Core i7-6500U vs A8-9600
Core i7-6500U
A8-9600
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 i7-6500U is positioned at rank 302 and the A8-9600 is on rank 387, so the Core i7-6500U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6500U
Performance Per Dollar A8-9600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-6500U | A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-6500U | A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 i7-6500U and A8-9600
Core i7-6500U
The Core i7-6500U 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 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 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: 3,271 points. Launch price was $393.
A8-9600
The A8-9600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,295 points. Launch price was $78.
Processing Power
The Core i7-6500U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the A8-9600 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A8-9600 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Core i7-6500U versus 3.4 GHz on the A8-9600 — a 9.2% clock advantage for the A8-9600 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i7-6500U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the A8-9600 uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6500U scores 3,271 against the A8-9600's 3,295 — a 0.7% lead for the A8-9600. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Core i7-6500U vs 0 kB on the A8-9600.
| Feature | Core i7-6500U | A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.1 GHz | 3.4 GHz+10% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 3.1 GHz+24% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 2048 kB+300% |
| Process | 14 nm-50% | 28 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 3,271 | 3,295 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 607 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,415 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-6500U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the A8-9600 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-6500U | A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | AM4 |
| 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 | — | 8 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-6500U) / AMD-V (A8-9600). The A8-9600 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7 Series), while the Core i7-6500U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A8-9600 targets Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: A8-9600 rivals Pentium G4560.
| Feature | Core i7-6500U | A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon R7 Series |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget Desktop |
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