Core i3-7300T vs Pentium Gold G6500

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 i3-7300T vs Pentium Gold G6500 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 i3-7300T vs Pentium Gold G6500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i3-7300T

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 58W, a 23W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 630, while Pentium Gold G6500 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Pentium Gold G6500.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium Gold G6500 across 13 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,145 vs 4,185).
❌Launch MSRP is still $138 MSRP, while Pentium Gold G6500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Pentium Gold G6500

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 13 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌65.7% higher power demand at 58W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-7300T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i3-7300T.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold G6500 better than Core i3-7300T?

Yes. Pentium Gold G6500 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 7.3% average FPS lead across 13 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium Gold G6500 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 7.3% more average FPS across 13 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold G6500 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Gold G6500 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium Gold G6500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $138 MSRP, and it still gives you a 7.3% average FPS lead across 13 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i3-7300T only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2017 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (30.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

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

Pentium Gold G6500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-7300T vs Pentium Gold G6500 Technical Specifications

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

Core i3-7300T

The Core i3-7300T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,145 points. Launch price was $147.

Pentium Gold G6500

The Pentium Gold G6500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 58 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 4,185 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i3-7300T and Pentium Gold G6500 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i3-7300T versus 4.1 GHz on the Pentium Gold G6500 — a 15.8% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold G6500 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 4.1 GHz). The Core i3-7300T uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium Gold G6500 uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-7300T scores 4,145 against the Pentium Gold G6500's 4,185 — a 1% lead for the Pentium Gold G6500. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-7300T	Pentium Gold G6500
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	4.1 GHz+17%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	4.1 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	4,145	4,185
Geekbench 6 Single	1,100	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-7300T uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold G6500 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-7300T	Pentium Gold G6500
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-7300T) / not specified (Pentium Gold G6500). The Core i3-7300T includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 630), while the Pentium Gold G6500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-7300T targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i3-7300T rivals Ryzen 3 2200GE.