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 i5-11600K

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.8% higher average FPS across 20 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Costs $37 less on MSRP ($262 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 74.5 vs 65.7 PassMark/$ ($262 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,520 vs 19,636).
❌257.1% higher power demand at 125W vs 35W.

Ryzen 7 4700GE

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 35W instead of 125W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600K across 20 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 65.7 vs 74.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $262 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-11600K

2021

Ryzen 7 4700GE

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.8% higher average FPS across 20 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Costs $37 less on MSRP ($262 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 74.5 vs 65.7 PassMark/$ ($262 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 35W instead of 125W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,520 vs 19,636).
❌257.1% higher power demand at 125W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600K across 20 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 65.7 vs 74.5 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $262 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11600K better than Ryzen 7 4700GE?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-11600K is ahead with a 17.8% average FPS lead across 20 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 4700GE pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark. Core i5-11600K also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 4700GE is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i5-11600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-11600K is $37 cheaper on MSRP at $262 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 17.8% average FPS lead across 20 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 4700GE is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.6% better PassMark. It is also 13.4% better value on MSRP (74.5 vs 65.7 PassMark/$), 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 AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 7 4700GE can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Core i5-11600K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 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 i5-11600K Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 4700GE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 7 4700GE
1080p
low	301 FPS	174 FPS
medium	263 FPS	141 FPS
high	221 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	247 FPS	149 FPS
medium	195 FPS	119 FPS
high	159 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	79 FPS
medium	136 FPS	69 FPS
high	105 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	42 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Ryzen 7 4700GE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 7 4700GE
1080p
low	480 FPS	336 FPS
medium	380 FPS	288 FPS
high	338 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	225 FPS
1440p
low	413 FPS	291 FPS
medium	332 FPS	258 FPS
high	301 FPS	233 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	200 FPS
4K
low	343 FPS	236 FPS
medium	279 FPS	217 FPS
high	254 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	214 FPS	173 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Ryzen 7 4700GE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 7 4700GE
1080p
low	488 FPS	491 FPS
medium	488 FPS	491 FPS
high	488 FPS	491 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	491 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	491 FPS
medium	488 FPS	491 FPS
high	488 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	451 FPS	391 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	433 FPS
medium	456 FPS	366 FPS
high	390 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	262 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Ryzen 7 4700GE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 7 4700GE
1080p
low	488 FPS	491 FPS
medium	488 FPS	491 FPS
high	488 FPS	491 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	491 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	491 FPS
medium	488 FPS	491 FPS
high	488 FPS	491 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	491 FPS
medium	488 FPS	444 FPS
high	488 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	329 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Ryzen 7 4700GE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-11600K and Ryzen 7 4700GE

Core i5-11600K

The Core i5-11600K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,520 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 4700GE

The Ryzen 7 4700GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,636 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-11600K packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 4700GE offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 4700GE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i5-11600K versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4700GE — a 13% clock advantage for the Core i5-11600K (base: 3.9 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i5-11600K uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 4700GE uses Renoir (2020−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11600K scores 19,520 against the Ryzen 7 4700GE's 19,636 — a 0.6% lead for the Ryzen 7 4700GE. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11600K vs 8 MB on the Ryzen 7 4700GE.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 7 4700GE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+14%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz+26%	3.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	Renoir (2020−2023)
PassMark	19,520	19,636

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11600K uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 4700GE uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 7 4700GE
Socket	LGA1200	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-11600K) / not specified (Ryzen 7 4700GE). The Core i5-11600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 750), while the Ryzen 7 4700GE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11600K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Ryzen 7 4700GE
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 750	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-11600K launched at $262 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 4700GE debuted at $299. On MSRP ($262 vs $299), the Core i5-11600K is $37 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-11600K delivers 74.5 pts/$ vs 65.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 4700GE — making the Core i5-11600K the 12.6% better value option.