AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX vs Intel Core i5-6500 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX and the Intel Core i5-6500 are separated by three years of silicon strategy, but the benchmark data shows they occupy the same overall performance percentile. Both processors land at the 63rd percentile among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 7578 for the AMD part versus 7569 for the Intel part, a delta of just 0.1%. That parity in aggregate scoring, however, masks a complete divergence in how each chip achieves it. The Threadripper 2990WX is a 32-core, 64-thread workstation monster built for parallelism, while the Core i5-6500 is a 4-core, 4-thread mainstream desktop part. The head-to-head results show the AMD chip winning all eight benchmark comparisons, often by margins exceeding 400%, yet the overall averages remain close because the Intel chip’s superior single-thread score in one test and its strong showing in a niche workload balance the scales.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the sheer scale of the Threadripper’s victory in multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 2758 against the Intel’s 479, a delta of 475.8%. The R20 multi-core test tells the same story: 11495 versus 1999, a 475% advantage. The R23 multi-core result repeats the margin almost exactly, with the Threadripper scoring 27370 and the i5-6500 managing only 4760, another 475% gap. These are not incremental wins; they are generational leaps in throughput. The Threadripper’s 32 cores and 64 threads simply overwhelm the i5-6500’s 4 cores and 4 threads in any workload that scales with core count.

Single-core performance is where the comparison becomes more nuanced, though the AMD chip still wins every test. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Threadripper scores 389 versus the Intel’s 67, a 480.6% delta that is actually its largest margin of the entire comparison. The R20 single-core test shows 1622 against 282, a 475.2% lead, and R23 single-core shows 3864 versus 672, a 475% advantage. These numbers are counterintuitive for a chip with a lower base clock (3.00 GHz versus 3.20 GHz) and a boost clock that peaks at 4.20 GHz versus 3.60 GHz. The data suggests the Threadripper’s Zen+ architecture extracts far more instructions per clock than the Skylake-based i5-6500, at least in these Cinebench iterations.

Geekbench results follow the same trajectory but with a narrower spread. In Geekbench multi-core, the Threadripper scores 11821 against the Intel’s 3118, a 279.1% advantage. That is still a massive margin, but notably smaller than the Cinebench deltas, indicating that Geekbench’s workload mix does not scale as aggressively with core count. The single-core Geekbench test is the closest comparison in the entire dataset: the Threadripper scores 1303 versus the i5-6500’s 1099, a lead of just 18.6%. This is the only head-to-head test where the two chips are in the same performance class. It suggests that for lightly threaded tasks, the Intel part is far more competitive than the raw core-count disparity would imply, though it still loses.

The Intel chip does have one performance area where it posts a score that the AMD part cannot match, though it is not part of the head-to-head table. The i5-6500’s PassMark data compression score is 76510, a figure that is not directly compared to the Threadripper in the provided benchmarks. Similarly, its PassMark single-thread score of 2093 is a strong number for a 2015 processor. However, since the head-to-head dataset only includes Cinebench and Geekbench tests, the official wins tally stands at 8-0 in favor of the AMD part.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split based on workload type. For any multi-threaded rendering, encoding, or simulation task, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is the only rational choice. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 27370 is 475% higher than the i5-6500’s 4760, which means a task that takes the Intel chip an hour would take the Threadripper roughly 12 minutes. That is not a marginal improvement; it is a different class of machine. The Threadripper also wins every single-core test, though the Geekbench single-core margin of 18.6% (1303 versus 1099) is the only place where the Intel chip looks remotely competitive.

The Intel Core i5-6500, however, should not be dismissed outright. Its average benchmark score of 7569 is within 0.1% of the Threadripper’s 7578, meaning that in a mixed workload environment, the two chips deliver equivalent aggregate performance. The i5-6500 achieves this with a 65W TDP versus the Threadripper’s 250W TDP, a dual-channel memory bus instead of quad-channel, and a die size of 177 mm² compared to the AMD’s 4x 213 mm² configuration. For a system where power draw, heat output, and motherboard cost are the primary constraints, the i5-6500 offers comparable average performance at a fraction of the power envelope. The Threadripper’s production status is listed as active, while the i5-6500 is end-of-life, which matters for platform longevity. Strictly from the data, the verdict is: choose the Threadripper for maximum multi-core throughput, choose the i5-6500 for a low-power, still-competitive average performer.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has an average benchmark score of 7578, while the Intel Core i5-6500 scores 7569. The difference is 0.1% in favor of the AMD chip.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R20?

A: In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Threadripper 2990WX scores 11495, and the i5-6500 scores 1999. The AMD chip leads by 475%.

Q: Is the single-core performance difference significant?

A: In Geekbench single-core, the Threadripper scores 1303 versus the i5-6500’s 1099, a lead of 18.6%. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the margin is 475% (3864 versus 672), which is much larger.

Q: What is the TDP of each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has a TDP of 250W, while the Intel Core i5-6500 has a TDP of 65W.

Q: Which processor supports more memory channels?

A: The Threadripper 2990WX supports quad-channel memory with a bandwidth of 93.9 GB/s. The i5-6500 supports dual-channel memory with a bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s.

Q: Does either processor have integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i5-6500 includes HD Graphics 530. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has no integrated graphics.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has 32 cores and 64 threads, while the Intel Core i5-6500 has 4 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are 3.00 GHz for the AMD and 3.20 GHz for the Intel, but boost clocks reverse the order: 4.20 GHz for the AMD versus 3.60 GHz for the Intel. The TDP difference is substantial, with the AMD rated at 250W and the Intel at 65W. The AMD uses the AMD Socket SP3r2, while the Intel uses Intel Socket 1151. The AMD chip’s L3 cache is 64 MB, compared to the Intel’s 6 MB shared L3. Memory bandwidth favors the AMD at 93.9 GB/s over the Intel’s 34.1 GB/s. The AMD supports 60 PCIe Gen 3 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel supports 16 lanes. The Intel is a locked multiplier part (multiplierUnlocked: false), whereas the AMD is unlocked. The AMD chip’s launch MSRP was $1799; the Intel has no listed launch MSRP. The AMD part number is YD299XAZUIHAF, and the Intel part number is SR2L6.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two chips is vast. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, using the Zen+ architecture with the codename Colfax. It contains 19,200 million transistors on a die size of 4x 213 mm². The Intel Core i5-6500 uses a 14 nm process at Intel, with the Skylake architecture and the codename Skylake. Intel does not list a transistor count for this part, and its die size is 177 mm². The AMD chip’s cache hierarchy consists of 96 KB L1 per core and 512 KB L2 per core, while the Intel has 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core. The L3 cache is a major differentiator: 64 MB on the AMD versus 6 MB shared on the Intel. The AMD supports quad-channel DDR4 memory, while the Intel supports dual-channel DDR4. The AMD’s memory bandwidth of 93.9 GB/s is nearly triple the Intel’s 34.1 GB/s. The Intel chip includes integrated HD Graphics 530, which the AMD lacks entirely. The AMD is a 2000 series part from the Ryzen Threadripper generation (Zen+ Colfax), whereas the Intel is a Skylake-generation Core i5. The AMD was released in August 2018 and remains active in production; the Intel was released in July 2015 and is now end-of-life. This architectural gulf explains the benchmark data: the AMD chip trades a massive power budget for extreme parallelism, while the Intel chip offers a far more modest, low-power design that still manages to match the AMD’s average score in aggregated benchmarks.