AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core 9 273PQE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data presents a starkly one-sided picture. Across the fifteen shared benchmarks, the Intel Core 9 273PQE claims fourteen wins, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X secures a single victory. The margins, however, vary dramatically between workloads.

The most decisive Intel advantage appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Core 9 273PQE scores 39,190 against the Ryzen 5 9600X's 17,528.5. That is a 55.3% deficit for AMD, the largest gap recorded in the entire comparison. The single-core variant of the same test shows an even wider relative spread: Intel's 5,532 dwarfs AMD's 2,183.5, a 60.5% difference. This suggests the Intel part's higher boost clock, 5.90 GHz versus 5.40 GHz, translates into substantial per-thread performance in this particular rendering workload.

Floating-point math follows a similar trajectory. PassMark floating point math sees Intel score 125,546 against AMD's 60,081, a 52.1% lead. Integer math is also lopsided, with Intel at 164,629 versus 89,918, a 45.4% advantage. Data compression and encryption workloads show Intel ahead by 41.8% and 43.9% respectively, with scores of 585,752 versus 341,021 and 29,636 versus 16,638.

The more moderate Intel victories include PassMark extended instructions, where the 38,743 score beats AMD's 28,023 by 27.7%. PassMark physics shows Intel at 2,754 versus 2,012, a 26.9% edge. Random string sorting favors Intel at 53,167 versus 35,946, a 32.4% margin. Cinebench R15 multi-core and single-core both go to Intel, at 3,950 versus 2,691 (31.9%) and 557 versus 342 (38.6%) respectively.

The closest contest is PassMark single-thread performance. Intel edges out AMD by a hair: 4,573 versus 4,570, a 0.1% difference. This near-tie appears twice in the data, once under the test name "passmark_single_thread" and once as "passmark_singlethread", with identical scores. The implication is that raw single-core capability is essentially matched between these two processors, despite the substantial single-core gap seen in Cinebench R23.

AMD's solitary win comes in PassMark find prime numbers, scoring 233 against Intel's 198. That 17.7% advantage indicates the Zen 5 architecture handles this particular integer-heavy algorithm more efficiently, even though the Intel part dominates integer math overall. This single bright spot does little to offset the overall trend.

Where Each One Wins

The data splits cleanly by workload type. The Intel Core 9 273PQE dominates almost everything, but the magnitude of its wins varies. Rendering and heavy compute tasks show the largest gaps, while single-threaded general performance is nearly identical.

For multi-threaded rendering, Cinebench R23 multi-core is the clearest Intel stronghold. The 55.3% lead reflects a fundamental resource advantage: the Intel part has 12 cores and 24 threads, double the Ryzen's 6 cores and 12 threads. The 36 MB shared L3 cache also exceeds AMD's 32 MB, and each Intel core carries 2 MB of L2 versus 1 MB per AMD core. More cores, more cache, and a higher boost clock combine for a commanding win.

Data-heavy workloads also favor Intel strongly. Compression, encryption, and integer math all show Intel leads between 41.8% and 45.4%. These tasks scale well with core count and memory bandwidth, both of which favor the Intel design. The memory bandwidth is identical at 89.6 GB/s for both parts, so the difference comes down to core count and clock speed rather than memory throughput.

The near-tie in PassMark single-thread performance is the most informative result for single-core-sensitive applications. A 0.1% margin is effectively a statistical dead heat. Users running lightly threaded software should expect no meaningful difference between the two processors based on this metric. The Cinebench R23 single-core result, however, tells a different story with Intel ahead by 60.5%. The discrepancy between these two single-thread tests suggests workload-specific instruction efficiency differences, with the Intel architecture excelling in Cinebench's rendering pipeline but matching AMD in the broader PassMark single-thread suite.

AMD's win in prime number finding is narrow in absolute terms, 233 versus 198, but represents a 17.7% relative advantage. This workload involves modular arithmetic and branch-heavy loops, where Zen 5's design appears more efficient per clock. It is a specialized result, not a general trend.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to a clear hierarchy. The Intel Core 9 273PQE is the faster processor in the vast majority of measured scenarios. Its average benchmark score of 66,099 places it at the 93rd percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X averages 29,713 and sits at the 81st percentile. The Intel part's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, with a delta of 0.3%, meaning the Core 9 273PQE performs essentially at the level of a top-end AMD flagship from a previous generation.

