Core i3-8121U vs Pentium Gold G6600

Core i3-8121U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2018

Pentium Gold G6600

2 Cores4 Thrd58 WWMax: 4.2 GHz2020

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-8121U

2 / 4

4,271

+1.1%

4,223

0.0%

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. The Core i3-8121U is positioned at rank #166 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-8121U

#154

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

343%

#155

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

338%

#156

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

311%

#157

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

309%

#158

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

306%

#160

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

296%

#161

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

284%

#162

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

283%

#163

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

276%

#166

Core i3-8121U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#173

Celeron N3060

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

99%

#176

Core 2 Duo T9300

MSRP: $316|Avg: $20

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Pentium Gold G6600 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-8121U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1.1% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i3-8121U	Pentium Gold G6600
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 10 nm)	✨ Modern (Comet Lake (2020−2025) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-8121U	Pentium Gold G6600
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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 i3-8121U Benchmark Check

Pentium Gold G6600 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-8121U and Pentium Gold G6600

Core i3-8121U

The Core i3-8121U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 May 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 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,271 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium Gold G6600

The Pentium Gold G6600 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 4.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 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: 4,223 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-8121U and Pentium Gold G6600 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i3-8121U versus 4.2 GHz on the Pentium Gold G6600 — a 27% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold G6600 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 4.2 GHz). The Core i3-8121U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (10 nm), while the Pentium Gold G6600 uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-8121U scores 4,271 against the Pentium Gold G6600's 4,223 — a 1.1% lead for the Core i3-8121U. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-8121U	Pentium Gold G6600
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	4.2 GHz+31%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	4.2 GHz+91%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	4,271+1%	4,223
Geekbench 6 Single	1,178	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,250	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-8121U uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold G6600 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-8121U	Pentium Gold G6600
Socket	BGA1440	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-8121U) / not specified (Pentium Gold G6600). Primary use case: Core i3-8121U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i3-8121U rivals Core i3-8130U.