AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE vs Intel Core i5-6600 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE and Intel Core i5-6600 are both 4-core, 4-thread desktop processors, but they deliver sharply contrasting results depending on the benchmark suite. The AMD chip, built on the Zen+ architecture, dominates the Cinebench suite with consistent double-digit victories, while the Intel Skylake part strikes back decisively in Geekbench. The data reveals a split personality: the Ryzen is a Cinebench specialist, whereas the Core i5 is a Geekbench powerhouse.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is unambiguous in Cinebench. Across all three versions of the render test — R15, R20, and R23 — the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE wins both single-core and multi-core runs by nearly the same margin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen scores 582 against Intel’s 520, a 11.9% advantage. The single-core R15 result is even more lopsided in percentage terms: 82 for AMD versus 73 for Intel, a 12.3% lead. This pattern holds precisely in R20 and R23. In R20 multi-core, AMD posts 2429 versus 2167 (12.1% ahead); in R20 single-core, 342 versus 305 (12.1% ahead). R23 repeats the exact 12.1% delta in both tests: multi-core 5785 versus 5161, and single-core 816 versus 728.

These are not marginal wins. The Ryzen’s boost clock of 4.00 GHz, compared to Intel’s 3.90 GHz, likely contributes to the single-core edge, but the multi-core consistency suggests architectural efficiency, not just clock speed. Both chips have identical base clocks at 3.30 GHz, so the extra 0.10 GHz of boost plus the Zen+ design yields a uniform ~12% improvement across the Cinebench lineage. The AMD part wins all six Cinebench comparisons, giving it a 6-to-2 overall win tally.

The Geekbench results flip the script. Intel’s Core i5-6600 wins multi-core with 3755 against AMD’s 2921, a 22.2% margin. The single-core Geekbench test also favors Intel: 1239 versus 1042, a 15.9% lead. These are substantial reversals, larger in magnitude than the Cinebench victories. The 22.2% multi-core deficit is nearly double the Ryzen’s biggest Cinebench win. This divergence is striking because both chips are 4-core/4-thread parts with similar clock ranges, yet Geekbench clearly favors Skylake’s execution pipeline while Cinebench rewards Zen+.

Looking at the aggregate picture, the average benchmark scores are nearly identical: the Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE averages 1750, while the Core i5-6600 averages 1744. That 0.3% difference places both chips in the 41st percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals for AMD include the Intel Core i5-8269U (0.1% above) and Intel Core i7-4790T (0.3% below). For Intel, the closest competition is the AMD Ryzen 3 4300U (0.1% above) and the Intel Core i3-10100 (0.1% above). The net result is a statistical dead heat in overall performance, with the win distribution entirely dependent on which benchmark you trust.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE is the clear choice for Cinebench-centric workflows. Its 12.1% lead in R20 and R23 multi-core tests indicates a strong showing in threaded render workloads, which are common in 3D modeling and animation. The single-core Cinebench wins, also at 12.1%, suggest that even lightly threaded tasks within that specific engine run faster on the Zen+ part. The Ryzen also brings a larger L2 cache (512 KB per core versus 256 KB) and a smaller L3 cache (4 MB shared versus 6 MB), yet it still outperforms in these tests, pointing to memory access patterns that favor the AMD design.

The Intel Core i5-6600 wins decisively in Geekbench, with a 22.2% multi-core margin and a 15.9% single-core margin. Geekbench is a broader synthetic test that exercises a wider range of workloads, including encryption, image processing, and machine learning tasks. The Skylake architecture’s higher IPC (instructions per clock) in these generalized scenarios gives it a strong edge. The Intel chip also supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, offering flexibility in platform choice, though its memory bandwidth is rated lower at 34.1 GB/s versus AMD’s 46.9 GB/s.

The production status also differentiates them: AMD lists the Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE as Active, while Intel marks the Core i5-6600 as End-of-life. For new system builds, the AMD part is the only one still in production. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, a feature the Intel chip lacks, which matters for stability-sensitive applications. Intel’s integrated graphics is UHD Graphics 530, while AMD packs a Radeon Vega 8 iGPU, but the benchmark data does not include graphics performance, so any visual comparison must remain qualitative.

The Verdict

Choose the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE if your workload is dominated by Cinebench-style rendering. The data shows a consistent 12% advantage across R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core tests. This is a reliable, repeatable win that will translate to faster render times in software that uses Cinema 4D’s render engine. The Ryzen’s active production status and ECC support add practical advantages for long-term deployments. Its 12nm process node, while larger than Intel’s 14nm, does not appear to hurt its Cinebench performance.

Choose the Intel Core i5-6600 if Geekbench scores are your primary concern. The 22.2% multi-core and 15.9% single-core leads are substantial and indicate superior performance in the diverse workload mix that Geekbench measures. This makes the Intel part the better option for users whose applications resemble Geekbench’s test patterns, such as compression, file I/O, and cryptographic hashing. The Intel chip’s larger 6 MB L3 cache may contribute to these results, as does its Skylake architecture’s well-documented efficiency in integer-heavy tasks.

For a balanced recommendation, the average benchmark scores are nearly identical (1750 versus 1744), and both sit at the 41st percentile. Neither chip is a clear overall winner. The Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE is the safer buy for current availability, while the Core i5-6600, with a launch MSRP of $224, offers a historical price point but is now end-of-life. If your software is Cinebench-based, the AMD part wins outright. If your software behaves like Geekbench, the Intel part wins outright. The data does not support a universal recommendation beyond that split.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE boosts to 4.00 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-6600 boosts to 3.90 GHz.

Q: Do both CPUs have the same number of cores and threads?

A: Yes, both have 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap in the head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The largest delta is in Geekbench multi-core, where the Intel Core i5-6600 leads by 22.2% (3755 versus 2921).

Q: How many benchmarks does each processor win?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE wins 6 benchmarks, while the Intel Core i5-6600 wins 2 benchmarks.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-6600 still in production?

A: No, the production status is listed as End-of-life, whereas the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE is Active.

Q: Which CPU supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE supports ECC memory; the Intel Core i5-6600 does not.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and foundries. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE uses the Zen+ architecture, codenamed Picasso, built on a 12nm process at GlobalFoundries. It integrates 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-6600 uses the Skylake architecture, also codenamed Skylake, fabricated on a 14nm process at Intel, with a die size of 177 mm². Intel does not list a transistor count in the data.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The AMD chip provides 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but a larger 6 MB of shared L3. This means AMD has double the L2 cache per core, while Intel has 50% more L3 cache overall. Memory support also diverges: AMD supports only DDR4 in dual-channel mode with a bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, while Intel supports both DDR3 and DDR4 with a lower 34.1 GB/s bandwidth. Both chips use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, but the Ryzen is on AMD Socket AM4 while the Core i5 uses Intel Socket 1151.

The integrated graphics differ as well, with AMD featuring Radeon Vega 8 and Intel featuring UHD Graphics 530, though the benchmark data does not cover iGPU performance. The Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE was released on 2019-09-29, while the Core i5-6600 came out on 2015-06-30. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier, and both are desktop parts. The Intel chip carries a launch MSRP of $224, while AMD’s launch MSRP is not listed.