Choosing a processor is really difficult for several reasons. The first is the performance factor, the second is the price and the third is the future it will have. How do you reach the tightest line of processors ever? We will try to put white on black according to its technical specifications and some comparative data.
Ryzen 5 5600x vs i5-10400F, a battle for the user
We will start with the “older” of the two, the Intel processor, which incorporates a Comet Lake architecture and was launched in the second quarter of this 2020 under a 14 nm ++ lithography.
It has 6 cores with 12 threads thanks to HT and reaches a base frequency of 2.9 GHz, while the boost reaches 4.3 GHz, everything with 12 MB of L3 and a TDP of only 65 watts. Being the F version, this processor doesn’t have an iGPU, not physically, because it integrates it, but it is disabled and we will not be able to use it, so the price is usually a little lower.
Regarding RAM support, Intel will allow us to install up to 128 GB DDR4-2666 MHz RAM as the standard frequency, but this value can be increased at much higher speeds, even if it is then considered overclocked. Finally, we are talking about a CPU that will be installed in the company’s new 1200 socket, compatible with Z490 and lower cards and with the new chipsets that will be released.
AMD processor gains in frequency and IPC
What about the AMD option? Well, it has the same number of threads and cores, but with a base frequency of 3.7 GHz and a Boost of 4.6 GHz, near 32 MB by L3, all made in a lithograph by 7 nm by TSMC.
Another aspect to take into account is the 65 watts TDP and the fact that this is an unlocked CPU for overclocking, while Intel will need to take stock of the many techniques that cardmakers are launching to activate the PL2 state for longer and thus achieve more stable and faster frequencies in the nuclei.
Another detail to be aware of is that the AMD IMC supports frequencies of 3200 MHz in stock, while overclocking 3800 MHz is recommended as the ideal performance point. Here’s a technical overclocking draw, as both do very well at scaling in frequency.
PCIe 4.0 vs. PCIe 3.0
It is important to note that the AMD processor has native support for PCIe 4.0 as well as for the X570 and B550 cards, while Intel must be satisfied with PCIe 3.0 until the arrival of Rocket Lake, an architecture that will allow in sort of support. native.
So, given its top specs, which one is worth it in terms of gaming or raw CPU performance? As we haven’t had a chance to test both processors yet, we’ll be collecting data from TechPowerUp colleagues to understand where the two processors are.
Comparative performance
Despite the same number of cores and threads, the AMD processor is 20.6% faster in pure CPU tasks, which could be due to the higher IPC of the architecture and the supposed 300 MHz difference between them, which propels the AMD processor to new heights.
But in the game the differences become insignificant, because with 1.5% we will hardly notice a difference, so it is time to know the price at which these two processors are.
The Intel processor is priced at 173.03 dollars currently, while AMD goes up to 449 dollars. The problem is, there is no stock of AMD so the price has gone up a bit, but it should cost around the 320 to 350 dollars to the maximum.
So looking at the data and the platforms in general, knowing that between PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0 in the game there is currently no palpable performance difference, if what we want is just to play the Intel CPU obviously has better performance / price.
If instead we perform CPU intensive tasks, such as rendering, encoding, decompressing or others, but also to play for many hours, then the AMD option is more complete, because, well that it costs almost double, that over 20% is the time we save, and time is really more expensive than money, unless we don’t clearly assess it.
If we want the equipment to run, render, or perform intensive tasks without gaming, then the AMD processor makes the most sense and would be the most correct choice. As we can see, choosing in the battle of the 5600x vs i5-10400F is not easy, so we will have to look carefully at our preferences before deciding, already in view of Rocket Lake-S, which will replace Comet Lake-S by its 11th generation of processors.
What about the i5-10600K?
It will be another comparison, fairer than this one, since the natural rival of this Ryzen 5 5600X is precisely this CPU, where the differences are reduced in all aspects, including the price, but that for another article later .
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