AMD Ryzen 5 9600 vs Intel Core i5-12600K
—Single-core65.2
52.6Multi-core50.8
65.3Gamingspec-based52.1
10 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 5 96004 spec wins — Intel Core i5-12600K
InnoReviews verdict
No overall winner yet: AMD Ryzen 5 9600 lacks the published benchmark results an Inno Score requires, so there is no Inno Score to compare — we don't rank chips on their spec sheet alone. The spec table below still shows every difference we track.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the AMD Ryzen 5 9600
- 100% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 128 GB
- 60% lower process: 4 nm vs 10 nm
- 60% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 20 MB
- 48% lower Base TDP: 65 W vs 125 W
- 40% higher CPU PCIe lanes: 28 vs 20
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-12600K
- 67% higher cores: 10 vs 6
- 58% higher L2 cache: 10 MB vs 6 MB
- 33% higher threads: 16 vs 12
General
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 9600 | Intel Core i5-12600K |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025 | 2021 |
| Socket | AM5 | LGA1700 |
| Process | 4 nm+60% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | 65 W+48% | 125 W |
| Max turbo power | — | 150 W |
| Unlocked multiplier | Yes | Yes |
| Cooler included | Yes | No |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 9600 | Intel Core i5-12600K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 6 | 10+67% |
| Performance cores | 6 | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 0 | 4 |
| Threads | 12 | 16+33% |
| Base clock | 3.8 GHz+3% | 3.7 GHz |
| Boost clock | 5.2 GHz+6% | 4.9 GHz |
| L2 cache | 6 MB | 10 MB+58% |
| L3 cache | 32 MB+60% | 20 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 9600 | Intel Core i5-12600K |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | AMD Radeon Graphics (2 CU RDNA 2) | Intel UHD Graphics 770 |
| iGPU clock | 2,200 MHz | 1,450 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 9600 | Intel Core i5-12600K |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR5-5600 | DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 |
| Max memory | 256 GB+100% | 128 GB |
| Memory channels | 2 | 2 |
Platform
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 9600 | Intel Core i5-12600K |
|---|---|---|
| PCIe version | 5 | 5 |
| CPU PCIe lanes | 28+40% | 20 |
Benchmarks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 5 9600 | Intel Core i5-12600K |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (single) | — | 1,809Top 38% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | — | 16,878Top 37% |
| PassMark | 29,315+7%Top 42% | 27,501Top 47% |
Related comparisons
AMD Ryzen 5 9600vs AMD Ryzen 5 9500FVSAMD Ryzen 5 9600vs AMD Ryzen 5 9600XVSAMD Ryzen 5 9600vs AMD Ryzen 5 7600VSAMD Ryzen 5 9600vs AMD Ryzen 5 7500FVSIntel Core i5-12600Kvs AMD Ryzen 9 3900XVSIntel Core i5-12600Kvs AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3DVSIntel Core i5-12600Kvs AMD Ryzen 7 8700GVSIntel Core i5-12600Kvs Intel Core i5-12600KFVS