Core i7-6820HQ vs Ryzen 5 3500U

Core i7-6820HQ vs Ryzen 5 3500U Performance Spectrum

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.

Core i7-6820HQ vs Ryzen 5 3500U 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 i7-6820HQ vs Ryzen 5 3500U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-6820HQ

2015

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3500U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,758 vs 6,836).
❌200% higher power demand at 45W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 3500U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 45W, a 30W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Core i7-6820HQ needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3500U better than Core i7-6820HQ?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3500U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 3500U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.4% 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 3500U is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 3500U still makes the most sense overall. Ryzen 5 3500U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Ryzen 5 3500U 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 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 i7-6820HQ vs Ryzen 5 3500U Technical Specifications

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

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.

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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	512K (per core)+51100%
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

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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	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	12

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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.