AMD Ryzen 5 1600 vs Intel Core i5-2500K

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Only show differences

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Share comparison

Ryzen 5 1600 compared with Core i5-2500K

	AMDRyzen 5 1600	IntelCore i5-2500K
Overview
Released
Released	April 2017	January 2011
Cores and clocks
Cores
Cores	6 (better)	4
Threads
Threads	12 (better)	4
Base clock
Base clock	3.2 GHz	3.3 GHz
Boost clock
Boost clock	3.6 GHz	3.7 GHz (better)
L3 cache
L3 cache	16 MB (better)	6 MB
Cores
Cores	Original 2017 AE revision; Zen, Summit Ridge (TechSpot). This entry and its review summary describe the original processor; the later AF revision uses Pinnacle Ridge, as documented by AMD's current support page.	Four cores without Hyper-Threading; Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 and VT-x supported; VT-d not supported.
Clocks
Clocks	Unlocked for overclocking (Bit-tech); AMD's original launch table lists up to 3.7 GHz with Extended Frequency Range (XFR), separately from the 3.6 GHz boost clock.	Maximum turbo is a single-core frequency. The multiplier is unlocked, but motherboard support and cooling determine available overclocking; the original H67 platform does not support CPU multiplier overclocking.
Cache
Cache	3 MB L2; 16 MB L3 (TechSpot's original-model specifications).	–
Graphics and AI
Built-in graphics
Built-in graphics	No	Yes
Graphics
Graphics	No integrated graphics (TechSpot); a separate graphics card is required.	Intel HD Graphics 3000; 850 MHz base, up to 1.10 GHz; two displays; Quick Sync Video. Available display outputs and access to integrated graphics depend on the motherboard.
Platform
Socket
Socket	AM4	LGA1155
Base power
Base power	65 W	95 W
Unlocked
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
Cooler in the box
Cooler in the box	Yes	–
Memory support
Memory support	DDR4; up to 2666 MT/s for the original model (TechSpot).	Up to 32 GB; two channels; DDR3-1066/1333; 21 GB/s maximum bandwidth as published by Intel; ECC not supported.
PCIe
PCIe	PCIe 3.0 (TechSpot).	PCIe 2.0; up to 16 CPU lanes. Motherboard support determines available slot configurations.
Chipsets
Chipsets	X370, B350 and A320 listed in AMD's original launch notice; check the motherboard CPU support list and BIOS.	–
Process
Process	Original Summit Ridge uses 14nm (TechSpot); AMD's current support page describes the later AF revision's 12nm process.	32 nm; Sandy Bridge; 37.5 × 37.5 mm package; 72.6°C Tcase limit, not a junction-temperature limit.
Cooler
Cooler	Wraith Spire included with the original boxed processor, as listed in AMD's 2017 launch table. AMD's current AF specification instead lists Wraith Stealth.	LGA1155-compatible cooling required. Intel's 5 January 2011 announcement gives 9 January availability for quad-core systems; APH Networks' contemporaneous exact-model review also identifies 9 January as the processor's release date.