Ryzen 5 2600E vs Ryzen Z2 Go

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.

Ryzen 5 2600E

2018

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌2150% higher power demand at 45W vs 2W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen Z2 Go can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen Z2 Go

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 45W, a 43W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 680M, while Ryzen 5 2600E needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,188 vs 12,346).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 5 2600E

2018

Ryzen Z2 Go

2025

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 45W, a 43W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 680M, while Ryzen 5 2600E needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌2150% higher power demand at 45W vs 2W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen Z2 Go can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,188 vs 12,346).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Z2 Go better than Ryzen 5 2600E?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Z2 Go is ahead with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 2600E pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 2600E also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 2600E is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Ryzen Z2 Go still looks like the safer overall buy. Ryzen Z2 Go is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Ryzen Z2 Go is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2018) and a healthier platform with a newer socket and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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.

Ryzen 5 2600E Benchmark Check

Ryzen Z2 Go Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600E	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	176 FPS	176 FPS
medium	154 FPS	139 FPS
high	127 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	145 FPS
medium	122 FPS	113 FPS
high	97 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	77 FPS
medium	59 FPS	65 FPS
high	47 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	40 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600E Open Ryzen Z2 Go

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600E	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	252 FPS	286 FPS
medium	219 FPS	241 FPS
high	195 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	184 FPS
1440p
low	227 FPS	249 FPS
medium	199 FPS	213 FPS
high	177 FPS	194 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	163 FPS
4K
low	178 FPS	195 FPS
medium	160 FPS	172 FPS
high	141 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	119 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600E Open Ryzen Z2 Go

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600E	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	309 FPS	305 FPS
medium	309 FPS	305 FPS
high	309 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	309 FPS	305 FPS
medium	309 FPS	305 FPS
high	309 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	305 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	305 FPS
medium	292 FPS	305 FPS
high	253 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	220 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600E Open Ryzen Z2 Go

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 2600E	Ryzen Z2 Go
1080p
low	309 FPS	305 FPS
medium	309 FPS	305 FPS
high	309 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	309 FPS	305 FPS
medium	309 FPS	305 FPS
high	309 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	305 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	305 FPS
medium	309 FPS	305 FPS
high	309 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	309 FPS	305 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 2600E Open Ryzen Z2 Go

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 2600E and Ryzen Z2 Go

Ryzen 5 2600E

The Ryzen 5 2600E 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 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 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: 12,346 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen Z2 Go

The Ryzen Z2 Go is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Rembrandt R (2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 6 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 8 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 12,188 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Ryzen 5 2600E packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Z2 Go offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Ryzen 5 2600E has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 2600E versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen Z2 Go — a 7.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z2 Go (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen 5 2600E uses the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture (12 nm), while the Ryzen Z2 Go uses Rembrandt R (2025) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 2600E scores 12,346 against the Ryzen Z2 Go's 12,188 — a 1.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 2600E. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 2600E vs 8 MB on the Ryzen Z2 Go.

Feature	Ryzen 5 2600E	Ryzen Z2 Go
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.3 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+3%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)+100%	8 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB+300%
Process	12 nm	6 nm-50%
Architecture	Zen+ (2018−2019)	Rembrandt R (2025)
PassMark	12,346+1%	12,188
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	5,802
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,842
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	6,073

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 5 2600E) / SVM (Ryzen Z2 Go). The Ryzen Z2 Go includes integrated graphics (Radeon 680M), while the Ryzen 5 2600E requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen Z2 Go targets Budget. Direct competitor: Ryzen Z2 Go rivals Core Ultra 5 135U.