Intel’s Core i5-11600K is its mainstream Rocket Lake processor for enthusiasts looking for a performance bargain, and it’s one the best CPUs for gaming around. Intel's new 12th generation Alder Lake processors are the new "hotness" in the tech space, which means that now is the perfect opportunity to score a deal on 11th generation Rocket Lake processors.
The Core i5-11600K makes a great case for itself with a 6-core/12-thread configuration. It has a base clock of 3.9 GHz, but can boost up to 4.9 GHz or 4.6 GHz across all cores. The processor has an integrated UHD Graphics Xe GPU with 32 execution units, although most enthusiasts will be pairing the chip with a discrete GPU, preferably from among the best graphics cards .
When it comes to performance, the Core i5-11600K trades blows with AMD’s Zen 3-based Ryzen 5 5600X (see our list of Ryzen 5 5600X deals to save on that processor). However, the Intel chip runs hotter due to its use of the aging 14nm process node, versus the TSMC 7nm process node for the Ryzen 5 5600X. We must also mention that Intel doesn’t include a CPU cooler in the box – as you would find in its AMD counterpart – so you’ll need to save room in your budget to wrangle this 125-watt TDP beast.
There are numerous 500-Series motherboards compatible with the Core i5-11600K, so you can “cheap out” with something like an H510 or go all-out with a Z590 offering. As for memory, the Core i5-11600K natively supports DDR4-3200 modules (albeit in Gear 2 mode). You can run DDR4-2933 memory in Gear 1 mode with the processor.
