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

The benchmark data splits these two desktop processors into clear roles: the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X dominates most measured workloads, while the Intel Core 9 273PTE takes the lead in the Cinebench 2024-era tests and one floating-point metric. The final tally shows 12 benchmark wins for AMD and 3 for Intel, but the Intel victories are concentrated in the most heavily threaded and single-core rendering workloads, which matters for specific use cases.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X delivers its largest margin in PassMark extended instructions, scoring 28,023 against Intel's 15,952, a 75.7% advantage. This is the single biggest delta in the head-to-head set. The Ryzen also wins PassMark single-thread by 33.1% (4,570 versus 3,433), PassMark data compression by 31.8% (341,021 versus 258,704), and PassMark multithread by 24.8% (30,027 versus 24,054). In the Cinebench R15 suite, AMD leads multi-core by 30.6% (2,691 versus 2,060) and single-core by 17.9% (342 versus 290).

Intel's wins are narrower in raw percentage but significant in absolute score. The Core 9 273PTE beats the Ryzen in Cinebench R23 multi-core by 14.3% (20,445 versus 17,528.5) and single-core by 24.3% (2,886 versus 2,183.5). The only other Intel victory is PassMark floating-point math, where the margin is 1% (60,673 versus 60,081), effectively a statistical tie.

The AMD chip also wins PassMark integer math by 9.1% (89,918 versus 82,411), PassMark find prime numbers by 64.1% (233 versus 142), PassMark data encryption by 16.7% (16,638 versus 14,253), PassMark physics by 5% (2,012 versus 1,917), and PassMark random string sorting by 24.1% (35,946 versus 28,973). In the 3DMark tests, the Ryzen scores 7,585 for 16 threads, 2,456 for 2 threads, 4,649 for 4 threads, 6,726 for 8 threads, 7,590 for max threads, and 1,253 for single-thread; the Intel part has no recorded 3DMark results in the database, so no comparison is possible there.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use fundamentally different designs. AMD's Ryzen 5 9600X is built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It contains 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The cache layout includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The transistor count is 8,315 million on a 70.6 mm² die.

Intel's Core 9 273PTE uses the Bartlett Lake codename on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. It packs 12 cores and 24 threads, double the core count of the AMD chip, with a base clock of 1.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The cache structure differs: 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core (double AMD's per-core L2), and a larger 36 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has no transistor or die size data in the database.

Memory support also diverges. The Ryzen 5 9600X supports DDR5 only, while the Intel Core 9 273PTE supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel buses and have identical memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Both support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity differs: AMD offers Gen 5 with 24 lanes (CPU only), while Intel offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The AMD chip includes Radeon Graphics as integrated graphics; Intel includes UHD Graphics 730.

The Intel processor has a locked multiplier, while AMD's is unlocked. The AMD part was released on 2024-08-07, and the Intel part on 2026-03-08. The AMD chip's launch MSRP is $279, and the Intel chip's launch MSRP is $549.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is the clear winner in general compute and algorithmic workloads. Its PassMark extended instructions score of 28,023 versus 15,952 indicates a strong advantage in SIMD and specialized instruction processing, which benefits encryption, compression, and data sorting tasks. The 31.8% lead in data compression and 16.7% lead in data encryption confirm this pattern. The 64.1% margin in prime number finding (233 versus 142) suggests a large advantage in integer-heavy search algorithms. The 33.1% single-thread lead in PassMark means the Ryzen handles lightly threaded applications with more headroom.

The Intel Core 9 273PTE wins where raw core count and modern rendering engines matter. Its 12 cores and 24 threads produce a 14.3% win in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the most current rendering test in the shared benchmark set. The 24.3% win in Cinebench R23 single-core (2,886 versus 2,183.5) is notable because it flips the single-core narrative from the older Cinebench R15 test, where AMD leads by 17.9%. The floating-point math score is essentially tied at 1%, but Intel edges ahead with 60,673 versus 60,081.

The AMD chip also wins PassMark multithread by 24.8% (30,027 versus 24,054), which contradicts the Cinebench R23 multi-core result. This difference indicates that the two suites stress different aspects of multi-core performance; Cinebench favors Intel's core count and clock speed, while PassMark's multithread test favors AMD's per-thread efficiency.

The Verdict

The data points to a split decision based on workload type. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X wins 12 of the 15 shared benchmarks, including all PassMark tests except floating-point math, and both Cinebench R15 tests. Its average benchmark score is 29,713, placing it in the 81st percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 9 273PTE wins 3 benchmarks, all in the Cinebench R23 suite and floating-point math, with an average score of 31,143 and an 82nd percentile ranking.

For users prioritizing Cinebench R23 rendering performance, the Intel part is the better choice. Its 20,445 multi-core score and 2,886 single-core score are both higher than AMD's 17,528.5 and 2,183.5. For nearly everything else in the shared test set, the AMD chip delivers higher scores, often by substantial margins. The Ryzen's 33.1% lead in PassMark single-thread and 75.7% lead in extended instructions make it the stronger pick for responsive desktop use, data compression, encryption, and integer-heavy calculations.

The Intel part's higher average benchmark score (31,143 versus 29,713) is driven by its Cinebench R23 wins, but the AMD chip's broader win count and larger margins in most tests suggest it is the more versatile processor. The 24.8% PassMark multithread win for AMD, despite Intel having double the cores and threads, indicates that AMD's Zen 5 architecture extracts more performance per thread. The locked multiplier on Intel and unlocked multiplier on AMD give the AMD chip additional flexibility for users who adjust clock speeds, though the database does not include overclocked benchmark results.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PTE has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X leads by 75.7% in PassMark extended instructions, scoring 28,023 versus Intel's 15,952.

Q: Does the Intel processor win any single-threaded tests?

A: Yes, the Intel Core 9 273PTE wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 24.3% (2,886 versus 2,183.5), but AMD wins PassMark single-thread by 33.1% (4,570 versus 3,433).

Q: Which processor has a higher TDP?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has a TDP of 65, while the Intel Core 9 273PTE has a TDP of 45.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and the Intel Core 9 273PTE support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PTE has 36 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X has 32 MB of shared L3 cache.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 9600X | Intel Core 9 273PTE |

|----------------|-------------------|---------------------|

| Cores | 6 | 12 |

| Threads | 12 | 24 |

| Base Clock | 3.90 GHz | 1.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.40 GHz | 5.50 GHz |

| TDP | 65 | 45 |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Zen 5 | Not specified |

| Codename | Granite Ridge | Bartlett Lake |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 32 MB (shared) | 36 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 24 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Graphics | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Release Date | 2024-08-07 | 2026-03-08 |

| Launch MSRP | $279 | $549 |

| Part Number | 100-000001405 | SA4QJ |