Core i7-6820HQ vs Ryzen 5 3500U

Core i7-6820HQ

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2015

Ryzen 5 3500U

4 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-6820HQ

4 / 8

6,758

0.0%

6,836

+1.2%

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.

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 i7-6820HQ is positioned at rank 58 and the Ryzen 5 3500U is on rank 614, so the Core i7-6820HQ offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6820HQ

#13

Ryzen 3 210

MSRP: $99|Avg: $99

99%

#14

Ryzen 5 PRO 230

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

97%

#46

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

217%

#47

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

214%

#48

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

196%

#49

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

195%

#50

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

194%

#52

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

187%

#53

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

179%

#54

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

179%

#55

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

174%

#58

Core i7-6820HQ

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#65

Core i5-3320M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

98%

#66

Core i7-4510U

MSRP: $393|Avg: N/A

97%

#69

Core 2 Quad Q9100

MSRP: $14|Avg: $14

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 3500U

#602

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

811%

#603

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

799%

#604

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

734%

#605

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

730%

#606

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

724%

#608

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

699%

#609

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

670%

#610

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

669%

#611

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

651%

#614

Ryzen 5 3500U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#622

Athlon II P320

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

98%

#625

Core 3 N355

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

97%

#628

Core i5-1335UE

MSRP: $312|Avg: $312

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Ryzen 5 3500U (2019) utilizes 12 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core i7-6820HQ	Ryzen 5 3500U
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 (Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) / 12 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-6820HQ (2015) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core i7-6820HQ	Ryzen 5 3500U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core i7-6820HQ Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 3500U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-6820HQ and Ryzen 5 3500U

Core i7-6820HQ

The Core i7-6820HQ 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 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: 6,758 points. Launch price was $378.

Ryzen 5 3500U

The Ryzen 5 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2019 (6 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 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,836 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-6820HQ and Ryzen 5 3500U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-6820HQ versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3500U — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3500U (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-6820HQ uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3500U uses Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6820HQ scores 6,758 against the Ryzen 5 3500U's 6,836 — a 1.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 3500U. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Core i7-6820HQ vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3500U.

Feature	Core i7-6820HQ	Ryzen 5 3500U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	3.7 GHz+3%
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+29%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB+100%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)
PassMark	6,758	6,836+1%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	3,545
Geekbench 6 Single	—	876
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-6820HQ uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3500U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-6820HQ	Ryzen 5 3500U
Socket	BGA1440	FP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-6820HQ) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 3500U). The Ryzen 5 3500U includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 8), while the Core i7-6820HQ requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3500U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3500U rivals Core i5-10210U.