| CPU PCIe lanes | 24+20% | 20 |
Benchmarks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i9-12900K |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,140Bottom 10% | 2,715+138%Top 32% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 5,300Bottom 25% | 17,450+229%Top 24% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 980Bottom 10% | 1,903+94%Top 30% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 7,400Bottom 24% | 26,229+254%Top 19% |
| PassMark | 13,400Bottom 22% | 41,103+207%Top 24% |
Related comparisons
AMD Ryzen 5 2600vs Intel Core i5-8600KVSAMD Ryzen 5 2600vs AMD Ryzen 3 3100VSAMD Ryzen 5 2600vs Intel Core i5-9600KVSAMD Ryzen 5 2600vs Intel Core i5-10400FVSIntel Core i9-12900Kvs AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3DVSIntel Core i9-12900Kvs AMD Ryzen 9 5950XVSIntel Core i9-12900Kvs Intel Core i5-14600KVSIntel Core i9-12900Kvs AMD Ryzen 7 9700XVS