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 i9-10900E

2020

Why buy it

✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600X across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,332 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.6 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($488 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.8% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Costs $189 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅Delivers 84.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 39.6 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-10900E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-10900E

2020

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.8% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Costs $189 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅Delivers 84.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 39.6 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $488 MSRP).
✅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 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,332 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.6 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($488 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-10900E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Core i9-10900E?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 4.8% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data and 13% 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 4.8% more average FPS across 45 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 13% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 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 $189 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $488 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.8% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 84.4% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 39.6 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i9-10900E can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Ryzen 5 5600X is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 i9-10900E Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-10900E	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	164 FPS	203 FPS
medium	145 FPS	174 FPS
high	118 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	139 FPS	169 FPS
medium	119 FPS	141 FPS
high	96 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	76 FPS	85 FPS
medium	70 FPS	76 FPS
high	56 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i9-10900E Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-10900E	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	483 FPS	464 FPS
medium	420 FPS	387 FPS
high	359 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	419 FPS	397 FPS
medium	368 FPS	334 FPS
high	317 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	276 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	258 FPS	263 FPS
medium	227 FPS	226 FPS
high	213 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	185 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i9-10900E Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-10900E	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	483 FPS	546 FPS
medium	483 FPS	473 FPS
high	483 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	449 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	483 FPS	508 FPS
medium	483 FPS	413 FPS
high	479 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	403 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	483 FPS	348 FPS
medium	408 FPS	292 FPS
high	361 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	199 FPS

Open Core i9-10900E Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-10900E	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	483 FPS	546 FPS
medium	483 FPS	546 FPS
high	483 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	483 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	483 FPS	546 FPS
medium	483 FPS	546 FPS
high	483 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	483 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	483 FPS	529 FPS
medium	483 FPS	484 FPS
high	445 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	389 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i9-10900E Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10900E and Ryzen 5 5600X

Core i9-10900E

The Core i9-10900E 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 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,332 points. Launch price was $488.

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 i9-10900E packs 10 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-10900E has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core i9-10900E versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-10900E (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i9-10900E uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10900E scores 19,332 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 12.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i9-10900E vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i9-10900E	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	10 / 20+67%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz+2%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	3.7 GHz+32%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	32 MB+60%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	19,332	21,845+13%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10900E uses the LGA1200 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 DDR4-2933 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i9-10900E) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: LGA1200 (Core i9-10900E) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	Core i9-10900E	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	LGA1200	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	24+50%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-10900E) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). The Core i9-10900E includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i9-10900E	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-10900E launched at $488 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($488 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $189 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-10900E delivers 39.6 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 59.4% better value option.