Core i5-680 vs Core i3-6100U
Core i5-680
Core i3-6100U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-680 is positioned at rank 1014 and the Core i3-6100U is on rank 772, so the Core i3-6100U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-680
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-6100U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-680 | Core i3-6100U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-680 | Core i3-6100U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-680 and Core i3-6100U
Core i5-680
The Core i5-680 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 April 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.86 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,620 points. Launch price was $272.
Core i3-6100U
The Core i3-6100U 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 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 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: 2,631 points. Launch price was $281.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-680 and Core i3-6100U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.86 GHz on the Core i5-680 versus 2.3 GHz on the Core i3-6100U — a 50.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-680 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i5-680 uses the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i3-6100U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-680 scores 2,620 against the Core i3-6100U's 2,631 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i3-6100U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i5-680 vs 3 MB on the Core i3-6100U.
| Feature | Core i5-680 | Core i3-6100U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.86 GHz+68% | 2.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+57% | 2.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total)+33% | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Clarkdale (2010−2011) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 2,620 | 2,631 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-680 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-6100U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-680 | Core i3-6100U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | BGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-680) / not specified (Core i3-6100U). The Core i5-680 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics), while the Core i3-6100U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-680 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Core i5-680 | Core i3-6100U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
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