Core i3-6006U vs Phenom II X4 925

Core i3-6006U vs Phenom II X4 925 Performance Spectrum

Core i3-6006U

2 / 4

2,273

+0.5%

Celeron 847

Core i3-530

Pentium Dual Core T2390

2,261

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

About PassMark

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.

Core i3-6006U vs Phenom II X4 925 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i3-6006U vs Phenom II X4 925: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i3-6006U

2016

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 520, while Phenom II X4 925 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 6 MB).

Phenom II X4 925

2009

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 3 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,261 vs 2,273).
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-6006U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-6006U better than Phenom II X4 925?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom II X4 925 is ahead with a 1.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-6006U pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark. Phenom II X4 925 also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 3 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-6006U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i3-6006U still makes the most sense overall. Core i3-6006U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark.

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

Core i3-6006U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-6006U vs Phenom II X4 925 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i3-6006U

The Core i3-6006U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 November 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,273 points. Launch price was $281.

Phenom II X4 925

The Phenom II X4 925 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,261 points. Launch price was $160.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-6006U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X4 925 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 925 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core i3-6006U versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 925 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 925 (base: 2 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i3-6006U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X4 925 uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-6006U scores 2,273 against the Phenom II X4 925's 2,261 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i3-6006U. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i3-6006U vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 925.

Feature	Core i3-6006U	Phenom II X4 925
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2.8 GHz+40%
Base Clock	2 GHz	2.8 GHz+40%
L3 Cache	3 MB	6 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark	2,273	2,261
Cinebench R23 Multi	2,200	—
Geekbench 6 Single	630	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,313	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-6006U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 925 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-6006U	Phenom II X4 925
Socket	BGA1356	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Core i3-6006U) / not specified (Phenom II X4 925). The Core i3-6006U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 520), while the Phenom II X4 925 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-6006U targets Mobile.