AMD Ryzen 5 3600 vs Intel Core i5-11400F Comparison

The Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Ryzen 5 3600 are both six-core, twelve-thread desktop processors aimed at the same performance tier, yet the benchmark data reveals they achieve their results through fundamentally different strengths. The 11400F wins 14 of the 25 head-to-head comparisons, while the Ryzen 5 3600 takes 11, but the margins and workload types tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count suggests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i5-11400F dominates in single-threaded and lightly-threaded workloads, and its advantage is substantial. In 3DMark single-thread, the 11400F scores 868 against the Ryzen 5 3600’s 696, a 24.7% lead. That pattern repeats across the 3DMark suite: 24.2% ahead in 2-thread (1691 vs 1361), 23% in 4-thread (3171 vs 2579), and 22% in both 8-thread (4691 vs 3844) and 16-thread (5619 vs 4605) tests. The max-thread result shows 5652 versus 4603, a 22.8% margin. These are not small gaps; they represent a generational leap in per-core efficiency.

Geekbench reinforces the single-core story. The 11400F posts 1777 in single-core versus 1536 for the Ryzen, a 15.7% advantage. In multi-core, the Intel chip leads 7737 to 7372, a 5% win. PassMark’s single-thread test shows 2981 against 2562, a 16.4% edge. The Intel processor also wins in PassMark integer math (57624 vs 48607, up 18.6%) and floating-point math (34127 vs 28607, up 19.3%). Extended instructions go Intel’s way too, 14976 versus 14442, a 3.7% margin. Random string sorting is closer, with Intel ahead 24124 to 23707, just 1.8% better.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 fights back in sustained multi-threaded rendering and specialized workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ryzen scores 15045 against Intel’s 14340, a 4.7% advantage. That same 4.7% delta appears across every Cinebench test: R15 multi-core (1516 vs 1445), R15 single-core (214 vs 204), R20 multi-core (6318 vs 6022), R20 single-core (892 vs 850), and R23 single-core (2124 vs 2024). The consistency is striking—AMD wins all six Cinebench tests by exactly the same percentage.

PassMark multithread goes to AMD, 17700 versus 16908, a 4.5% lead. The Ryzen 5 3600 also wins PassMark physics by a wide margin: 1152 versus 842, a 26.9% gap. Data compression favors AMD at 219774 versus 208472, a 5.1% edge. The most lopsided result of the entire comparison is in find prime numbers, where the Ryzen scores 108 against Intel’s 51—a 52.8% blowout that highlights AMD’s advantage in certain integer-heavy algorithms. Data encryption also goes decisively to AMD, 13953 versus 10247, a 26.6% margin.

Both processors land at the 71st percentile among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 17177 for Intel versus 17035 for AMD. The nearest rivals for the 11400F include the AMD EPYC 7H12 (0.3% higher) and Intel Core i5-12450H (0.4% lower), while the Ryzen 5 3600 sits within 0.2% of the Intel Core i5-11400 (non-F) and the AMD EPYC 7573X.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split based on workload priority. The Intel Core i5-11400F is the choice for users whose applications depend on single-threaded performance and low-thread-count responsiveness. Its 24.7% lead in 3DMark single-thread and 16.4% lead in PassMark single-thread translate directly to snappier everyday use and better performance in lightly-threaded games and legacy software. The consistent 22-24% wins across all 3DMark thread counts suggest the Intel architecture extracts more performance per thread, which matters in real-time workloads that cannot fully utilize twelve threads.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is the better option for sustained multi-threaded rendering and specialized compute. Its 4.7% edge across the entire Cinebench suite indicates a genuine advantage in rendering engines that scale well with threads. The 52.8% win in prime number finding and 26.6% win in data encryption point to strong integer and cryptographic performance. Users running long video renders, scientific simulations, or encryption-heavy tasks will see measurable gains with the Ryzen.

For mixed use, the decision is tighter. The Intel chip wins overall in average benchmark score (17177 vs 17035), but the 0.8% difference is negligible. The Ryzen 5 3600’s unlocked multiplier allows overclocking, which could shift the balance further in its favor for users willing to tune their systems. However, the 11400F’s locked multiplier means its stock performance is fixed. Production status also matters: the Intel part is end-of-life, while the AMD chip remains active for purchase.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and manufacturing generations. The Intel Core i5-11400F uses Rocket Lake architecture on Intel’s 14 nm process, built at Intel’s own foundry. The die size is 276 mm². It features 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The base clock is 2.60 GHz with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 uses Zen 2 architecture under the Matisse codename, manufactured on TSMC’s 7 nm process. The die is just 74 mm², and the chip contains 3,800 million transistors. Cache configuration differs significantly: 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, but a much larger 32 MB of shared L3 cache. Base clock is higher at 3.60 GHz, but boost clock is lower at 4.20 GHz.

The 14 nm versus 7 nm process difference explains the die size disparity—Intel’s monolithic design is nearly four times larger. The larger L3 cache on the Ryzen (32 MB vs 12 MB) contributes to its wins in data compression and encryption, which benefit from larger working sets. The Intel part compensates with higher boost clocks and architectural improvements in per-core throughput.

Specification Differences

Both processors share the same core and thread counts (6 cores, 12 threads), 65 W TDP, DDR4 memory support, dual-channel memory bus, and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth. Neither has integrated graphics, and both lack ECC memory support. The sockets differ entirely: Intel Socket 1200 versus AMD Socket AM4, meaning motherboard compatibility is mutually exclusive.

The PCIe implementation differs. The Intel Core i5-11400F supports Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the Ryzen 5 3600 supports Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). This gives the Intel part four additional PCIe lanes, which could matter for users connecting multiple high-bandwidth devices.

The Ryzen 5 3600 has an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking, while the 11400F is locked. Release dates are also different: the Intel part launched on 2021-03-15, while the AMD part launched on 2019-07-06. The launch MSRP for the 11400F is $157, and for the Ryzen 5 3600 it is $199.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F leads in every single-thread test. It scores 868 in 3DMark single-thread versus 696 for the Ryzen 5 3600 (24.7% higher), 1777 versus 1536 in Geekbench single-core (15.7% higher), and 2981 versus 2562 in PassMark single-thread (16.4% higher).

Q: Which processor is better for Cinebench rendering workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 wins all Cinebench tests by exactly 4.7%. In R23 multi-core, it scores 15045 against the Intel’s 14340; in R23 single-core, 2124 against 2024.

Q: How do the cache configurations differ?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i5-11400F has 80 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, but only 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Are both processors equally positioned among all CPUs?

A: Yes, both rank at the 71st percentile among all CPUs. Their average benchmark scores are 17177 for Intel and 17035 for AMD, a difference of less than 1%.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 3600 have any decisive wins?

A: Yes, in find prime numbers it scores 108 versus 51 for Intel, a 52.8% advantage. It also wins data encryption by 26.6% (13953 vs 10247) and physics by 26.9% (1152 vs 842).

Q: Which processor supports overclocking?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 has an unlocked multiplier, allowing overclocking. The Intel Core i5-11400F has a locked multiplier, so its clock speeds are fixed at stock values.