Core i7-6500U vs Ryzen Embedded R1600

Core i7-6500U vs Ryzen Embedded R1600 Performance Spectrum

Core i7-6500U

2 / 4

3,271

0.0%

3,276

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Core i7-6500U vs Ryzen Embedded R1600 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 i7-6500U vs Ryzen Embedded R1600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-6500U

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 25W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,271 vs 3,276).

Ryzen Embedded R1600

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌66.7% higher power demand at 25W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Embedded R1600 better than Core i7-6500U?

Yes. Ryzen Embedded R1600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

For gaming, this matchup is basically a tie in the data we have.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Embedded R1600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Ryzen Embedded R1600 still makes the most sense overall. Ryzen Embedded R1600 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Ryzen Embedded R1600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 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 i7-6500U vs Ryzen Embedded R1600 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Ryzen Embedded R1600

The Ryzen Embedded R1600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,276 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i7-6500U and Ryzen Embedded R1600 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Core i7-6500U versus 3.1 GHz on the Ryzen Embedded R1600 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-6500U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Embedded R1600 uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6500U scores 3,271 against the Ryzen Embedded R1600's 3,276 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen Embedded R1600. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Core i7-6500U vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen Embedded R1600.

Feature	Core i7-6500U	Ryzen Embedded R1600
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.6 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	4 MB	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	3,271	3,276

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-6500U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Embedded R1600 uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.