AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U vs Intel Core i5-8600K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a surprisingly one-sided matchup in the Cinebench suite, with the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U winning all six Cinebench tests by a margin of at least 12.3%. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD part scores 9673 against 8611 for the Intel Core i5-8600K, a 12.3% advantage. The single-core result in R23 is similar: 1365 versus 1215, again a 12.3% lead for AMD. This pattern holds across every generation of the Cinebench test. In R20 multi-core, AMD posts 4062 versus 3616, and in R20 single-core it is 573 versus 510, a 12.4% gap. Even in the older R15 test, the margins remain identical in percentage terms: 974 versus 867 multi-core and 137 versus 122 single-core, both 12.3% wins for the Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U.

The one clear reversal comes in Geekbench multi-core, where the Intel Core i5-8600K takes a decisive 24.5% victory, scoring 5997 versus 4525 for the AMD chip. That is the largest delta in the entire head-to-head set, and it flips the overall narrative. However, in Geekbench single-core, the AMD part reasserts itself with a 6.5% win, 1612 versus 1514. So the benchmark data splits cleanly: AMD dominates every single-core test in both suites and every Cinebench multi-core test, while Intel wins only the Geekbench multi-core test, but by a very large margin.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U wins 7 of the 8 recorded head-to-head benchmarks. Its wins span both single-core and multi-core workloads across the Cinebench family, which suggests a broad efficiency advantage in threaded rendering tasks. The data shows the Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U leading by 12.3% or 12.4% in all six Cinebench tests, regardless of whether the workload scales across cores or runs on a single thread. This consistency indicates that the Zen 3 architecture delivers a higher per-clock performance level than the Coffee Lake design, and that the AMD part's thread count advantage (8 threads versus 6) does not hurt it even in multi-core tests where Intel has two additional physical cores.

The Intel Core i5-8600K wins only the Geekbench multi-core test, but that win is substantial at 24.5%. The 5997 score is the highest multi-core figure recorded for either CPU in any test. This suggests the Geekbench multi-core workload responds particularly well to the Intel part's six physical cores and higher base and boost clocks (3.60 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost versus 2.70 GHz and 4.10 GHz for AMD). In workloads that resemble Geekbench's multi-core mix, the Intel chip is clearly the stronger option, and by a wide margin. For everything else in this benchmark set, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U is the consistent winner.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins the majority of the recorded benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U wins 7 of the 8 head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel Core i5-8600K wins only the Geekbench multi-core test.

Q: How large is the AMD lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U scores 9673, while the Intel Core i5-8600K scores 8611. That is a 12.3% advantage for AMD.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two CPUs?

A: The largest delta is in Geekbench multi-core, where the Intel Core i5-8600K scores 5997 versus 4525 for the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U, a 24.5% lead for Intel.

Q: Does the AMD part also win single-core tests?

A: Yes. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U wins every single-core test in the head-to-head set: Cinebench R15, R20, R23, and Geekbench single-core. The smallest single-core margin is 6.5% in Geekbench, and the largest is 12.4% in Cinebench R20.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U has an average benchmark score of 2865, while the Intel Core i5-8600K averages 2807. Both CPUs sit at the 51st percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: Which CPU has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U has 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-8600K has 6 threads. However, the Intel chip has 6 physical cores versus 4 for AMD.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U is a 4-core, 8-thread mobile part with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. The Intel Core i5-8600K is a 6-core, 6-thread desktop part with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The Intel chip runs at a much higher thermal envelope: 95 W TDP versus 15 W for the AMD part. Sockets also differ: the AMD uses AMD Socket FP6, while the Intel uses Intel Socket 1151. The AMD chip is a mobile segment product and remains active in production, whereas the Intel chip is a desktop part marked as end-of-life. The Intel Core i5-8600K has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U is locked. The recorded launch MSRP for the Intel part is $257; no launch MSRP is recorded for the AMD part.

Cache configurations also diverge. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core, but the AMD part has 512 KB of L2 per core versus 256 KB per core for Intel. The shared L3 cache is 8 MB on the AMD chip and 9 MB on the Intel chip. Memory bandwidth is higher on the AMD side at 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s for Intel, although both support dual-channel DDR4. The PCIe lanes differ: the AMD provides Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics also differ, with the AMD featuring Radeon Vega 6 and the Intel featuring UHD Graphics 630. Neither part supports ECC memory.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U is built on Zen 3 architecture under the codename Cezanne-U, part of the Ryzen 3 generation. It uses a 7 nm process node from TSMC, with 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-8600K uses Coffee Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node fabricated by Intel. No transistor count or die size is recorded for the Intel part. The AMD chip was released on 2022-04-18, while the Intel chip was released on 2017-10-04. These architectural generations are far apart: Zen 3 is a modern, power-efficient design aimed at thin-and-light mobile systems, while Coffee Lake is a desktop design from an earlier process era.

The core and thread counts reflect different design philosophies. The AMD part uses simultaneous multithreading to deliver 8 threads from 4 cores, while the Intel part relies on 6 physical cores without multithreading. The AMD chip's larger L2 cache per core (512 KB versus 256 KB) and higher memory bandwidth (51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s) likely contribute to its consistency in the Cinebench tests. The Intel part compensates with higher clocks and two additional physical cores, which shows up most clearly in the Geekbench multi-core result. The process node difference (7 nm versus 14 nm) also explains the massive TDP gap: the AMD part is rated at 15 W, while the Intel part is rated at 95 W.

The Verdict

Choose the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5475U if you prioritize Cinebench-class rendering performance, single-core responsiveness, energy efficiency, or a modern mobile platform. The data shows it winning 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, including every single-core test and every Cinebench test, with margins between 6.5% and 12.4%. Its 15 W TDP versus 95 W for the Intel part makes it the clear choice for battery-powered or thermally constrained systems. It also holds an average benchmark score advantage of 2865 versus 2807, though both CPUs sit at the same 51st percentile in the database.

Choose the Intel Core i5-8600K if your workloads resemble the Geekbench multi-core mix. That is the only test it wins, but it wins it by a commanding 24.5%, scoring 5997 against 4525. Its six physical cores and higher clock speeds (3.60 GHz base, 4.30 GHz boost) give it a raw throughput edge in that specific scenario. It is also the only one of the two with an unlocked multiplier, which matters if overclocking is part of the plan. However, it is an end-of-life desktop part, and its 95 W TDP is far above the AMD chip's 15 W. The recorded data does not support a general recommendation for the Intel part outside its Geekbench multi-core strength.