Core i5-4340M vs Core i7-6600U

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 i5-4340M vs Core i7-6600U 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 i5-4340M vs Core i7-6600U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-4340M

2014

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,380 vs 3,407).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
❌3313.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 15W.

Core i7-6600U

2015

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 512W, a 497W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-6600U better than Core i5-4340M?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-4340M is ahead with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-6600U pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark. Core i7-6600U also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-6600U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).

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

Core i7-6600U still makes the most sense overall. Core i7-6600U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% better PassMark.

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

Core i7-6600U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2014), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB), 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 i5-4340M vs Core i7-6600U Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-4340M

The Core i5-4340M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 January 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,380 points. Launch price was $266.

Core i7-6600U

The Core i7-6600U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 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: 3,407 points. Launch price was $393.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-4340M and Core i7-6600U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i5-4340M versus 3.4 GHz on the Core i7-6600U — a 5.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-4340M (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-4340M uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-6600U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4340M scores 3,380 against the Core i7-6600U's 3,407 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i7-6600U. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i5-4340M vs 4 MB on the Core i7-6600U.

Feature	Core i5-4340M	Core i7-6600U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz+6%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+12%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	3,380	3,407

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-4340M uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-6600U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.