Core i7-6700 vs Ryzen 5 7520C

Core i7-6700 vs Ryzen 5 7520C Performance Spectrum

Core i7-6700

4 / 8

8,048

0.0%

8,104

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

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 i7-6700 vs Ryzen 5 7520C 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 i7-6700 vs Ryzen 5 7520C: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-6700

2015

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (8,048 vs 8,104).
❌Launch MSRP is still $303 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 7520C mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7520C moves to FT6 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 7520C

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FT6 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7520C better than Core i7-6700?

Yes. Ryzen 5 7520C is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.0% 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?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 7520C is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.0% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 7520C is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 7520C is still the much better call for a fresh build. Ryzen 5 7520C comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $303 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-6700 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2015 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (26.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

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

Ryzen 5 7520C makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2015), a healthier platform with FT6 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i7-6700 vs Ryzen 5 7520C Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-6700

The Core i7-6700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 July 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 8,048 points. Launch price was $303.

Ryzen 5 7520C

The Ryzen 5 7520C is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 May 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FT6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 8,104 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i7-6700 and Ryzen 5 7520C share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-6700 versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7520C — a 7.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7520C (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i7-6700 uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7520C uses Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6700 scores 8,048 against the Ryzen 5 7520C's 8,104 — a 0.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 7520C. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-6700 vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7520C.

Feature	Core i7-6700	Ryzen 5 7520C
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.3 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+21%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	6 nm-57%
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023)
PassMark	8,048	8,104

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-6700 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 7520C uses FT6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.