Core i7-7500U vs Core i7-6660U

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 i7-7500U is positioned at rank 690 and the Core i7-6660U is on rank 612, so the Core i7-6660U 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 i7-7500U

#678

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

970%

#679

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

956%

#680

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

877%

#681

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

873%

#682

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

865%

#684

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

836%

#685

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

801%

#686

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

800%

#687

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

779%

#690

Core i7-7500U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#695

Processor N95

MSRP: $160|Avg: $80

99%

#699

Athlon Silver 3050e

MSRP: $100|Avg: $60

98%

#705

C-60

MSRP: $50|Avg: $20

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6660U

#600

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

809%

#601

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

797%

#602

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

732%

#603

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

728%

#604

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

722%

#606

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

697%

#607

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

668%

#608

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

667%

#609

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

649%

#612

Core i7-6660U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#622

Athlon II P320

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

98%

#625

Core 3 N355

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-7500U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i7-6660U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-7500U	Core i7-6660U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-7500U	Core i7-6660U
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 i7-7500U Benchmark Check

Core i7-6660U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-7500U and Core i7-6660U

Core i7-7500U

The Core i7-7500U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,630 points. Launch price was $393.

Core i7-6660U

The Core i7-6660U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 March 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133, LPDDR3-1866, DDR3L-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 3,628 points. Launch price was $415.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-7500U and Core i7-6660U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i7-7500U versus 3.4 GHz on the Core i7-6660U — a 2.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-7500U (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-7500U uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-6660U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-7500U scores 3,630 against the Core i7-6660U's 3,628 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-7500U. Both processors carry 4 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-7500U	Core i7-6660U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+3%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+13%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB	4 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	3,630	3,628