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 i9-9920X

2018

Why buy it

✅+14.3% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.0 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($1,189 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $890 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $1,189 MSRP).
✅Delivers 247.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 21.0 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $1,189 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 24,974).

Core i9-9920X

2018

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+14.3% higher PassMark.

Why buy it

✅+66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).
✅Costs $890 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $1,189 MSRP).
✅Delivers 247.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 73.1 vs 21.0 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $1,189 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (19 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.0 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($1,189 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 24,974).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600X better than Core i9-9920X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 5600X is ahead with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9920X pulls ahead with 14.3% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X also has the bigger cache pool with 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-9920X is the better fit. You are getting 14.3% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 5600X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5600X is $890 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $1,189 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-9920X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 14.3% better PassMark. It is also 247.8% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 21.0 PassMark/$), 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 2018) and 66.2% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 19 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 i9-9920X Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-9920X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	173 FPS	203 FPS
medium	150 FPS	174 FPS
high	121 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	169 FPS
medium	122 FPS	141 FPS
high	98 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	85 FPS
medium	70 FPS	76 FPS
high	55 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i9-9920X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-9920X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	508 FPS	464 FPS
medium	437 FPS	387 FPS
high	374 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	339 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	438 FPS	397 FPS
medium	385 FPS	334 FPS
high	332 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	288 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	271 FPS	263 FPS
medium	237 FPS	226 FPS
high	223 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i9-9920X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-9920X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	624 FPS	546 FPS
medium	547 FPS	473 FPS
high	499 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	435 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	577 FPS	508 FPS
medium	487 FPS	413 FPS
high	442 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	386 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	444 FPS	348 FPS
medium	364 FPS	292 FPS
high	327 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	268 FPS	199 FPS

Open Core i9-9920X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-9920X	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	624 FPS	546 FPS
medium	624 FPS	546 FPS
high	624 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	624 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	624 FPS	546 FPS
medium	624 FPS	546 FPS
high	624 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	620 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	624 FPS	529 FPS
medium	582 FPS	484 FPS
high	521 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i9-9920X Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-9920X and Ryzen 5 5600X

Core i9-9920X

The Core i9-9920X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 24,974 points. Launch price was $1,189.

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 i9-9920X packs 12 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-9920X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i9-9920X versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i9-9920X 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 i9-9920X scores 24,974 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 13.4% lead for the Core i9-9920X. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-9920X vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i9-9920X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	12 / 24+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.6 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB (total)	32 MB+66%
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	24,974+14%	21,845

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-9920X 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 i9-9920X	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 i9-9920X) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i9-9920X	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-9920X launched at $1189 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($1189 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $890 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-9920X delivers 21.0 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 110.7% better value option.