The Ryzen 5 9600X, by contrast, sits near the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and Ryzen 7 8845HS, with deltas of -0.6% and -0.8% respectively. Its average score is less than half of the Intel part's. The 14-to-1 win count in direct comparison reinforces this gap.

Users who prioritize multi-core rendering, data compression, encryption, or heavy computational math should select the Intel Core 9 273PQE based on these measurements. The margins are not subtle; they range from roughly 27% to over 60% in Intel's favor.

Users who care about single-threaded responsiveness in general-purpose applications face a more nuanced choice. The PassMark single-thread scores are nearly identical, so the AMD part is not at a disadvantage in that specific metric. However, the Cinebench R23 single-core result contradicts this, showing Intel far ahead. The preponderance of evidence, with fourteen Intel wins, favors the Intel part for most use cases.

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X remains a viable option only for workloads resembling prime number finding, where its 17.7% advantage shows genuine architectural strength. Outside that narrow niche, the data does not support choosing the AMD part on performance grounds alone.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks in the head-to-head comparison?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE wins 14 of the 15 shared benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X wins only one, PassMark find prime numbers.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE scores 39,190 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X scores 17,528.5. That is a 55.3% deficit for AMD.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the two processors are nearly equal?

A: Yes. PassMark single-thread performance shows the Intel part at 4,573 and the AMD part at 4,570, a 0.1% difference. This appears in two identical test entries.

Q: What is the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X's only benchmark win?

A: The AMD part wins PassMark find prime numbers with a score of 233, compared to 198 for the Intel Core 9 273PQE, a 17.7% advantage.

Q: How do the two processors compare in data compression and encryption?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE leads by 41.8% in data compression (585,752 versus 341,021) and by 43.9% in data encryption (29,636 versus 16,638).

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PQE has an average benchmark score of 66,099, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X averages 29,713.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different foundries and process nodes. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, while the Intel Core 9 273PQE uses a 10 nm process from Intel. The AMD design, codenamed Granite Ridge, is built on the Zen 5 architecture and belongs to the 9000 series. The Intel design, codenamed Bartlett Lake, is labeled Core 9.

Core counts differ substantially. The Intel part has 12 cores and 24 threads, double the AMD's 6 cores and 12 threads. Both parts use 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The L2 cache differs: AMD provides 1 MB per core, while Intel provides 2 MB per core. Total L3 cache also favors Intel, with 36 MB shared versus 32 MB shared for AMD.

The process node difference is notable given the core count disparity. AMD achieves its 6-core design on 4 nm, while Intel packs 12 cores on 10 nm. The AMD chip has 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die, while the Intel part's transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database.

Memory support differs in an important way. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X supports DDR5 only, while the Intel Core 9 273PQE supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses and have identical memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity differs. The AMD part provides Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel part provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics also differ: the AMD uses Radeon Graphics, while the Intel uses UHD Graphics 770.

The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, meaning overclocking is supported. The Intel part does not have an unlocked multiplier. The AMD part number is 100-000001405, and the Intel part number is SA4Q9.

Specification Differences

Clock speeds favor Intel in boost frequency. The Intel Core 9 273PQE has a boost clock of 5.90 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X boosts to 5.40 GHz. Base clocks favor AMD, at 3.90 GHz versus 3.40 GHz for Intel.

Thermal design power differs significantly. The Intel part is rated at 125 W, while the AMD part is rated at 65 W. This makes the AMD processor far more power-efficient on paper, though the database does not include measured power consumption.

Socket compatibility differs completely. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X uses AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel Core 9 273PQE uses Intel Socket 1700. The AMD release date is recorded as 2024-08-07, while the Intel release date is 2026-03-08.

The Intel Core 9 273PQE carries a launch MSRP of $589. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X carries a launch MSRP of $279. The AMD part is marked as Active in production status, as is the Intel part. The Intel part's series field is null in the database, while the AMD part belongs to the 9000 series. The Intel part's architecture field is also null, with only the codename Bartlett Lake provided.