Core i3-1115GRE vs Core i5-6442EQ

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i3-1115GRE

2020

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 25W, a 10W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while Core i5-6442EQ needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-6442EQ across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.6 vs 17.9 PassMark/$ ($338 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).

Core i5-6442EQ

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $88 less on MSRP ($250 MSRP vs $338 MSRP).
✅Delivers 32.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 17.9 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($250 MSRP vs $338 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (4,483 vs 4,588).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 25W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-1115GRE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i3-1115GRE

2020

Core i5-6442EQ

2015

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 25W, a 10W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while Core i5-6442EQ needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $88 less on MSRP ($250 MSRP vs $338 MSRP).
✅Delivers 32.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 17.9 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($250 MSRP vs $338 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-6442EQ across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.6 vs 17.9 PassMark/$ ($338 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (4,483 vs 4,588).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 25W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-1115GRE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-1115GRE better than Core i5-6442EQ?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-6442EQ is ahead with a 10.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-1115GRE pulls ahead with 2.3% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-1115GRE is the better fit. You are getting 2.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i3-1115GRE is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Core i3-1115GRE is 35.2% more expensive on MSRP at $338 MSRP versus $250 MSRP, and it gives you 2.3% better PassMark. Core i5-6442EQ only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2015 platform. Even with 32.1% better value on paper (17.9 vs 13.6 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on that older platform.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i3-1115GRE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2015) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i3-1115GRE Benchmark Check

Core i5-6442EQ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i3-1115GRE	Core i5-6442EQ
1080p
low	115 FPS	112 FPS
medium	115 FPS	112 FPS
high	107 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	79 FPS
1440p
low	115 FPS	112 FPS
medium	114 FPS	111 FPS
high	88 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	66 FPS
medium	55 FPS	56 FPS
high	42 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i3-1115GRE Open Core i5-6442EQ

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i3-1115GRE	Core i5-6442EQ
1080p
low	90 FPS	112 FPS
medium	80 FPS	112 FPS
high	73 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	103 FPS
1440p
low	73 FPS	112 FPS
medium	64 FPS	112 FPS
high	60 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	54 FPS	112 FPS
medium	49 FPS	102 FPS
high	37 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	58 FPS

Open Core i3-1115GRE Open Core i5-6442EQ

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i3-1115GRE	Core i5-6442EQ
1080p
low	115 FPS	112 FPS
medium	115 FPS	112 FPS
high	115 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	115 FPS	112 FPS
medium	115 FPS	112 FPS
high	115 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	112 FPS
4K
low	115 FPS	112 FPS
medium	115 FPS	112 FPS
high	115 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	112 FPS

Open Core i3-1115GRE Open Core i5-6442EQ

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i3-1115GRE	Core i5-6442EQ
1080p
low	115 FPS	112 FPS
medium	115 FPS	112 FPS
high	115 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	115 FPS	112 FPS
medium	115 FPS	112 FPS
high	115 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	112 FPS
4K
low	115 FPS	112 FPS
medium	115 FPS	112 FPS
high	115 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	112 FPS

Open Core i3-1115GRE Open Core i5-6442EQ

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-1115GRE and Core i5-6442EQ

Core i3-1115GRE

The Core i3-1115GRE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 September 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-U (2020−2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1449. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, LPDDR4X. Passmark benchmark score: 4,588 points. Launch price was $338.

Core i5-6442EQ

The Core i5-6442EQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 12 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 4,483 points. Launch price was $250.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-1115GRE packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-6442EQ offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-6442EQ has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i3-1115GRE versus 1.9 GHz on the Core i5-6442EQ — a 69% clock advantage for the Core i3-1115GRE. The Core i3-1115GRE uses the Tiger Lake-U (2020−2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-6442EQ uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-1115GRE scores 4,588 against the Core i5-6442EQ's 4,483 — a 2.3% lead for the Core i3-1115GRE. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-1115GRE vs 6 MB on the Core i5-6442EQ.

Feature	Core i3-1115GRE	Core i5-6442EQ
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz+105%	1.9 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	—
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	6 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Tiger Lake-U (2020−2021)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	4,588+2%	4,483
Geekbench 6 Single	1,175	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,233	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Core i3-1115GRE) / not specified (Core i5-6442EQ). The Core i3-1115GRE includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics), while the Core i5-6442EQ requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Core i3-1115GRE	Core i5-6442EQ
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	Yes	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-1115GRE launched at $338 MSRP, while the Core i5-6442EQ debuted at $250. On MSRP ($338 vs $250), the Core i5-6442EQ is $88 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-1115GRE delivers 13.6 pts/$ vs 17.9 pts/$ for the Core i5-6442EQ — making the Core i5-6442EQ the 27.7% better value option.