GuidesComparisonsCore i5 12600k Vs Ryzen 7 5800x: Gaming & Productivity

Core i5 12600k Vs Ryzen 7 5800x: Gaming & Productivity [2023]

We compare the Core i5 12600K and Ryzen 7 5800x in Gaming and Productivity benchmarks to see which one gets crowned the winner.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800x

Rated: 7/10

Intel Core i5 12600K

Rated: 7/10


Pros & Cons

GPUProsCons
Core i5 12600Kāœ…Wide range of upgrade options
āœ…Option to use DDR4 or DDR5 RAM
āŒSlightly lower performance
Ryzen 5 5800xāœ…Slightly higher performanceāŒAlmost no upgrade options

Key Takeaways
  • Our benchmarks at 1080p show that the Ryzen 7 5800x is around 0.9% faster than the Core i5 12600k in average framerates.
  • The power consumption between these two processors is very similar in the Blender open data test.
  • Both processors also have almost equivalent prices, with the Core i5 being around $15 cheaper than the Ryzen on average.
  • Both processors are very neck and neck in terms of their performance, but we would recommend the Core i5 12600K because of its better upgradeability.

Comparison Table

Technical SpecsCore i5 12600KRyzen 7 5800X
SocketIntel Socket 1700AMD Socket AM4
CodenameAlder Lake-SVermeer
ECC MemoryNoNo
PCI-ExpressGen 4, 20 LanesGen 4
L3 Cache20MB32MB
tJMax100Ā°C100Ā°C
Release DateNov 4th, 2021Nov 5th, 2020
MSRP289 USD449 USD
Best MotherboardsBEST Motherboards for i5-12600KBEST Motherboard For Ryzen 7 5800X
Best CoolerBest CPU Coolers for Core i5-12600KBest CPU Coolers For Ryzen 7 5800X

Architectural Differences

  1. Core Count: The Ryzen 7 5800x uses 8 cores totaling 16 threads, while the Core i5 12600K combines 6 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores to total 16 threads.
  2. Processing nodes: The Core i5 12600K uses 10nm processing nodes, which are less efficient than the 7nm processing nodes found on the Ryzen 7 5800x.
  3. Clock Speeds: The Ryzen has a base clock of 3.8 GHz, with an all-core boost of up to 4.7 GHz, while the Core i5 12600K has a base clock of 3.7 GHz, and it maxes out around 4.9 GHz.
  4. Memory Support: AMD only started supporting DDR5 memory with the newer 7000 series of chips, leaving the Ryzen 7 5800x to support up to 3200 MHz of DDR4 memory, while the Core i5 12600K supports up to 4800 MHz of DDR5 memory.

With all the new processors being released in 2024, consumers tend to forget the bang for their buck that slightly older chips can give. In the Core i5 12600K vs Ryzen 7 5800x comparison, we will weigh both processors against each other to see who comes out on top.


Gaming Benchmarks – 1080p

This part of our comparison will detail the game-to-game performance of these two processors. To do this, we have devised a tailor-made test bench that will only leave the processors as the bottleneck, letting them be pushed to their limits.

Test Bench Specs

Far Cry 6

Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6 @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • In our first game test, the Ryzen 7 5800x performed 9% better than the Core i5 12600K, with the Core i5 averaging around 126 FPS and the Ryzen 7 5800x hitting close to 137 FPS.
  • As for the 1% lows, the difference was much smaller. The Ryzen 7 5800x dipped to around 100 FPS, while the 12600K got lows of around 97 FPS.

Call Of Duty: Warzone

Call Of Duty Warzone
Call Of Duty: Warzone @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • The performance of these CPUs equalized quite a bit in Call Of Duty Warzone, with the Core i5 12600K getting an average framerate of 292 FPS, a little over 1% faster than the Ryzen 7.
  • As for the 1% lows, both processors managed to hover around the same number: 148 FPS.

Hitman 3

Hitman 3
Hitman 3 @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • Hitman 3 ran notably smoother on the Intel processor, achieving an average framerate of around 140 FPS, while the Ryzen processor managed an average framerate close to 133 FPS, indicating a 5% difference.
  • The 1% lows were also quite a bit smoother on the Intel processor, around 72 FPS instead of the 64 FPS of the Ryzen 7 5800x.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • The winning streak for the Core i5 continued in Cyberpunk 2077, with an average framerate of 176 FPS, around 5% higher than the 168 FPS average of the Ryzen 7 5800x.
  • As for the 1% lows, the i5 was still not matched with its minimum of 126 FPS, significantly higher than the 116 FPS minimums of the Ryzen 7 5800x.

