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 i7-11850HE

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,365 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 53.4 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Costs $101 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 36.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 53.4 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-11850HE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-11850HE

2021

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Costs $101 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 36.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 53.4 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) 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 (21,365 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 53.4 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-11850HE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Core i7-11850HE?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 5.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 2.2% better PassMark, 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 5.7% 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 2.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 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 $101 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $400 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 36.8% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 53.4 PassMark/$), 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 i7-11850HE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020). 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 i7-11850HE Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-11850HE	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	165 FPS	203 FPS
medium	145 FPS	174 FPS
high	118 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	169 FPS
medium	120 FPS	141 FPS
high	97 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	85 FPS
medium	71 FPS	76 FPS
high	56 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i7-11850HE Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-11850HE	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	297 FPS	464 FPS
medium	257 FPS	387 FPS
high	217 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	255 FPS	397 FPS
medium	228 FPS	334 FPS
high	198 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	158 FPS	263 FPS
medium	143 FPS	226 FPS
high	135 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i7-11850HE Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-11850HE	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	534 FPS	546 FPS
medium	534 FPS	473 FPS
high	524 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	419 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	534 FPS	508 FPS
medium	518 FPS	413 FPS
high	445 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	362 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	444 FPS	348 FPS
medium	375 FPS	292 FPS
high	331 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	268 FPS	199 FPS

Open Core i7-11850HE Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-11850HE	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	534 FPS	546 FPS
medium	534 FPS	546 FPS
high	534 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	534 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	534 FPS	546 FPS
medium	534 FPS	546 FPS
high	534 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	512 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	534 FPS	529 FPS
medium	482 FPS	484 FPS
high	429 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i7-11850HE Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-11850HE and Ryzen 5 5600X

Core i7-11850HE

The Core i7-11850HE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 August 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,365 points. Launch price was $400.

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.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-11850HE packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-11850HE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-11850HE versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-11850HE (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i7-11850HE uses the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-11850HE scores 21,365 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 2.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i7-11850HE vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i7-11850HE	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz+2%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.7 GHz+76%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	32 MB+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	10 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-30%
Architecture	Tiger Lake-H (2021)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	21,365	21,845+2%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,984	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-11850HE uses the FCBGA1787 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — 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 i7-11850HE) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: RM590E,QM580E (Core i7-11850HE) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	Core i7-11850HE	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	FCBGA1787	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i7-11850HE supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-11850HE) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). The Core i7-11850HE includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-11850HE targets Embedded/Industrial, Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-11850HE rivals Ryzen Embedded V3000.

Feature	Core i7-11850HE	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Embedded/Industrial	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-11850HE launched at $400 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($400 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $101 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-11850HE delivers 53.4 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 31.1% better value option.