The Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G battle has been a hot topic of discussion among gaming and tech enthusiasts, especially since AMD released its new APU series. Both chipsets look promising and are available at reasonable prices. However, there are enough differences between the two that make them stand out from each other.
While the 8600G is the clear winner in terms of raw performance, its counterpart is good enough for basic tasks or light gaming and comes with a lower price tag.
In this Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G guide, we take a look at the key aspects of both APUs to figure out which is a better mid-range option.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer
Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G: Specs
Let’s start our Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G comparison by looking at the core specs of the APUs:
As seen in the table above, the Ryzen 5 8600G offers some better numbers compared to its competitor. However, it is also priced higher.
Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G: Performance and efficiency
It is not surprising that the 8600G delivers optimal performance since it has better configurations than its competitor. It has higher clock speeds and more cache.
The 8600G also has an excellent integrated GPU, which is 2x as powerful in all aspects, compared to the one we find in the 8500G. This means you will get incredibly detailed visuals and sharper textures.
The fewer number of PCI Express lanes in the 8500G makes it less future-proof. PCI lanes are very crucial components that directly impact the speed of your device. More lanes can handle a large amount of data at faster speeds. Plus, this ensures your system has the capacity to handle future upgrades without performance limitations due to insufficient lanes.
However, the Ryzen 5 8500G is not a bad choice. It is the cheapest Zen 4 APU you can buy now. It can deliver playable FPS in your favorite titles and is slightly more efficient than the 8600G. Overall, however, the 8600G is more capable.
Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G: Benchmarks
Based on Nano Review tests, the Ryzen 5 8600G outperforms its competitor from the same brand in Multi-core and Integrated graphics.
It should be noted that these numbers are good for general comparison and might fluctuate based on the other hardware-software configurations of your system.
Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G: Final verdict
When weighing all the factors, the 8600G emerges as the undeniable victor. It has a better specs configuration and will surely deliver improved performance compared to its counterpart.
However, the 8500G is a better value-for-money APU if you want to build a budget-compact system to enjoy esports titles at low settings. Other than that, there is no reason to avoid the 8600G.
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