Core i5-10600K vs Ryzen 5 4600H

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.

Core i5-10600K

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 5 4600H needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $262 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 4600H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.

Ryzen 5 4600H

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10600K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,173 vs 14,247).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-10600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-10600K

2020

Ryzen 5 4600H

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 5 4600H needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $262 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 4600H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10600K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,173 vs 14,247).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-10600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10600K better than Ryzen 5 4600H?

Yes. Core i5-10600K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 28.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% 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, Core i5-10600K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 28.8% 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, Core i5-10600K is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i5-10600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10600K is at an unclear MSRP at $262 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 28.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (54.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Core i5-10600K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. 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.

Core i5-10600K Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 4600H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10600K	Ryzen 5 4600H
1080p
low	301 FPS	173 FPS
medium	263 FPS	141 FPS
high	221 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	247 FPS	148 FPS
medium	195 FPS	119 FPS
high	160 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	69 FPS
medium	136 FPS	60 FPS
high	105 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-10600K Open Ryzen 5 4600H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10600K	Ryzen 5 4600H
1080p
low	356 FPS	267 FPS
medium	356 FPS	224 FPS
high	338 FPS	196 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	153 FPS
1440p
low	356 FPS	225 FPS
medium	332 FPS	193 FPS
high	301 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	343 FPS	192 FPS
medium	279 FPS	171 FPS
high	254 FPS	149 FPS
ultra	214 FPS	114 FPS

Open Core i5-10600K Open Ryzen 5 4600H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10600K	Ryzen 5 4600H
1080p
low	356 FPS	354 FPS
medium	356 FPS	354 FPS
high	356 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	356 FPS	354 FPS
medium	356 FPS	354 FPS
high	356 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	354 FPS
4K
low	356 FPS	354 FPS
medium	356 FPS	353 FPS
high	356 FPS	301 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	242 FPS

Open Core i5-10600K Open Ryzen 5 4600H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10600K	Ryzen 5 4600H
1080p
low	356 FPS	354 FPS
medium	356 FPS	354 FPS
high	356 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	356 FPS	354 FPS
medium	356 FPS	354 FPS
high	356 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	354 FPS
4K
low	356 FPS	354 FPS
medium	356 FPS	354 FPS
high	356 FPS	342 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	287 FPS

Open Core i5-10600K Open Ryzen 5 4600H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10600K and Ryzen 5 4600H

Core i5-10600K

The Core i5-10600K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,247 points. Launch price was $262.

Ryzen 5 4600H

The Ryzen 5 4600H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-H (Zen 2) (2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,173 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10600K and Ryzen 5 4600H share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-10600K versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 4600H — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-10600K (base: 4.1 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-10600K uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 4600H uses Renoir-H (Zen 2) (2020) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10600K scores 14,247 against the Ryzen 5 4600H's 14,173 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-10600K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10600K vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 4600H.

Feature	Core i5-10600K	Ryzen 5 4600H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+20%	4 GHz
Base Clock	4.1 GHz+37%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Renoir-H (Zen 2) (2020)
PassMark	14,247	14,173

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10600K uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 4600H uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.