Ryzen 5 2600 vs Ryzen 5 3600 – Which one you should Buy

AMD’s latest generation of CPUs, codename Pinnacle Ridge, has been highly anticipated by PC enthusiasts. (We’re not talking about the Ryzen 2000 series that launched in April, but the new CPUs with the 2000-series model numbers that followed behind.)

Both are unlocked and both are overclockable, but the Ryzen 5 3600 has a few things going for it that the 2600 doesn’t. There’s two extra cores and a slightly higher boost clock, but the Ryen 5 3600’s best feature is its 16MB of L3 cache. If you do a lot of video editing, rendering or other memory intensive tasks, the Ryzen 5 3600 has the clear advantage, but otherwise you should be fine with the 2600.

Ryzen 5 2600 vs Ryzen 5 3600 Comparison

We compared two 6-core desktop CPUs: the 3.6 GHz AMD Ryzen 5 3600 against the 3.4 GHz Ryzen 5 2600. Full technical specification of AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and Ryzen 5 2600.

Advantages of AMD Ryzen 5 3600 over 2600

• Has 16 MB larger L3 cache size
• Supports up to 128 GB DDR4-3200 RAM
• More modern manufacturing process – 7 versus 12 nanometers
• Newer – released 10-months later
• Newer PCI Express version – 4.0
• 30% faster in a single-core Geekbench v5 test – 1266 vs 973 points
• 8% higher Turbo Boost frequency (4.2 GHz vs 3.9 GHz)
• Around 3.97 GB/s (9%) higher theoretical memory bandwidth

General

Vendor	AMD	AMD
Released	September 11, 2018	July 7, 2019
Launch price	199 USD	199 USD
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Codename	Zen+	Zen 2
Socket	AM4	AM4
Integrated GPU	No	No

Performance

Cores	6	6
Threads	12	12
Base Frequency	3.4 GHz	3.6 GHz
Turbo Boost Frequency	3.9 GHz	4.2 GHz
Bus frequency	100 MHz	100 MHz
Multiplier	34x	36x
L1 Cache	96K (per core)	96K (per core)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
L3 Cache	16MB (shared)	32MB (shared)
Unlocked Multiplier	Yes	Yes

Power

Transistors	4.8 billions	4.9 billions
Fabrication process	12 nm	7 nm
TDP	65 W	65 W
Max. temperature	95°C	95°C

Memory support

Memory types	DDR4-2933	DDR4-3200
Memory Size	64 GB	128 GB
Max. Memory Channels	2	2
Max. Memory Bandwidth	43.71 GB/s	47.68 GB/s
ECC Support	Yes	No

Misc

Official site	AMD Ryzen 5 2600 official page	AMD Ryzen 5 3600 official page
PCI Express Version	3.0	4.0
PCI Express Lanes	20	20

Ryzen 5 2600 Features

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 2^nd-generation processor based on a 12nm FinFet Zen+ design that bags six cores and a 12-thread processor. The 2-thread per core and 4.8bn transistors makes it one of the best processors in the market. 

The Ryzen 2600 boasts up to 3.4GHz on base and up to 3.9GHz on boost clock. It features the DDR4-2933 memory type that bags up to 64GB memory size. It also features a 65W AMD Wraith Stealth Cooler that ensures provide decent thermal performance.  Keeping in mind that the Ryzen 5 2600 will cost you less than $200, I’d say it is a very compelling option.

Ryzen 5 3600 Features

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor is based on Zen 2 architecture built on a 7nm process node that features 6 six cores, and each core is executing two threads, making 12 threads.  The Ryzen 5 3600 is a powerful processor featuring up to 4.9bn transistors that boast 3.6GHz on base clock and up to 4.2GHz on boost clock; it makes sure to provide a smooth gaming experience.

The 3600 features better Cache memory that promises to give you better performance. It features the DDR4-3200 memory type that bags up to 128GB memory size with no ECC support, also features a 65W TDP with a maximum temperature of up to 95C. It also features a Wraith Stealth Cooler that ensures to keep the temperature down and offer better performance for your system.

The Differences between Ryzen 5 2600 and Ryzen 5 3600

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and 3600 are pretty different from each other; whether it’s the amount of clocked GHz or their prices, they are way too different.  The Ryzen 5 3600 handles 3.6GHz on base and 4.2GHz on boost clock, compared to 2600’s 3.4GHz (base) and 3.9GHz (boost).  

The Ryzen 3600 also supports up to 128GB RAM as compared to Ryzen 2600s 64GB RAM.  The Ryzen 5 3600 also boasts a more up-to-date technology which can be seen in its design; it is built on a 7nm process node while 2600 is built on a 12nm process node.  The new and modern 7nm design features smaller transistors that are way too power-efficient and faster.  The Ryzen 5 2600 is relatively cheaper than the 3600, but still, it promises to provide you with excellent performance.

After testing both the processors, we noticed a performance gap between them two processors. We thoroughly tested both the processors and carried out different benchmark tests, which confirmed that the Ryzen 5 3600 processor is quite powerful compared to the Ryzen 5 2600. It gave excellent performance results. But you also have to keep in mind that the Ryzen 5 3600 is also expensive compared to 2600.

Conclusion

 The answer is simple; the Ryzen 5 3600 is a more powerful processor than the Ryzen 5 2600. The Ryzen 5 3600 has a faster CPU speed, and it gave better results in every benchmark test.  It does not mean that the Ryzen 5 2600 is a terrible processor and cannot provide you with a solid performance; it is still one of the best processors out there in the market. It makes sure to provide you with an excellent performance that too at a very low price.

In our opinion, if you’re a power enthusiast and you have a bigger budget to spend, then go for the 3600. However, if you’re after maximum value and have a smaller budget, go for the Ryzen 2600 because it can still offer outstanding performance; the Ryzen 5 2600 is cheaper and offers brilliant gaming performance.

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