Is Ryzen 5 7600 better than Core i5-12600K
Is Ryzen 5 7600 better than Core i5-12600K? Let's find out
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One of AMD’s latest additions to the Ryzen 7000 series lineup, the Ryzen 5 7600 offers you excellent gaming performance at a budget-friendly price point. However, you could pretty much say the same for the Core i5-12600K. So, let’s see how the two processors compare.
Now Read: Best CPU for gaming
Is Ryzen 5 7600 better than Core i5-12600K? Let’s find out.
Ryzen 5 7600 vs. Core i5-12600K – CPU specs
Here we take a look at the official specs for both processors to lay a foundation for the comparison.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600 (Non-X)
Cores
6
Threads
12
Base speed
4.7GHz
Boost speed
5.3GHz
Cache
L3 32MB
Socket
AM5
Ryzen 5 7600
- Architecture: Zen 4
- Core count: 6
- Thread count: 12
- Base speed: 3.8GHz
- Boost speed: 5.1GHz
- Cache: 32MB
- TDP 65W
Intel Core i5-12600KF
Boost clock speed (single core)
4.9 GHz
Total Cores / Threads
10/16
P-cores
6
E-cores
4
Socket
LGA 1700
Overclockable
Yes
Core i5-12600K
- Architecture: Alder Lake hybrid core
- Cores: 6 P.cores / 4 E.cores
- Threads: 16
- Base clock frequency: P.cores 3.7 GHz / E.cores 2.8 GHz
- Boost clock frequency: P.cores 4.9 GHz / E.cores 3.6 GHz
- L3 cache: 20MB
- TDP: 125 W default / 150 W boost.
- iGPU: Intel UHD graphics 770
How does the Ryzen 5 7600 compare to the Core i5-12600K?
The Ryzen 5 7600 was released only recently in January 2023, whereas the 12600K is a somewhat older processor, with a November 2021 release date. We notice some differences between the specs for the two processors.
The 7600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor, whereas the 12600K has 10 cores and 16 threads. But to give you some more insight on the 12600K’s core setup, it has 6 hyperthreaded performance cores (totaling 12 threads) and 4 efficiency cores on top.
The difference between the two processors’ core setup boils down to the 12600L’s 4 extra efficiency cores.
In terms of clock both, both processors are quite similar. The 7600’s 5.1GHz max clock has a 200MHz edge over the 12600K’s 4.9GHz max clock. The Ryzen also has more L3 cache.
Let’s see these differences influence performance.
Performance
Because of its higher boost clock, the Ryzen 5 7600 takes the lead in single-core performance by a slight margin. Nothing major – the difference is only a few percentage points in most popular benchmarks.
In multicore performance, the 12600K is the leading processor. And it makes sense why: it has 4 extra cores and threads. Even though they’re smaller efficiency cores, they do pitch in to help out. Overall, we see that the 12600K outperforms the 7600 by a margin of 10 to 15% according to various multicore benchmarks.
What this means is that the 7600 is the slightly faster gaming processor, whereas the 12600K is the moderately faster workstation/productivity processor.
Power usage and thermals
The 7600 is much more power efficient than the 12600K, and that instantly becomes apparent when you take a look at both processors’ TDPs.
The 7600 consumes a minimal 65 watts of power, whereas the 12600K can consume as much as 150 watts of power under load. That’s a remarkable difference in power usage.
While the included Wraith Stealth stock cooler will suffice for the R5 7600, you will need a strong aftermarket cooler, preferably an AIO, for the 12600K.
Price and value
The R5 7600 launched at $229 and is available for about the same price these days. The 12600K launched at $320 but is available for ~$230 these days.
With their price being so similar, the deciding factor becomes performance and power efficiency.
Is Ryzen 5 7600 better than Core i5-12600K? Final Verdict
The Ryzen 5 7600 is better than the Core i5-12600K in single-core performance, but only slightly. The core i5-12600K is somewhat better in productivity performance, but also consumes a lot of power and runs hotter.
If you’re looking for a power-efficient gaming processor, the 7600 is the way to go. If you’re looking for something for your workstation and you already have a capable cooling solution or don’t mind getting one, the 12600K will offer you better productivity.
