Core i9-11950H vs Ryzen 5 5600X

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 i9-11950H

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,699 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+5.5% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Core i9-11950H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Core i9-11950H

2021

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+5.5% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,699 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Core i9-11950H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-11950H better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-11950H is ahead with 8.7% higher max boost clock. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X pulls ahead with 5.5% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).

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 5.5% 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?

Core i9-11950H is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-11950H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you 8.7% higher max boost clock. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 5600X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 5.5% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i9-11950H 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 i9-11950H Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-11950H	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	247 FPS	203 FPS
medium	230 FPS	174 FPS
high	193 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	220 FPS	169 FPS
medium	185 FPS	141 FPS
high	150 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	154 FPS	85 FPS
medium	131 FPS	76 FPS
high	101 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i9-11950H Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-11950H	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	343 FPS	464 FPS
medium	293 FPS	387 FPS
high	248 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	297 FPS	397 FPS
medium	266 FPS	334 FPS
high	227 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	194 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	176 FPS	263 FPS
medium	161 FPS	226 FPS
high	154 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i9-11950H Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-11950H	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	517 FPS	546 FPS
medium	517 FPS	473 FPS
high	488 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	388 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	517 FPS	508 FPS
medium	501 FPS	413 FPS
high	426 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	345 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	428 FPS	348 FPS
medium	368 FPS	292 FPS
high	324 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	199 FPS

Open Core i9-11950H Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-11950H	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	517 FPS	546 FPS
medium	517 FPS	546 FPS
high	517 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	517 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	517 FPS	546 FPS
medium	517 FPS	546 FPS
high	517 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	476 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	529 FPS
medium	458 FPS	484 FPS
high	405 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	348 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i9-11950H Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-11950H and Ryzen 5 5600X

Core i9-11950H

The Core i9-11950H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 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 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,699 points. Launch price was $556.

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 i9-11950H packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-11950H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-11950H versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-11950H (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i9-11950H uses the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture (10 nm SuperFin), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-11950H scores 20,699 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 5.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-11950H vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i9-11950H	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	8 / 16+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5 GHz+9%	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 SuperFin	7 nm, 12 nm-30%
Architecture	Tiger Lake-H (2021)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	20,699	21,845+6%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-11950H uses the FCBGA1787 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.