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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-6600T

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $93 less on MSRP ($213 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅Delivers 45.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 26.1 vs 17.9 PassMark/$ ($213 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 530, while Core i7-4785T needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).

Core i7-4785T

2013

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-6600T across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,486 vs 5,565).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.9 vs 26.1 PassMark/$ ($306 MSRP vs $213 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-6600T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-6600T

2015

Core i7-4785T

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $93 less on MSRP ($213 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅Delivers 45.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 26.1 vs 17.9 PassMark/$ ($213 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 530, while Core i7-4785T needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-6600T across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,486 vs 5,565).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.9 vs 26.1 PassMark/$ ($306 MSRP vs $213 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-6600T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-6600T better than Core i7-4785T?

Yes. Core i5-6600T is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.4% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-6600T is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.2% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-6600T is the better fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-6600T is the smarter buy today. Core i5-6600T is $93 cheaper on MSRP at $213 MSRP versus $306 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 45.7% better value on MSRP (26.1 vs 17.9 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i5-6600T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

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 i5-6600T Benchmark Check

Core i7-4785T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-6600T	Core i7-4785T
1080p
low	139 FPS	137 FPS
medium	136 FPS	137 FPS
high	107 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	137 FPS
medium	114 FPS	114 FPS
high	88 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	64 FPS
medium	57 FPS	57 FPS
high	44 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i5-6600T Open Core i7-4785T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-6600T	Core i7-4785T
1080p
low	139 FPS	100 FPS
medium	136 FPS	88 FPS
high	128 FPS	84 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	65 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	87 FPS
medium	116 FPS	77 FPS
high	108 FPS	73 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	105 FPS	68 FPS
medium	94 FPS	63 FPS
high	74 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i5-6600T Open Core i7-4785T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-6600T	Core i7-4785T
1080p
low	139 FPS	137 FPS
medium	139 FPS	137 FPS
high	139 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	137 FPS
1440p
low	139 FPS	137 FPS
medium	139 FPS	137 FPS
high	139 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	139 FPS	137 FPS
medium	139 FPS	137 FPS
high	139 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	137 FPS

Open Core i5-6600T Open Core i7-4785T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-6600T	Core i7-4785T
1080p
low	139 FPS	137 FPS
medium	139 FPS	137 FPS
high	139 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	137 FPS
1440p
low	139 FPS	137 FPS
medium	139 FPS	137 FPS
high	139 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	139 FPS	137 FPS
medium	139 FPS	137 FPS
high	139 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	137 FPS

Open Core i5-6600T Open Core i7-4785T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-6600T and Core i7-4785T

Core i5-6600T

The Core i5-6600T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 July 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,565 points. Launch price was $192.

Core i7-4785T

The Core i7-4785T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 5,486 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-6600T packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-4785T's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-6600T versus 3.2 GHz on the Core i7-4785T — a 9% clock advantage for the Core i5-6600T (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-6600T uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-4785T uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-6600T scores 5,565 against the Core i7-4785T's 5,486 — a 1.4% lead for the Core i5-6600T. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-6600T vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4785T.

Feature	Core i5-6600T	Core i7-4785T
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+23%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	5,565+1%	5,486
Cinebench R23 Multi	7,083	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,175	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	3,212	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-6600T uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4785T uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-6600T	Core i7-4785T
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1150
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-6600T) / not specified (Core i7-4785T). The Core i5-6600T includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 530), while the Core i7-4785T requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-6600T targets Office. Direct competitor: Core i5-6600T rivals AMD Athlon II X4 640.

Feature	Core i5-6600T	Core i7-4785T
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	HD Graphics 530	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Office	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-6600T launched at $213 MSRP, while the Core i7-4785T debuted at $306. On MSRP ($213 vs $306), the Core i5-6600T is $93 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-6600T delivers 26.1 pts/$ vs 17.9 pts/$ for the Core i7-4785T — making the Core i5-6600T the 37.2% better value option.