Intel Core i7-6850K vs AMD Ryzen 9 5900X

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-6850K or Intel Core i7-6850K – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i7-6850K features 6 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2016 and belongs to the 6 generation of the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition series.
To use the Intel Core i7-6850K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2011-3 socket.
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X features 12 processor cores and has the capability to manage 24 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2020 and belongs to the 4 generation of the AMD Ryzen 9 series.
To use the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, you'll need a motherboard with a AM4 (PGA 1331) socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-6850K Name AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition Family AMD Ryzen 9
6 Generation 4
Intel Core i 6000 Group AMD Ryzen 5000
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-6850K has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-6850K is 3.6 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.8 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X has 12 CPU cores and can calculate 24 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is 3.7 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.8 GHz.
3.8 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 4.8 GHz
Yes Overclocking Yes
normal Core architecture normal
3.6 GHz Frequency 3.7 GHz
12 Threads 24
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
6 CPU Cores 12
6x Cores 12x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-6850K does not have integrated graphics.
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X does not have integrated graphics.
-- GPU frequency --
-- Release date --
-- Direct X --
GPU name
-- Technology --
-- Max. displays --
-- Shaders --
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- Execution units --
-- Generation --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- AVC --
-- VC-1 --
-- VP9 --
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
-- h264 --
-- VP8 --
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
-- JPEG --
-- AV1 --
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
4 Memory channels 2
128.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC Yes
76.8 GB/s Bandwidth 51.2 GB/s
DDR4-2400 Memory type DDR4-3200
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 140 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 105 W watts.
100 °C Tjunction max 90 °C
None TDP (PL2) 142 W
140 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 105 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-6850K is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 15.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured using a 7 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 64.0 MB cache.
Q2/2016 Release date Q4/2020
-- Part Number --
0 bytes L2-Cache 6.0 MB
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization AMD-V, SVM
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 ISA extensions SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, FMA3, AVX2
Monolithic Chip design Chiplet
Skylake S Architecture Vermeer (Zen 3)
14 nm Technology 7 nm
LGA 2011-3 Socket AM4 (PGA 1331)
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
628 $ Release price 549 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
15.0 MB L3-Cache 64.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
12C 24T @ 3.7 GHz
39295
39295
Intel Core i7-6850K
6C 12T @ 3.6 GHz
11397
11397

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
12C 24T @ 3.7 GHz
14515
14515
Intel Core i7-6850K
6C 12T @ 3.6 GHz
6711
6711

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
12C 24T @ 3.7 GHz
12637
12637
Intel Core i7-6850K
6C 12T @ 3.6 GHz
6214
6214

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
12C 24T @ 3.7 GHz
9520
9520
Intel Core i7-6850K
6C 12T @ 3.6 GHz
3480
3480

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
12C 24T @ 3.7 GHz
2199
2199
Intel Core i7-6850K
6C 12T @ 3.6 GHz
1302
1302

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
12C 24T @ 3.7 GHz
1727
1727
Intel Core i7-6850K
6C 12T @ 3.6 GHz
1116
1116