PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Phenom II X6 1100T BE

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $34 less on MSRP ($265 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,745 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.7 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($265 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +123.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Delivers 237.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 21.7 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $265 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
12.8% HIGHER MSRP
$299 MSRPvs$265 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Phenom II X6 1100T BE.

Phenom II X6 1100T BE

2010

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $34 less on MSRP ($265 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +123.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Delivers 237.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 21.7 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $265 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,745 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.7 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($265 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌
12.8% HIGHER MSRP
$299 MSRPvs$265 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Phenom II X6 1100T BE.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Phenom II X6 1100T BE?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 123.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 280.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 5600X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 123.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X is the better fit. You are getting 280.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 433.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 6 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 5 5600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X is 12.8% more expensive on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $265 MSRP, and it gives you a 123.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 237.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 21.7 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 5600X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2010), 433.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 6 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/6. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Phenom II X6 1100T BE Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	144 FPS	203 FPS
medium	140 FPS	174 FPS
high	113 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	169 FPS
medium	116 FPS	141 FPS
high	92 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	85 FPS
medium	56 FPS	76 FPS
high	44 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	47 FPS

Open Phenom II X6 1100T BE Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	144 FPS	464 FPS
medium	144 FPS	387 FPS
high	144 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	397 FPS
medium	144 FPS	334 FPS
high	144 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	125 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	144 FPS	263 FPS
medium	137 FPS	226 FPS
high	122 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	171 FPS

Open Phenom II X6 1100T BE Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	144 FPS	546 FPS
medium	144 FPS	473 FPS
high	144 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	508 FPS
medium	144 FPS	413 FPS
high	144 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	144 FPS	348 FPS
medium	144 FPS	292 FPS
high	144 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	199 FPS

Open Phenom II X6 1100T BE Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	144 FPS	546 FPS
medium	144 FPS	546 FPS
high	144 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	546 FPS
medium	144 FPS	546 FPS
high	144 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	144 FPS	529 FPS
medium	144 FPS	484 FPS
high	144 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	379 FPS

Open Phenom II X6 1100T BE Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Phenom II X6 1100T BE and Ryzen 5 5600X

Phenom II X6 1100T BE

The Phenom II X6 1100T BE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Thuban (2010) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,745 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Phenom II X6 1100T BE packs 6 cores / 6 threads, matching the Ryzen 5 5600X's 6 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Phenom II X6 1100T BE versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 21.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Phenom II X6 1100T BE uses the Thuban (2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X6 1100T BE scores 5,745 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 116.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X6 1100T BE vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	6 / 6	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	4.6 GHz+24%
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	3.7 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	32 MB+433%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	45 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-84%
Architecture	Thuban (2010)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	5,745	21,845+280%
Geekbench 6 Single	508	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Phenom II X6 1100T BE uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 / DDR2-1066 on the Phenom II X6 1100T BE versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X — the Ryzen 5 5600X supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 5 5600X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Phenom II X6 1100T BE) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 870,880G,890FX,970,990FX (Phenom II X6 1100T BE) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	AM3	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 4.0+100%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333 / DDR2-1066	DDR4-3200+33%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	128 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	24+50%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Phenom II X6 1100T BE targets Enthusiast Legacy, Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

Feature	Phenom II X6 1100T BE	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Enthusiast Legacy	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Phenom II X6 1100T BE launched at $265 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($265 vs $299), the Phenom II X6 1100T BE is $34 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Phenom II X6 1100T BE delivers 21.7 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 108.5% better value option.