How do the scores compare?

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 scores 41.6/100 overall; Intel Core i3-2120 scores 20/100. AMD Ryzen 5 3600 wins 16 individual spec rows, Intel Core i3-2120 wins 0.

What are the main differences between the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and the Intel Core i3-2120?

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 advantages: Stronger Single-core score: 35 vs 20; Stronger Multi-core score: 36 vs 20; Stronger gaming score: 59 vs 20; 967% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 3 MB; 642% higher PassMark: 17,800 vs 2,400. Intel Core i3-2120 advantages: Lower launch price: $138 vs $199.

Which is cheaper: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i3-2120?

Intel Core i3-2120 launched cheaper at $138, versus $199 for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600.

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 vs Intel Core i3-2120

WINNER

AMD

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

$199

Intel

Intel Core i3-2120

$138

34.8Single-core20

36.4Multi-core20

59.1Gaming20

16 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 5 36000 spec wins — Intel Core i3-2120

InnoReviews verdict

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 wins this desktop processor face-off, 41.6 to 20, pulling ahead mainly in gaming (+39) and Multi-core (+16). Intel Core i3-2120 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 3600

Stronger Single-core score: 35 vs 20
Stronger Multi-core score: 36 vs 20
Stronger gaming score: 59 vs 20
967% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 3 MB
642% higher PassMark: 17,800 vs 2,400

Reasons to pick the Intel Core i3-2120

Lower launch price: $138 vs $199

General

General comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i3-2120
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i3-2120
Announced	2019	2011
Socket	AM4	LGA1155
Process	7 nm+78%	32 nm
Base TDP	65 W	65 W
Max turbo power	88 W	—
Unlocked multiplier	Yes	No
Cooler included	Yes	Yes

Cores & Clocks

Cores & Clocks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i3-2120
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i3-2120
Cores	6+200%	2
Performance cores	6+200%	2
Efficiency cores	0	0
Threads	12+200%	4
Base clock	3.6 GHz+9%	3.3 GHz
Boost clock	4.2 GHz+27%	3.3 GHz
L2 cache	3 MB+500%	1 MB
L3 cache	32 MB+967%	3 MB

Integrated GPU

Integrated GPU comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i3-2120
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i3-2120
iGPU	—	Intel HD Graphics 2000
iGPU clock	—	1,100 MHz

Memory

Memory comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i3-2120
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i3-2120
Memory support	DDR4-3200	DDR3-1333
Max memory	128 GB+300%	32 GB
Memory channels	2	2

Platform

Platform comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i3-2120
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i3-2120
PCIe version	4+100%	2
CPU PCIe lanes	24+50%	16

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i3-2120
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i3-2120
Geekbench 6 (single)	1,450+86%Top 70%	780Top 100%
Geekbench 6 (multi)	6,900+331%Top 58%	1,600Top 100%
Cinebench R23 (single)	1,250Top 66%	—
Cinebench R23 (multi)	9,200Top 61%	—
PassMark	17,800+642%Top 56%	2,400Top 100%

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