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 i5-11600KF

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 82.1 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($237 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5500

2022

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $78 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $237 MSRP).
✅Delivers 47.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 82.1 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $237 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600KF across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,311 vs 19,468).

Core i5-11600KF

2021

Ryzen 5 5500

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $78 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $237 MSRP).
✅Delivers 47.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 82.1 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $237 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 82.1 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($237 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600KF across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,311 vs 19,468).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11600KF better than Ryzen 5 5500?

Yes. Core i5-11600KF is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 20.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.8% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-11600KF is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 20.8% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11600KF is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-11600KF is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5500 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-11600KF is 49.1% more expensive on MSRP at $237 MSRP versus $159 MSRP, and it gives you a 20.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5500 is also 47.9% better value on MSRP (121.5 vs 82.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 5500 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 5 5500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i5-11600KF Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-11600KF	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	301 FPS	181 FPS
medium	263 FPS	150 FPS
high	221 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	247 FPS	153 FPS
medium	195 FPS	124 FPS
high	159 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	70 FPS
medium	136 FPS	61 FPS
high	105 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i5-11600KF Open Ryzen 5 5500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-11600KF	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	476 FPS	329 FPS
medium	380 FPS	285 FPS
high	338 FPS	254 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	409 FPS	291 FPS
medium	332 FPS	258 FPS
high	301 FPS	233 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	339 FPS	229 FPS
medium	279 FPS	206 FPS
high	254 FPS	189 FPS
ultra	214 FPS	162 FPS

Open Core i5-11600KF Open Ryzen 5 5500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-11600KF	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	487 FPS	483 FPS
medium	487 FPS	483 FPS
high	487 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	487 FPS	406 FPS
1440p
low	487 FPS	483 FPS
medium	487 FPS	411 FPS
high	487 FPS	361 FPS
ultra	451 FPS	300 FPS
4K
low	487 FPS	340 FPS
medium	456 FPS	285 FPS
high	390 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	192 FPS

Open Core i5-11600KF Open Ryzen 5 5500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-11600KF	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	487 FPS	483 FPS
medium	487 FPS	483 FPS
high	487 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	487 FPS	483 FPS
1440p
low	487 FPS	483 FPS
medium	487 FPS	483 FPS
high	487 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	487 FPS	425 FPS
4K
low	487 FPS	448 FPS
medium	487 FPS	404 FPS
high	487 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	308 FPS

Open Core i5-11600KF Open Ryzen 5 5500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-11600KF and Ryzen 5 5500

Core i5-11600KF

The Core i5-11600KF is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 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: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,468 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 5500

The Ryzen 5 5500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,311 points. Launch price was $159.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-11600KF and Ryzen 5 5500 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i5-11600KF versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-11600KF (base: 3.9 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-11600KF uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5500 uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11600KF scores 19,468 against the Ryzen 5 5500's 19,311 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-11600KF. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11600KF vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5500.

Feature	Core i5-11600KF	Ryzen 5 5500
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+17%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz+8%	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	Cezanne (2021−2025)
PassMark	19,468	19,311
Cinebench R23 Multi	11,277	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,138	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,631	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11600KF uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5500 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-11600KF) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5500) — the Ryzen 5 5500 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: LGA1200 (Core i5-11600KF) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series (Ryzen 5 5500).

Feature	Core i5-11600KF	Ryzen 5 5500
Socket	LGA1200	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i5-11600KF supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-11600KF) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5500). Primary use case: Core i5-11600KF targets Gaming, Ryzen 5 5500 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-11600KF rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i5-11600KF	Ryzen 5 5500
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-11600KF launched at $237 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5500 debuted at $159. On MSRP ($237 vs $159), the Ryzen 5 5500 is $78 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-11600KF delivers 82.1 pts/$ vs 121.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5500 — making the Ryzen 5 5500 the 38.6% better value option.