AMD Ryzen 5 5600X vs Intel Core i9-10900K

The Intel Core i9-10900K is the faster chip for gaming by roughly 3%. Here is the full spec-by-spec breakdown.

Intel Core i9-10900K wins — about 3% faster for gaming
Specification AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Intel Core i9-10900K
Gaming score 68/100 70/100
Tier B B
Manufacturer AMD Intel
Cores 6 10
Threads 12 20
Base clock 3.7 GHz 3.7 GHz
Boost clock 4.6 GHz 5.3 GHz
Power draw (TDP) 65 W 125 W
Release year 2020 2020

Which should you buy?

For gaming specifically, the Intel Core i9-10900K is the better buy — it holds a 3% lead in our index, which shows up most at 1080p and in CPU-bound titles like strategy and simulation games. The Intel Core i9-10900K has more cores (10 vs 6), which helps if you stream, compile or render alongside playing. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X runs 60W cooler, meaning a cheaper cooler and less case heat. Either way, pair it with a graphics card of similar standing — check the bottleneck calculator before you buy.