Intel Core i5-11600K

Tech Specs Tech Specs

Performance Performance

Price History Price History

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Intel Core i5-11600K
The new Core i5-11600K CPU is typically between 10% to 20% faster for productivity tasks when compared to the 10600K, in line with Intel’s claim of a 20% IPC increase. That means the new part is able to match the Ryzen 5 5600X in most scenarios, so Intel’s made up good ground on the productivity front. They’re still nowhere near AMD in terms of efficiency, and that’s of course down to the process node.
- As reviewed by TechSpot on Mar 2021
6
Cores
12
Threads
3.9 GHz
Base Clock
4.9 GHz
Boost Clock
Socket LGA 1200
Socket
125 W
TDP
Intel UHD Graphics 750
Integrated Graphics
$199
Price
Release date:Mar 30, 2021Price at Launch:$262
Cores:6Threads:12
Base Clock:3.9 GHzBoost Clock:4.9 GHz
Type:DesktopMultithreading:Yes
L2 Cache:1.5 MBL3 Cache:12 MB
Box Cooler:NoTDP:125 W
Socket:Socket LGA 1200Memory Support:DDR4-3200
Codename:Rocket LakeProcess Size:14 nm
Integrated Graphics:YesiGPU Model:Intel UHD Graphics 750
NPU:NoPCIe Support:PCIe 4.0, 20 lanes
Intel Core i5-14600K
A newer model is available:
Intel Core i5-14600K

Performance Benchmarks

All benchmark data reflects aggregated results from dozens of tests conducted in TechSpot’s labs and compiled from our full library of CPU reviews. Single-core productivity scores are based primarily on Cinebench and Adobe Photoshop workloads. Multi-core results draw from Cinebench, Blender, Corona Benchmark, 7-Zip, Adobe Premiere Pro, and shader compilation tests. CPU gaming benchmarks are all 1080p runs (explainer) as published on TechSpot.

Single-Core Productivity

Multi-Core Productivity

Gaming Performance

Price History

Intel Core i5-11600K pricing

Last 6 months
Price Date
Current $199 Dec 15, 2025
Highest* $239 Jun 22, 2025
Lowest* $160 Jan 15, 2025
Average $198
* Prices are based on listings from Newegg and other major retailers over the past 12+ months.
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Reviews and Ratings

83

Average Score

Based on 18 reviews

9.6

User Score

Based on 1,077 reviews

Reviewers Liked

  • Very competitively priced
  • Almost matches 8-core 10700K
  • Runs at comparatively low temperatures
  • Supports PCIe Gen. 4

Reviewers Didn't Like

  • Lower gaming performance than AMD Zen 3
  • High power consumption
  • Lots of heat once power limit unlocked
  • Poor multi-threaded performance
  • Marginal performance gains from 10th generation

Obviously, being stuck on their 14nm process for what seems like an infinite amount of pluses, Intel's progress over the years has been slower than expected. In a way, it's impressive to see just how much they've been able to squeeze out of the 14nm...

By TechSpot on
80

The new Core i5-11600K CPU is typically between 10% to 20% faster for productivity tasks when compared to the 10600K, in line with Intel’s claim of a 20% IPC increase. That means the new part is able to match the Ryzen 5 5600X in most scenarios, so Intel’s made up good ground on the productivity front. They’re still nowhere near AMD in terms of efficiency, and that’s of course down to the process node.

By TechSpot on
80

Trying to figure out the best CPU for your next PC upgrade or DIY build? With apologies to Robert Frost, it's the classic two roads that parted in the wood—if the wood were a shopping-results page at Newegg or Amazon, and the road kept dividing...

By PC Mag on
80

These days, you're not suffering for choice if you're shopping for a new desktop CPU. Far from it! And that's true whether you're buying a new processor to build a gaming rig, one packed with cores for speedy content creation or media crunching, or a...

By PCMag IN on
80

If things had gone according to plan for Intel many years ago, the 11th Gen Core family would have been a very different product, possibly based on a 7nm or even smaller process. Intel certainly wouldn't have wanted to regress in terms of core count for...

By Gadgets360 on
60

The Core i9-11900K is impressive in gaming and lightly-threaded work, but it trails the Ryzen 9 5900X tremendously in threaded work and doesn't cement itself well enough in gaming to justify the premium price...

By Tom's Hardware on
80

The Intel Core i5-11600K is an incredibly powerful processor for the money, but it comes with a downside. The high power consumption and temperatures make it to where you have to grab a beefier CPU cooler and power...

By TechRadar on
85

Intel's Core i5-10600K has delivered decent gaming performance and the new Core i5-11600K leaps forward by about ten percent.In addition the new 11th Gen family of CPUs add support for PCI Express Gen 4 so if you have been thinking about the benefits of...

By Kitguru.net on
95

Intel's 11600K processor is a tremendous value for gamers wanting a budget price on a legit CPU!

By TweakTown on
100

Priced at $275, the Core i5-11600K is sitting at an excellent price point. AMD is currently enjoying their leadership status and has jacked up prices across the board, they're also suffering from TSMC's limited 7 nanometer production capacity. That's why the Ryzen 5 5600X is so expensive these days—$350 for a six core. Ryzen 5 5600X is great for gaming and most applications, no doubt. At almost $100 cheaper, the Core i5-11600K is the better alternative though. It offers very similar performance at a much more reasonable price point.

By TechPowerUp on
91

Intel's making a real play for the volume end of the market with one of the best Core i5 chips it's released in a long time. The i5 11600K is a great mainstream gaming CPU that can get the most out of any graphics card you can pair it...

By PC Gamer on
90

The Intel Core i5-11600K is a fantastic processor for gaming, with top-notch performance and support for PCIe 4.0, which maximises the speed of supported next-gen SSDs. This Intel chip is very much a one-trick pony though, with its poor multi-threaded...

By Trusted Reviews on
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