How do the scores compare?

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 scores 41.6/100 overall; Intel Core i5-12600KF scores 56.6/100. AMD Ryzen 5 3600 wins 5 individual spec rows, Intel Core i5-12600KF wins 14.

What are the main differences between the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and the Intel Core i5-12600KF?

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 advantages: Stronger gaming score: 59 vs 52; 60% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 20 MB; 48% lower Base TDP: 65 W vs 125 W; 30% lower process: 7 nm vs 10 nm; 20% higher CPU PCIe lanes: 24 vs 20; Lower launch price: $199 vs $264. Intel Core i5-12600KF advantages: Stronger Single-core score: 67 vs 35; Stronger Multi-core score: 52 vs 36; 217% higher L2 cache: 10 MB vs 3 MB; 88% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 17,300 vs 9,200; 81% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 12,500 vs 6,900.

Which is cheaper: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-12600KF?

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 launched cheaper at $199, versus $264 for the Intel Core i5-12600KF.

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 vs Intel Core i5-12600KF

AMD

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

$199

WINNER

Intel

Intel Core i5-12600KF

$264

34.8Single-core66.5

36.4Multi-core52.4

59.1Gaming52.1

5 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 5 360014 spec wins — Intel Core i5-12600KF

InnoReviews verdict

Intel Core i5-12600KF wins this desktop processor face-off, 56.6 to 41.6, pulling ahead mainly in Single-core (+32) and Multi-core (+16). AMD Ryzen 5 3600 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 gaming score: 59 vs 52
60% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 20 MB
48% lower Base TDP: 65 W vs 125 W
30% lower process: 7 nm vs 10 nm
20% higher CPU PCIe lanes: 24 vs 20
Lower launch price: $199 vs $264

Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-12600KF

Stronger Single-core score: 67 vs 35
Stronger Multi-core score: 52 vs 36
217% higher L2 cache: 10 MB vs 3 MB
88% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 17,300 vs 9,200
81% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 12,500 vs 6,900

General

General comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12600KF
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12600KF
Announced	2019	2021
Socket	AM4	LGA1700
Process	7 nm+30%	10 nm
Base TDP	65 W+48%	125 W
Max turbo power	88 W	150 W+70%
Unlocked multiplier	Yes	Yes
Cooler included	Yes	No

Cores & Clocks

Cores & Clocks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12600KF
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12600KF
Cores	6	10+67%
Performance cores	6	6
Efficiency cores	0	4
Threads	12	16+33%
Base clock	3.6 GHz	3.7 GHz+3%
Boost clock	4.2 GHz	4.9 GHz+17%
L2 cache	3 MB	10 MB+217%
L3 cache	32 MB+60%	20 MB

Memory

Memory comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12600KF
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12600KF
Memory support	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200
Max memory	128 GB	128 GB
Memory channels	2	2

Platform

Platform comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12600KF
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12600KF
PCIe version	4	5+25%
CPU PCIe lanes	24+20%	20

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12600KF
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12600KF
Geekbench 6 (single)	1,450Top 70%	2,400+66%Top 28%
Geekbench 6 (multi)	6,900Top 58%	12,500+81%Top 29%
Cinebench R23 (single)	1,250Top 66%	1,900+52%Top 21%
Cinebench R23 (multi)	9,200Top 61%	17,300+88%Top 28%
PassMark	17,800Top 56%	27,300+53%Top 33%

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