Core i5-1240U vs Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

CPU

GPU

Core i5-1240U

10 Cores12 Thrd9.5 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-1240U

10 / 12

13,387

+0.4%

13,330

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

About PassMark

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 i5-1240U

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 10W instead of 65W, a 56W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1781 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (14 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

2018

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-1240U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,330 vs 13,387).
❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Core i5-1240U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌584.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 9.5W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-1240U moves to FCBGA1781 and DDR5.

Core i5-1240U

2022

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 10W instead of 65W, a 56W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1781 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (14 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-1240U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,330 vs 13,387).
❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while Core i5-1240U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌584.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 9.5W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-1240U moves to FCBGA1781 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-1240U better than Ryzen 5 PRO 2600?

Yes. Core i5-1240U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 15.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.4% 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, Core i5-1240U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 15.3% 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, Core i5-1240U is the better fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-1240U is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-1240U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 15.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (67.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-1240U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), a healthier platform with FCBGA1781 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i5-1240U Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-1240U	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
1080p
low	186 FPS	186 FPS
medium	153 FPS	159 FPS
high	127 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	152 FPS
medium	119 FPS	125 FPS
high	97 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	67 FPS
medium	72 FPS	59 FPS
high	58 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-1240U Open Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-1240U	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
1080p
low	208 FPS	255 FPS
medium	172 FPS	221 FPS
high	158 FPS	197 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	157 FPS
1440p
low	183 FPS	229 FPS
medium	156 FPS	201 FPS
high	146 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	125 FPS	146 FPS
4K
low	148 FPS	180 FPS
medium	130 FPS	161 FPS
high	124 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i5-1240U Open Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-1240U	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
1080p
low	335 FPS	333 FPS
medium	335 FPS	333 FPS
high	335 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	333 FPS
1440p
low	335 FPS	333 FPS
medium	335 FPS	333 FPS
high	335 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	302 FPS
4K
low	335 FPS	333 FPS
medium	335 FPS	270 FPS
high	335 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	189 FPS

Open Core i5-1240U Open Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-1240U	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
1080p
low	335 FPS	333 FPS
medium	335 FPS	333 FPS
high	335 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	333 FPS
1440p
low	335 FPS	333 FPS
medium	335 FPS	333 FPS
high	335 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	333 FPS
4K
low	335 FPS	333 FPS
medium	335 FPS	333 FPS
high	335 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	320 FPS

Open Core i5-1240U Open Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-1240U and Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

Core i5-1240U

The Core i5-1240U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9.5 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 13,387 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

The Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 13,330 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-1240U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-1240U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-1240U versus 3.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 — a 12% clock advantage for the Core i5-1240U (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-1240U uses the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-1240U scores 13,387 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600's 13,330 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i5-1240U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-1240U vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600.

Feature	Core i5-1240U	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+67%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+13%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	3.4 GHz+209%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-42%	12 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-U (2022)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	13,387	13,330
Geekbench 6 Single	1,650	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-1240U uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-1240U	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
Socket	FCBGA1781	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-5200	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	14	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1240U) / not specified (Ryzen 5 PRO 2600). The Core i5-1240U includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1240U targets Thin & Light Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1240U rivals Ryzen 5 5600U.