F1 2021

F1 2021 @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • The Ryzen got its big break in F1 2021, with an average framerate of 365 FPS6% higher than the 344 FPS of the Core i5 12600K. 
  • As for the 1% lows, the Ryzen 7 5800x hovered around 230 FPS, while the i5 dipped down to 202 FPS. This difference was relatively more noticeable between the two.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • The two processors were neck and neck in our test of Shadow Of The Tomb Raider, with the i5 averaging a framerate of 246 FPS, a hair higher than the 242 FPS of the Ryzen 7 5800x.
  • As for the 1% lows, the Ryzen 7 was a hair higher with minimums of 159 FPS, while the i5 had minimums closer to 157 FPS.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • In another high-performing game, the Ryzen had an average framerate of around 640 FPS3% higher than the 621 FPS of the i5, though the difference is completely unnoticeable at these framerates.
  • The Ryzen hung around 427 FPS for its 1% lows, while the Core i5 had lows closer to 396 FPS.

Dota 2

Dota 2
Dota 2 @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  • The i5 returned to shape in Dota 2, with an average framerate of 228 FPS6% higher than the 215 FPS of the Ryzen 7.
  • Coming to the 1% lows, the Core i5 hovered around 189 FPS, while the Ryzen 7 5800x stuck closer to 181 FPS.

Overall Gaming Performance

FeaturedCore i5 12600KRyzen 7 5800X
Average FPS271 šŸ“ˆ274 šŸ“ˆ
%1 lows173 šŸ“‰178 šŸ“‰
Winner: AMD's Ryzen 7 5800X

In our gaming tests, the Ryzen 7 5800x secured a narrow victory over the Core i5 12600K, with a mere 0.9% difference in average framerates. The Ryzen processor outperformed its counterpart in 1% lows by an average of 2.7%. Although both chips delivered similar overall performance, the Ryzen 7 takes the edge.


Power Draw

Power Consumption
Power Consumption @1080p (Image By Tech4Gamers)

From the Blender Open Data tests, we see that both processors do not differ much in terms of power consumption. The i5 takes back around 221 watts, while the Ryzen 7 5800x takes around 218 watts, making this a non-factor in deciding which processor to choose.


Price And Value

CPUMSRPCurrent Price (Used)
Core i5 12600KšŸ’²289šŸ’²190
Ryzen 7 5800xšŸ’²449šŸ’²204
Difference55%7%

The initial price difference between the Ryzen 7 5800x and Core i5 12600K has diminished over time, with the Ryzen now priced only about $15 higher. Both processors are commonly available on the used market, shaping our evaluation based on current pricing dynamics.


What We Recommend

Ryzen 7 5800x: Despite being an older processor, the Ryzen 7 5800x maintains a strong performance suitable for most games. While it faces limitations in terms of upgradability due to the use of a newer platform for subsequent Ryzen processors, this may not be a significant concern for certain users.

Core i5 12600K: Intel’s processor offers almost the same features as the Ryzen, with a slightly lower price tag and a longer upgrade path. After you purchase the Core i5 12600K, you can do a drop-in upgrade with any 13th or even 14th gen processor.

Overall, the better upgradeability of the Core i5 12600K is a useful enough feature that we would recommend most people to buy this processor over the Ryzen, granted you don’t use the Ryzen 7 5800x as a drop-in upgrade over any Zen to Zen3 processor itself.


Frequently Asked Questions

Is the i5 12600K better than the Ryzen 7 5800x? 

The clash of the i5 12600K vs Ryzen 7 5800x is just about even in gaming performance. However, it’s better in heavy workload tasks thanks to its 10 cores and 16 threads. It’s also more future-proof as it comes with DDR5 Memory.

Is the i5 12600K good for gaming? 

The i5 12600K is a solid gaming CPU in the mid-to-high range and delivers incredible performance in 1080P gaming. It can also handle 1440P gaming with a good enough graphics card.

Are Z690 motherboards and DDR5 Memory necessary?

You will need a Z690 motherboard at present to run one of the Alder Lake CPUs. The Z690 motherboards support DDR4 Memory, so DDR5 Memory is unnecessary.


More From Ryzen 7 5800x

More From Core i5 12600k

Related articles

RTX 4070 Super Vs RTX 3080: Super Or The OG?

We've compared the RTX 4070 Super Vs RTX 3080 to show you their main differences. Hint: One card is extremely good at everything

RTX 4070 Ti Super Vs RX 6800 XT: We Tested 7 Games

The RTX 4070 Ti Super VS RX 6800 XT comparison will compare one of Nvidia's heavy hitters to one of the best value GPUs on the market.

RTX 4080 Super Vs RTX 3090: Should You Upgrade?

In the RTX 4080 Super vs RTX 3090 comparison, we will see how a new card from Nvidia stands up against their best from the last generation.

GTX 1080 Ti Vs RX 5700 XT: Gaming Benchmarks 2024

In this comparison we will be looking at the performance benchmarks of the GTX 1080 Ti vs RX 5700 XT in order to see who wins in this battle.

Ryzen 5 3600 Vs Ryzen 7 3700X: Should You Upgrade In 2024?

We compared the Ryzen 5 3600 Vs Ryzen 7 3700X to show you how well these two mid-range processors perform in 2024.

Similar Guides