Core i3-8109U 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 i3-8109U 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 i3-8109U 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 i3-8109U

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 58W, a 30W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Plus Graphics 655, while Pentium Gold G6500 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium Gold G6500 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,184 vs 4,185).

Pentium Gold G6500

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌107.1% higher power demand at 58W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-8109U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold G6500 better than Core i3-8109U?

Yes. Pentium Gold G6500 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0% 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 5.3% more average FPS across 50 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 0% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Gold G6500 still makes the most sense overall. Pentium Gold G6500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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 2018) 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 i3-8109U vs Pentium Gold G6500 Technical Specifications

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

Core i3-8109U

The Core i3-8109U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,184 points. Launch price was $304.

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 i3-8109U and Pentium Gold G6500 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i3-8109U versus 4.1 GHz on the Pentium Gold G6500 — a 13% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold G6500 (base: 3 GHz vs 4.1 GHz). The Core i3-8109U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium Gold G6500 uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-8109U scores 4,184 against the Pentium Gold G6500's 4,185 — a 0% lead for the Pentium Gold G6500. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-8109U	Pentium Gold G6500
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	4.1 GHz+14%
Base Clock	3 GHz	4.1 GHz+37%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	4,184	4,185
Geekbench 6 Single	1,100	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-8109U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold G6500 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-8109U	Pentium Gold G6500
Socket	FCBGA1528	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-8109U) / not specified (Pentium Gold G6500). The Core i3-8109U includes integrated graphics (Iris Plus Graphics 655), while the Pentium Gold G6500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-8109U targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-8109U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.