How does Ryzen 5 5600X handle gaming, and how large is the gap versus cheaper models?

  The Ryzen 5 5600X is a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 3 part from 2020. It's fine at 1080p high refresh and 1440p with good value; high-refresh esports and sims lean on the CPU, while 1440p/4K lean on the GPU.

  Judge gaps by 1% lows and GPU usage on the same card rather than inferring FPS from the model name. It's a solid value on an existing AM4 platform; for a new build, AM5 is the better path.