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 i7-7820X

2017

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,171 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (11 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 28.7 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($599 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+190.9% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 11 MB).
✅Costs $300 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 154.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 28.7 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-7820X

2017

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+190.9% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 11 MB).
✅Costs $300 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 154.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 28.7 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,171 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (11 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 28.7 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($599 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Core i7-7820X?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 27.2% 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 1.9% 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 27.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 190.9% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 11 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 $300 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $599 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 154.9% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 28.7 PassMark/$), 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 2017), 190.9% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 11 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. 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 i7-7820X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-7820X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	208 FPS	203 FPS
medium	165 FPS	174 FPS
high	132 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	174 FPS	169 FPS
medium	136 FPS	141 FPS
high	109 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	88 FPS	85 FPS
medium	74 FPS	76 FPS
high	59 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i7-7820X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-7820X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	368 FPS	464 FPS
medium	297 FPS	387 FPS
high	265 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	233 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	327 FPS	397 FPS
medium	270 FPS	334 FPS
high	242 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	257 FPS	263 FPS
medium	216 FPS	226 FPS
high	199 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i7-7820X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-7820X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	429 FPS	546 FPS
medium	429 FPS	473 FPS
high	429 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	429 FPS	508 FPS
medium	429 FPS	413 FPS
high	429 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	429 FPS	348 FPS
medium	405 FPS	292 FPS
high	364 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	292 FPS	199 FPS

Open Core i7-7820X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-7820X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	429 FPS	546 FPS
medium	429 FPS	546 FPS
high	429 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	429 FPS	546 FPS
medium	429 FPS	546 FPS
high	429 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	429 FPS	529 FPS
medium	429 FPS	484 FPS
high	429 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	429 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i7-7820X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-7820X and Ryzen 5 5600X

Core i7-7820X

The Core i7-7820X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 11 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 17,171 points. Launch price was $599.

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 Core i7-7820X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-7820X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-7820X versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i7-7820X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-7820X scores 17,171 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 24% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 11 MB (total) on the Core i7-7820X vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i7-7820X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.6 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	3.7 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	11 MB (total)	32 MB+191%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	17,171	21,845+27%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-7820X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-7820X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	LGA2066	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-7820X) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-7820X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-7820X launched at $599 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($599 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $300 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-7820X delivers 28.7 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 87.3% better value option.