Core i7-6900K vs Ryzen 7 PRO 1700

Core i7-6900K vs Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 Performance Spectrum

Core i7-6900K

8 / 16

14,682

0.0%

14,699

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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 i7-6900K vs Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 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 i7-6900K vs Ryzen 7 PRO 1700: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-6900K

2016

Why buy it

✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (14,682 vs 14,699).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.5 vs 44.7 PassMark/$ ($1,089 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 PRO 1700

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $760 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,089 MSRP).
✅Delivers 231.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.7 vs 13.5 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,089 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 better than Core i7-6900K?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-6900K is ahead with a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark. Core i7-6900K also has the bigger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 comes in $760 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $1,089 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i7-6900K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 231.4% better value on MSRP (44.7 vs 13.5 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-6900K vs Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-6900K

The Core i7-6900K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 May 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-E (2016) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,682 points. Launch price was $1,020.

Ryzen 7 PRO 1700

The Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 14,699 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-6900K and Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-6900K versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-6900K (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i7-6900K uses the Broadwell-E (2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6900K scores 14,682 against the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700's 14,699 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i7-6900K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700.

Feature	Core i7-6900K	Ryzen 7 PRO 1700
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4 GHz+8%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+7%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+25%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Broadwell-E (2016)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	14,682	14,699
Geekbench 6 Single	1,273	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	7,591	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-6900K uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-6900K	Ryzen 7 PRO 1700
Socket	LGA2011	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-6900K) / not specified (Ryzen 7 PRO 1700). Primary use case: Core i7-6900K targets High-End Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-6900K	Ryzen 7 PRO 1700
Integrated GPU	No	—
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	High-End Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i7-6900K was priced at $1089, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 came in at $329. On launch pricing ($1089 vs $329), Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 was $760 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-6900K delivers 13.5 pts/$ vs 44.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 — making the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 the 107.3% better value option.

Feature	Core i7-6900K	Ryzen 7 PRO 1700
MSRP	$1089	$329-70%
Performance per Dollar	13.5	44.7+231%
Release Date	2016	2017

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