How do the scores compare?

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X scores 49.8/100 overall; Intel Core i3-12100 scores 41/100. AMD Ryzen 5 5600X wins 12 individual spec rows, Intel Core i3-12100 wins 7.

What are the main differences between the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and the Intel Core i3-12100?

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X advantages: Stronger Multi-core score: 42 vs 34; Stronger gaming score: 62 vs 36; 167% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 12 MB; 56% higher PassMark: 21,900 vs 14,000; 50% higher cores: 6 vs 4. Intel Core i3-12100 advantages: Stronger Single-core score: 55 vs 52; 67% higher L2 cache: 5 MB vs 3 MB; 25% higher PCIe version: 5 vs 4; Lower launch price: $122 vs $299.

Which is cheaper: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel Core i3-12100?

Intel Core i3-12100 launched cheaper at $122, versus $299 for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X vs Intel Core i3-12100

WINNER

AMD

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

$299

Intel

Intel Core i3-12100

$122

52Single-core55.3

41.8Multi-core34.2

61.6Gaming36

12 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 5 5600X7 spec wins — Intel Core i3-12100

InnoReviews verdict

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X wins this desktop processor face-off, 49.8 to 41, pulling ahead mainly in gaming (+26) and Multi-core (+8). Intel Core i3-12100 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 5600X

Stronger Multi-core score: 42 vs 34
Stronger gaming score: 62 vs 36
167% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 12 MB
56% higher PassMark: 21,900 vs 14,000
50% higher cores: 6 vs 4

Reasons to pick the Intel Core i3-12100

Stronger Single-core score: 55 vs 52
67% higher L2 cache: 5 MB vs 3 MB
25% higher PCIe version: 5 vs 4
Lower launch price: $122 vs $299

General

General comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X versus Intel Core i3-12100
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X	Intel Core i3-12100
Announced	2020	2022
Socket	AM4	LGA1700
Process	7 nm+30%	10 nm
Base TDP	65 W	60 W+8%
Max turbo power	88 W	89 W+1%
Unlocked multiplier	Yes	No
Cooler included	Yes	Yes

Cores & Clocks

Cores & Clocks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X versus Intel Core i3-12100
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X	Intel Core i3-12100
Cores	6+50%	4
Performance cores	6+50%	4
Efficiency cores	0	0
Threads	12+50%	8
Base clock	3.7 GHz+12%	3.3 GHz
Boost clock	4.6 GHz+7%	4.3 GHz
L2 cache	3 MB	5 MB+67%
L3 cache	32 MB+167%	12 MB

Integrated GPU

Integrated GPU comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X versus Intel Core i3-12100
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X	Intel Core i3-12100
iGPU	—	Intel UHD Graphics 730
iGPU clock	—	1,400 MHz

Memory

Memory comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X versus Intel Core i3-12100
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X	Intel Core i3-12100
Memory support	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200
Max memory	128 GB	128 GB
Memory channels	2	2

Platform

Platform comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X versus Intel Core i3-12100
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X	Intel Core i3-12100
PCIe version	4	5+25%
CPU PCIe lanes	24+20%	20

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X versus Intel Core i3-12100
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X	Intel Core i3-12100
Geekbench 6 (single)	2,020Top 39%	2,050+1%Top 36%
Geekbench 6 (multi)	9,100+36%Top 45%	6,700Top 60%
Cinebench R23 (single)	1,560Top 41%	1,680+8%Top 35%
Cinebench R23 (multi)	11,200+29%Top 49%	8,700Top 66%
PassMark	21,900+56%Top 44%	14,000Top 66%

Related comparisons

AMD Ryzen 5 5600Xvs AMD Ryzen 5 5600VS AMD Ryzen 5 5600Xvs Intel Core i9-10900KVS AMD Ryzen 5 5600Xvs AMD Ryzen 7 5700XVS AMD Ryzen 5 5600Xvs Intel Core i5-12400VS Intel Core i3-12100vs AMD Ryzen 5 5500VS Intel Core i3-12100vs Intel Core i3-12100FVS Intel Core i3-12100vs AMD Ryzen 5 3600VS Intel Core i3-12100vs Intel Core i5-11600KVS

Try another matchup

Device oneDevice two