Ryzen 5 5600 vs Core i3-12100F
The Ryzen 5 5600 is about 7% faster than the Core i3-12100F in games where the processor sets the frame rate, in our estimates. Below: FPS in popular games, the specs side by side, and the graphics cards that suit each.
Updated · By Muhammad Muzammil
The short answer
In a typical one of 8 popular games at 1080p High with an RTX 5090, the Ryzen 5 5600 gets about 117 FPS and the Core i3-12100F about 109 FPS. With a slower graphics card, or at 1440p and 4K, the card sets the FPS more often and the gap gets smaller.
The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the AM4 socket and the Core i3-12100F uses LGA1700, so they need different motherboards. The Ryzen 5 5600 takes DDR4 memory and the Core i3-12100F takes DDR4/DDR5. Cores and threads: 6 / 12 on the Ryzen 5 5600, 4 / 8 on the Core i3-12100F. Both come with a cooler in the box.
Ryzen 5 5600 vs Core i3-12100F: FPS in popular games
Estimated FPS at 1080p High with 32 GB RAM (Ryzen 5 5600 / Core i3-12100F in each column). With an RTX 5090, the processor sets the frame rate wherever it can. Values above 500 show as 500+. See FPS for your own PC.
| Game | RTX 5090 | RTX 5060 |
|---|---|---|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 268 / 250 | 268 / 250 |
| Valorant | 295 / 275 | 295 / 275 |
| Fortnite | 129 / 120 | 129 / 120 |
| Apex Legends | 118 / 110 | 118 / 110 |
| Marvel Rivals | 91 / 85 | 89 / 85 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | 117 / 109 | 110 / 109 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 94 / 88 | 94 / 88 |
| Baldur's Gate 3 | 95 / 89 | 95 / 89 |
With a mid-range graphics card such as an RTX 5060, the card sets the frame rate in more games, so the difference between the two processors is smaller.
Estimated FPS. Numbers come from the FPSVibe model, not measured benchmarks. How we estimate
Specs side by side
| Spec | Ryzen 5 5600 | Core i3-12100F |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / threads | 6 / 12 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost clock | up to 4.4 GHz | up to 4.3 GHz |
| L3 cache | 32 MB | 12 MB |
| Socket | AM4 | LGA1700 |
| Memory | DDR4-3200 | DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 |
| Integrated graphics | None | None |
| Cooler in the box | AMD Wraith Stealth | Intel Laminar RM1 |
| Power (TDP) | 65 W | 58 W |
| Launch year | 2022 | 2022 |
| Gaming index (est.) | 53.6 | 50 |
Gaming index: estimated CPU-bound gaming performance at 1080p, Ryzen 7 9800X3D = 100. Memory and box cooler as listed on AMD and Intel product pages; where we couldn't confirm a value there, check the manufacturer's page.
Graphics cards that pair well with the Ryzen 5 5600
Graphics cards that pair well with the Core i3-12100F
Check a build in the bottleneck calculator
Ryzen 5 5600 vs Core i3-12100F FAQs
Is the Ryzen 5 5600 better than the Core i3-12100F for gaming?
The Ryzen 5 5600 is about 7% faster than the Core i3-12100F in games where the processor sets the frame rate, in our estimates. In a typical one of 8 popular games at 1080p High with an RTX 5090, the Ryzen 5 5600 gets about 117 FPS and the Core i3-12100F about 109 FPS.
Ryzen 5 5600 or Core i3-12100F: which gets more FPS in Counter-Strike 2?
With an RTX 5090 at 1080p High, the Ryzen 5 5600 gets about 268 FPS and the Core i3-12100F about 250 FPS in our estimates.
Do the Ryzen 5 5600 and Core i3-12100F use the same motherboard?
No. The Ryzen 5 5600 uses the AM4 socket and the Core i3-12100F uses LGA1700, so you need a different motherboard to switch. They also take different memory: DDR4 vs DDR4/DDR5.
Do the Ryzen 5 5600 and Core i3-12100F come with a cooler?
Yes, both do: the Ryzen 5 5600 with the AMD Wraith Stealth and the Core i3-12100F with the Intel Laminar RM1.
Do the Ryzen 5 5600 and Core i3-12100F have integrated graphics?
No. Neither has integrated graphics, so you need a graphics card to get a picture.
What graphics card should I pair with the Ryzen 5 5600 or the Core i3-12100F?
Balanced picks in our estimates: for the Ryzen 5 5600, RX 9060 XT 16GB, RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, RX 9060 XT 8GB, RTX 5060; for the Core i3-12100F, RX 9060 XT 8GB, RTX 5060, RTX 5050, Arc B570.