AMD Ryzen 7 2700 vs Intel Core i5-9600 Comparison

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split between two very different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-9600 and AMD Ryzen 7 2700 both sit at the 48th percentile among all CPUs in the database, yet their benchmark profiles could not be more distinct. The Ryzen 7 2700 wins both head-to-head benchmark comparisons, delivering a 47.1% higher score in Cinebench R15 multi-core and a 28.6% higher score in Cinebench R15 single-core. The i5-9600, with only 6 cores and 6 threads, cannot match the 8-core, 16-thread Ryzen in any measured workload. For users prioritizing raw multi-threaded throughput, the Ryzen 7 2700 is the only choice supported by the data. Conversely, the i5-9600 holds no advantage in any tested metric; its average benchmark score of 2354 is actually slightly higher than the Ryzen's 2320, but this is driven by different test suites rather than superior performance in shared tests. The verdict is straightforward: the Ryzen 7 2700 is the stronger processor for all workloads represented in the benchmark data, and the i5-9600 offers no measurable counterargument.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different architectural approaches. The i5-9600 is built on Intel's Coffee Lake architecture using a 14 nm process node fabricated by Intel itself. It features 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading — each core handles exactly one thread. The Ryzen 7 2700, by contrast, uses AMD's Zen architecture (specifically the Zen+ Pinnacle Ridge revision) on a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries. It provides 8 cores and 16 threads, doubling thread count through simultaneous multithreading. This thread advantage is the primary driver of its multi-core benchmark victories.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The i5-9600 allocates 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 9 MB L3 cache. The Ryzen 7 2700 provides 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and a much larger 16 MB shared L3 cache. The Ryzen's cache configuration is more generous at every level, which likely contributes to its single-core performance lead despite a lower boost clock.

Clock speeds tell an interesting story. The i5-9600 has a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, while the Ryzen 7 2700 runs at 3.20 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost. Intel holds the clock speed advantage, yet the Ryzen still wins single-core benchmarks by 28.6% in Cinebench R15. This indicates the Zen architecture's efficiency per clock cycle, combined with its larger caches, more than compensates for the clock deficit.

The transistor counts reveal scale differences: the Ryzen 7 2700 packs 4,800 million transistors on a 213 mm² die, while the FACT PACK provides no comparable figures for the i5-9600. Both CPUs support DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus, but the Ryzen's memory bandwidth is 46.9 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s for Intel. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, and neither supports ECC memory. The i5-9600 includes integrated UHD 630 graphics; the Ryzen 7 2700 has no integrated graphics. The i5-9600 is end-of-life with a locked multiplier, while the Ryzen 7 2700 remains active and has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 2700 wins the Cinebench R15 multi-core test with a score of 1551, which is 47.1% higher than the Intel Core i5-9600's score of 820. The Ryzen's 16 threads versus 6 threads provide a decisive advantage.

Q: Does the Intel processor win any benchmark comparison?

A: No. In the two head-to-head benchmarks available — Cinebench R15 multi-core and single-core — the Ryzen 7 2700 wins both. The i5-9600 records zero wins in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: How do their single-core scores compare?

A: The Ryzen 7 2700 scores 161 in Cinebench R15 single-core, which is 28.6% higher than the i5-9600's score of 115. This is notable because the Intel chip has a higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz versus 4.10 GHz.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core i5-9600 has 6 cores and 6 threads. The AMD Ryzen 7 2700 has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Ryzen doubles thread count through simultaneous multithreading.

Q: Do both processors support overclocking?

A: No. The Ryzen 7 2700 has an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking. The i5-9600 has a locked multiplier, so it cannot be overclocked.

Q: Which processor has more cache?

A: The Ryzen 7 2700 has 16 MB of shared L3 cache, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 96 KB of L1 per core. The i5-9600 has 9 MB shared L3, 256 KB L2 per core, and 64 KB L1 per core. The Ryzen leads at every cache level.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two processors:

• Cores: 6 (Intel) vs 8 (AMD)
• Threads: 6 (Intel) vs 16 (AMD)
• Base Clock: 3.10 GHz (Intel) vs 3.20 GHz (AMD)
• Boost Clock: 4.50 GHz (Intel) vs 4.10 GHz (AMD)
• Socket: Intel Socket 1151 vs AMD Socket AM4
• Architecture: Coffee Lake vs Zen
• Codename: Coffee Lake vs Zen
• Process Node: 14 nm (Intel) vs 12 nm (AMD)
• Foundry: Intel vs GlobalFoundries
• Transistors: Not specified vs 4,800 million
• Die Size: Not specified vs 213 mm²
• L1 Cache: 64 KB per core vs 96 KB per core
• L2 Cache: 256 KB per core vs 512 KB per core
• L3 Cache: 9 MB shared vs 16 MB shared
• Memory Bandwidth: 42.7 GB/s vs 46.9 GB/s
• Integrated Graphics: UHD 630 vs None
• Production Status: End-of-life vs Active
• Release Date: 2018-10-18 vs 2018-04-18
• Launch MSRP: Not specified vs $299
• Multiplier Unlocked: No vs Yes
• Part Number: SR3X2 vs YD2700BBM88AF

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data provides two direct comparisons, both in Cinebench R15. The results are unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 7 2700 dominates both tests, and the margins are substantial.

Multi-core: 1551 vs 820 (AMD wins by 47.1%)

This is the most telling result. The Ryzen 7 2700's 8 cores and 16 threads produce nearly double the multi-core score of the i5-9600's 6 cores and 6 threads. A 47.1% advantage is enormous in CPU benchmarks — it represents a full performance tier of separation. The i5-9600's higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz cannot compensate for having 10 fewer threads. In any heavily threaded workload — video rendering, compilation, scientific computing — the Ryzen would complete tasks in roughly two-thirds the time of the Intel chip. The deltaPct figure for the Intel side is -47.1%, meaning the i5 trails by nearly half.

Single-core: 161 vs 115 (AMD wins by 28.6%)

This result is more surprising and arguably more significant. Single-core performance traditionally favors Intel's higher clock speeds, and the i5-9600 boosts to 4.50 GHz versus the Ryzen's 4.10 GHz. Despite this 400 MHz deficit, the Ryzen still beats the Intel chip by 28.6%. The Ryzen's larger per-core caches (96 KB L1, 512 KB L2) and more efficient Zen architecture appear to overcome the clock disadvantage. The i5-9600's average benchmark score of 2354 comes from its own test suite, which includes Cinebench R20 and R23 results not available for the Ryzen. Those scores (3419 in R20 multi-core, 8141 in R23 multi-core) show the i5's raw capabilities, but they cannot be directly compared to the Ryzen because the Ryzen lacks corresponding test results. The head-to-head data remains the only valid basis for comparison, and it uniformly favors AMD.

The wins tally reflects this: the Ryzen 7 2700 records 2 wins, the i5-9600 records 0. There is no benchmark in the shared dataset where Intel comes out ahead. The Ryzen's average benchmark score of 2320 places it among rivals like the Intel Xeon E-2134 (deltaPct 0) and Intel Core i7-8809G (deltaPct 0.6), while the i5-9600's 2354 average sits near the AMD Ryzen 5 2500X (deltaPct -0.3) and Intel Xeon E3-1285 v6 (deltaPct 0.3). These adjacent scores suggest the two CPUs occupy similar overall performance tiers in their respective test suites, but the direct head-to-head results tell a different story — one where the Ryzen 7 2700 is clearly superior.