Core i5-6260U vs Pentium Gold 4415U

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 i5-6260U vs Pentium Gold 4415U 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 i5-6260U vs Pentium Gold 4415U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-6260U

2015

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 2 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Graphics 540, while Pentium Gold 4415U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,200 vs 3,229).
❌3313.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 15W.

Pentium Gold 4415U

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 512W, a 497W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 4 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-6260U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold 4415U better than Core i5-6260U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-6260U is ahead with a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold 4415U pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark. Core i5-6260U also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 2 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold 4415U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Gold 4415U still makes the most sense overall. Pentium Gold 4415U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark.

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

Pentium Gold 4415U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2015) 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 i5-6260U vs Pentium Gold 4415U Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-6260U

The Core i5-6260U 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 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 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: 3,200 points. Launch price was $304.

Pentium Gold 4415U

The Pentium Gold 4415U 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 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 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: 3,229 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-6260U and Pentium Gold 4415U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Core i5-6260U versus 2.2 GHz on the Pentium Gold 4415U — a 27.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-6260U (base: 1.8 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i5-6260U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium Gold 4415U uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-6260U scores 3,200 against the Pentium Gold 4415U's 3,229 — a 0.9% lead for the Pentium Gold 4415U. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Core i5-6260U vs 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 4415U.

Feature	Core i5-6260U	Pentium Gold 4415U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz+32%	2.2 GHz
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	2.3 GHz+28%
L3 Cache	4 MB+100%	2 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	3,200	3,229
Geekbench 6 Single	979	—

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the BGA1356 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Core i5-6260U	Pentium Gold 4415U
Socket	BGA1356	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
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: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-6260U) / not specified (Pentium Gold 4415U). The Core i5-6260U includes integrated graphics (Iris Graphics 540), while the Pentium Gold 4415U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-6260U targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-6260U rivals A12-9720P.