Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G: Which is the better mid-range CPU?

AMD Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G
The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G and the 8600G (Image via Flipkart/AMD)

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

AMD Ryzen 5 8000 series specs overview (Image via AMD)
AMD Ryzen 5 8000 series specs overview (Image via AMD)

Let’s start our Ryzen 5 8500G vs 8600G comparison by looking at the core specs of the APUs:

Specifications

8500G

8600G

Brand

AMD

AMD

Cores

6

6

Thread

12

12

Base frequency

3.5 GHz

4.3 GHz

Turbo boost frequency

5 GHz

5 GHz

Bus frequency

100 MHz

100 MHz

Multiplier

35x

43x

Fabrication process

4 nm

4 nm

TDP

45-65 W

45-65 W

Integrated graphics

Radeon 740M

Radeon 760M

Shading units

256

512

TMU

16

32

ROPs

8

16

Execution Unit

4

8

PCI Express version

4.0

4.0

PCI Express lane

14

20

Price

Around $180

Around $230

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

Mid-range APUs from AMD (Image via AMD)
Mid-range APUs from AMD (Image via AMD)

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.

Tests

8500G

8600G

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

1809

1799

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

11536

13639

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

2716

2727

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

11084

12463

Passmark CPU (Single-Core)

3903

3840

Passmark CPU (Multi-Core)

21687

25202

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

The Ryzen 5 8600G is a better mid-range chipset (Image via AMD)
The Ryzen 5 8600G is a better mid-range chipset (Image via AMD)

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.


Check out our other tech comparison articles:

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh
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