AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT vs Intel Core i7-9700K Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data splits this comparison into two very different stories. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT wins 17 of the 19 head-to-head tests, and the Intel Core i7-9700K wins only two. That kind of margin is not a close call; it is a generational gap made visible through synthetic workloads.

The AMD part dominates threaded workloads across the board. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 17,272 against Intel’s 12,238, a 41.1% advantage. The same pattern holds in Cinebench R20 multi-core (7,254 vs 5,139, 41.2% ahead) and Cinebench R15 multi-core (1,740 vs 1,233, 41.1% ahead). The Ryzen’s 12 threads versus the i7’s 8 threads show up clearly in PassMark multi-thread as well: 20,325 versus 14,414, a 41% edge. For anyone running renders, compiles, or any workload that scales with core count, the 5600GT is the obvious choice.

Single-thread performance also favors AMD, but by a narrower margin. The Ryzen leads in PassMark single-thread with 3,348 against 2,865, a 16.9% gain. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2,438 versus 1,727, a 41.2% lead. Geekbench single-core is closer at 1,843 versus 1,639, still a 12.4% win for AMD. The i7-9700K’s higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz does not translate into a single-thread victory in these tests.

The Intel chip’s only wins are narrow. PassMark extended instructions shows 18,088 versus 18,041, a 0.3% edge for Intel. PassMark physics shows 880 versus 875, a 0.6% margin. These are the sort of results that might come down to specific instruction mix or test noise, not a meaningful performance advantage. In every other measured category, the Ryzen 5 5600GT is ahead, sometimes by massive margins.

The biggest single-win delta is in PassMark data encryption, where the AMD part scores 15,873 against Intel’s 4,590. That is a 245.8% difference, the largest gap in the entire set. PassMark integer math also heavily favors AMD: 69,566 versus 41,411, a 68% lead. Floating-point math goes AMD’s way too, 39,817 versus 35,498, a 12.2% margin. Data compression, random string sorting, and prime number finding all favor the Ryzen as well. The only test where the i7 stays competitive is extended instructions, where it barely edges ahead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT is built on TSMC’s 7 nm process, using the Zen 3 architecture with the Cezanne codename. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, enabled by simultaneous multithreading. The Intel Core i7-9700K uses Intel’s 14 nm process with the Coffee Lake architecture and Coffee Lake Refresh generation. It has 8 cores but only 8 threads, meaning no hyper-threading on this part.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The Ryzen 5 5600GT has 64 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3. The i7-9700K has the same 64 KB of L1 per core but only 256 KB of L2 per core, and its L3 is 12 MB shared. That means the AMD chip has more L2 per core, twice as much L3 in total, and its cache hierarchy is designed for the Zen 3 core layout. The Intel chip’s smaller cache is one reason it falls behind in integer math and encryption workloads.

The process node difference is stark: 7 nm versus 14 nm. That directly impacts power draw and thermal density. The Ryzen 5 5600GT is rated at 65 W TDP while the i7-9700K draws 95 W. The AMD part does more work per watt in these benchmarks, which is consistent with the newer manufacturing process. The die size is nearly identical, 180 mm² for AMD versus 180.3 mm² for Intel, but AMD packs 10,700 million transistors onto its die while Intel’s transistor count is not recorded in the database.

Memory bandwidth also favors AMD. The Ryzen 5 5600GT supports DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and measured bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The i7-9700K also supports DDR4 dual-channel but shows 42.7 GB/s. That memory bandwidth advantage helps in data-heavy workloads like compression and encryption.

Both parts use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, both have unlocked multipliers, and neither supports ECC memory. The integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon Vega 7, Intel uses UHD Graphics 630. The AMD part is still in active production, while the Intel chip is end-of-life. The Ryzen 5 5600GT released in January 2024, the i7-9700K in October 2018.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite tells a consistent story. In Cinebench R15, the Ryzen 5 5600GT scores 1,740 multi-core against the i7-9700K’s 1,233, a 41.1% lead. Single-core in R15 shows 245 versus 174, a 40.8% lead for AMD. Cinebench R20 shows the same pattern: 7,254 versus 5,139 multi-core (41.2%) and 1,023 versus 725 single-core (41.1%). Cinebench R23 repeats it: 17,272 versus 12,238 multi-core (41.1%) and 2,438 versus 1,727 single-core (41.2%). These are not close results; the Ryzen exceeds the i7 by roughly 40% in every Cinebench variant.

