AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core i5-14600K

Processor A

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X

30,160
gaming score
Faster than 93% of 1,255
Processor B

Intel Core i5-14600K

33,959
gaming score
Faster than 97% of 1,255
Winner · +10%
10 % FASTER
Intel Core i5-14600K

Intel Core i5-14600K is faster than AMD Ryzen 5 9600X for gaming by roughly 10%, measured across 5 games at 1080p with the other component held constant.

Framerates estimated across 5 games with a GeForce RTX 4090 held constant, so the processor is the only variable. Last updated 26 July 2026.

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core i5-14600K at a glance

Each axis is scored against the better of the two, so the outer edge is always the stronger part on that measure, not an absolute scale.

Gaming Multi-core Single-core Cores Efficiency Value
  • Gaming 89 100
  • Multi-core 72 100
  • Single-core 100 95
  • Cores 43 100
  • Efficiency 100 59
  • Value 100 98

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core i5-14600K benchmark scores

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X Intel Core i5-14600K
Gaming score ours Intel Core i5-14600K +13%
30,160
33,959
PassMark CPU Mark Intel Core i5-14600K +33%
30,016
39,796
Geekbench 6 single AMD Ryzen 5 9600X +15%
3,320
2,879
Geekbench 6 multi Intel Core i5-14600K +13%
15,378
17,409
Cinebench R23 single AMD Ryzen 5 9600X +6%
2,184
2,064
Cinebench R23 multi Intel Core i5-14600K +40%
17,528
24,491

What is the difference between the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel Core i5-14600K?

5 specifications separate the two processors:

  • Cores 6 14
  • L3 cache 32 MB 24 MB
  • TDP 65 125
  • Socket AM5 LGA 1700
  • Architecture Zen 5 Raptor Lake Refresh

Which one should you buy?

Choose the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X if

  • Lower power draw (65 W)
  • Cheaper at launch ($279)

Choose the Intel Core i5-14600K if

  • Faster in games by about 10%
  • More cores (14) for rendering and streaming

How many FPS do the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel Core i5-14600K get?

Estimated framerates with both parts measured against the same reference graphics card (a GeForce RTX 4090), so the processor is the only thing changing. Figures are ranges, not exact numbers.

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X Intel Core i5-14600K
Fortnite Intel Core i5-14600K +10%
189-315FPS
208-347FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
CS:GO Intel Core i5-14600K +8%
285-475FPS
306-511FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
GTA V Intel Core i5-14600K +7%
96-159FPS
102-170FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
PUBG Intel Core i5-14600K +5%
107-178FPS
112-187FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
Fortnite Intel Core i5-14600K +14%
260-433FPS
297-495FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
CS:GO Intel Core i5-14600K +10%
339-565FPS
372-620FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
GTA V Intel Core i5-14600K +10%
116-193FPS
127-212FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
Apex Legends Intel Core i5-14600K +5%
128-213FPS
134-224FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
PUBG Intel Core i5-14600K +9%
136-227FPS
148-246FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
Fortnite Intel Core i5-14600K +8%
193-322FPS
209-348FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
CS:GO Intel Core i5-14600K +6%
300-500FPS
317-528FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
GTA V Intel Core i5-14600K +7%
104-174FPS
112-186FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited
PUBG Intel Core i5-14600K +6%
124-206FPS
131-218FPS
CPU-limited CPU-limited

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X vs Intel Core i5-14600K: full specifications and benchmarks

Specification and benchmark comparison
Measure AMD Ryzen 5 9600X Intel Core i5-14600K
Headline
Gaming score ours 30,160 33,959
CPU Mark 30,016 39,796
Faster than 93% of 1,255 97% of 1,255
Performance
Geekbench 6 single 3,320 2,879
Geekbench 6 multi 15,378 17,409
Cinebench R23 single 2,184 2,064
Cinebench R23 multi 17,528 24,491
Cores and clocks
Cores / threads 6 / 12 14 / 20
Base clock 3.9 GHz -
Boost clock 5.4 GHz -
L3 cache 32 MB 24 MB
Platform
TDP 65 W 125 W
Socket AM5 LGA 1700
Architecture Zen 5 Raptor Lake Refresh
Process 4 nm 10 nm
Memory support DDR5 DDR5/DDR4
Integrated graphics Radeon Graphics (2 CUs RDNA 2) UHD Graphics 770
Price and release
Launch price $279 $319
Released 2024-08-08 2023-10-17

Which is better value?

At launch pricing, the Intel Core i5-14600K delivers more benchmark performance per dollar, by about 16%. Street prices move, so check current cost before deciding: a 16% value gap disappears quickly on discount.

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
$9.30
per 1,000 CPU Mark points
Intel Core i5-14600K
$8.02
per 1,000 CPU Mark points
Better value

Will the Intel Core i5-14600K bottleneck your build?

These figures hold one component constant. Your own build decides the answer: a faster processor buys nothing if the graphics card is already the limit.

Check your build

How we compare processors

Benchmark scores come from PassMark, 3DMark, Geekbench and Cinebench. Each of those suites is read from a single source across every part we compare, so a percentage gap here is a difference between the two chips rather than between two testers. Our own gaming score adjusts those figures for how games actually behave: high core counts are damped, because they win productivity benchmarks without delivering proportional framerate, and AMD's 3D V-Cache is credited a premium measured against a controlled 14-CPU test set, because no PassMark figure can see stacked cache. Framerates come from our own model, built from measured GPU baselines and processor ceilings, and it declines to produce a number for hardware it does not cover rather than estimating one.

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