Core i7-6560U vs Pentium Gold G5420T

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 i7-6560U vs Pentium Gold G5420T 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 i7-6560U vs Pentium Gold G5420T: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-6560U

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,347 vs 3,370).

Pentium Gold G5420T

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold G5420T better than Core i7-6560U?

Yes. Pentium Gold G5420T is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% 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, Pentium Gold G5420T is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Gold G5420T still makes the most sense overall. Pentium Gold G5420T comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Pentium Gold G5420T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 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 i7-6560U vs Pentium Gold G5420T Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-6560U

The Core i7-6560U 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 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 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: 3,347 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium Gold G5420T

The Pentium Gold G5420T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,370 points. Launch price was $64.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i7-6560U and Pentium Gold G5420T share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i7-6560U versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5420T — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i7-6560U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium Gold G5420T uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6560U scores 3,347 against the Pentium Gold G5420T's 3,370 — a 0.7% lead for the Pentium Gold G5420T. Both processors carry 4 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-6560U	Pentium Gold G5420T
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	3.2 GHz+45%
L3 Cache	4 MB	4 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark	3,347	3,370

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-6560U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold G5420T uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.