Core i7-6700HQ vs Ryzen 5 3450U

Core i7-6700HQ vs Ryzen 5 3450U Performance Spectrum

Core i7-6700HQ

4 / 8

6,522

0.0%

6,550

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

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 i7-6700HQ vs Ryzen 5 3450U 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 i7-6700HQ vs Ryzen 5 3450U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-6700HQ

2015

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,522 vs 6,550).
❌2150% higher power demand at 45W vs 2W.

Ryzen 5 3450U

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 45W, a 43W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3450U better than Core i7-6700HQ?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3450U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.4% 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 5 3450U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 3450U still makes the most sense overall. Ryzen 5 3450U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Ryzen 5 3450U 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 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-6700HQ vs Ryzen 5 3450U Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-6700HQ

The Core i7-6700HQ 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 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,522 points. Launch price was $378.

Ryzen 5 3450U

The Ryzen 5 3450U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,550 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i7-6700HQ and Ryzen 5 3450U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i7-6700HQ versus 3.5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3450U — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-6700HQ uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3450U uses Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6700HQ scores 6,522 against the Ryzen 5 3450U's 6,550 — a 0.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 3450U. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i7-6700HQ vs 4 MB on the Ryzen 5 3450U.

Feature	Core i7-6700HQ	Ryzen 5 3450U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+24%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB+50%	4 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)
PassMark	6,522	6,550

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-6700HQ uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3450U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.