Geekbench results are closer. Multi-core shows 7,986 versus 7,799, a 2.4% edge for AMD. Single-core shows 1,843 versus 1,639, a 12.4% lead. The multi-core margin is small, likely because Geekbench’s workload does not stress all threads as heavily as Cinebench. Still, AMD wins both.

PassMark offers the most varied results. The i7-9700K wins extended instructions by a hair, 18,088 versus 18,041, a 0.3% margin. It also wins physics, 880 versus 875, a 0.6% edge. Those are the only two Intel victories. The Ryzen wins everything else, often by large amounts. Data compression: 258,882 versus 208,062, a 24.4% lead. Data encryption: 15,873 versus 4,590, a 245.8% blowout. Integer math: 69,566 versus 41,411, a 68% lead. Floating-point math: 39,817 versus 35,498, a 12.2% edge. Prime numbers: 57 versus 52, a 9.6% gain. Random string sorting: 26,188 versus 25,756, a 1.7% margin. Multi-thread: 20,325 versus 14,414, a 41% lead. Single-thread: 3,348 versus 2,865, a 16.9% edge.

The average benchmark scores in the database reflect the overall picture. The Ryzen 5 5600GT has an average benchmark score of 20,733, while the i7-9700K sits at 20,271. Both place at the 74th percentile of all CPUs, which means they are in the same performance tier overall, but the Ryzen’s wins are concentrated in the workloads that matter most for modern desktop use.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT wins all multi-threaded tests. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 17,272 versus 12,238, a 41.1% lead. PassMark multi-thread shows 20,325 versus 14,414, a 41% advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-9700K win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, two. It wins PassMark extended instructions with 18,088 versus 18,041, a 0.3% margin. It also wins PassMark physics with 880 versus 875, a 0.6% edge. Both are narrow margins.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: PassMark data encryption. The Ryzen 5 5600GT scores 15,873, the i7-9700K scores 4,590, a 245.8% difference in favor of AMD.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600GT has 6 cores and 12 threads. The i7-9700K has 8 cores and 8 threads. Despite fewer cores, the Ryzen’s 12 threads give it a significant multi-thread advantage.

Q: Which CPU has better single-thread performance?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600GT wins every single-thread test. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2,438 versus 1,727, a 41.2% lead. PassMark single-thread shows 3,348 versus 2,865, a 16.9% edge.

Q: Are these CPUs in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes. Both are at the 74th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Ryzen 5 5600GT has an average benchmark score of 20,733, and the i7-9700K has 20,271.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT uses 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core i7-9700K uses 8 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are identical at 3.60 GHz for both, but boost clocks differ: the Ryzen boosts to 4.60 GHz, the i7 to 4.90 GHz. The TDP rating favors AMD at 65 W versus Intel’s 95 W.

Process technology is a major split. The Ryzen uses TSMC’s 7 nm node with 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die. The i7 uses Intel’s 14 nm node with no recorded transistor count on a 180.3 mm² die. Cache configurations differ as well: the Ryzen has 512 KB of L2 per core and 16 MB of L3, while the i7 has 256 KB of L2 per core and 12 MB of shared L3. Memory bandwidth is higher on the AMD part: 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s.

The integrated graphics are different. AMD includes Radeon Vega 7, Intel includes UHD Graphics 630. The sockets are incompatible: AMD Socket AM4 versus Intel Socket 1151. Production status differs, with the Ryzen listed as active and the i7 as end-of-life. Release dates are far apart, January 2024 for AMD versus October 2018 for Intel. The launch MSRP for the Ryzen 5 5600GT is $140, while the i7-9700K launched at $385. Both have unlocked multipliers, neither supports ECC memory, and both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes.