Core m5-6Y57 vs Pentium Gold 5405U

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 m5-6Y57 vs Pentium Gold 5405U 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 m5-6Y57 vs Pentium Gold 5405U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core m5-6Y57

2015

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 2 MB).
✅Draws 5W instead of 15W, a 11W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,342 vs 2,357).
❌Launch MSRP is still $281 MSRP, while Pentium Gold 5405U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Pentium Gold 5405U

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 4 MB).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 15W vs 4.5W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core m5-6Y57 better than Pentium Gold 5405U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core m5-6Y57 is ahead with a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold 5405U pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark. Core m5-6Y57 also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 2 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold 5405U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core m5-6Y57 is the better buy right now. Core m5-6Y57 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $281 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Pentium Gold 5405U is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.6% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (8.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium Gold 5405U 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 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core m5-6Y57 vs Pentium Gold 5405U Technical Specifications

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

Core m5-6Y57

The Core m5-6Y57 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-Y (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1515. Thermal design power (TDP): 4.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,342 points. Launch price was $281.

Pentium Gold 5405U

The Pentium Gold 5405U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,357 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

Both the Core m5-6Y57 and Pentium Gold 5405U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Core m5-6Y57 versus 2.3 GHz on the Pentium Gold 5405U — a 19.6% clock advantage for the Core m5-6Y57 (base: 1.1 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core m5-6Y57 uses the Skylake-Y (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium Gold 5405U uses Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core m5-6Y57 scores 2,342 against the Pentium Gold 5405U's 2,357 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium Gold 5405U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core m5-6Y57 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold 5405U.

Feature	Core m5-6Y57	Pentium Gold 5405U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+22%	2.3 GHz
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	2.3 GHz+109%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)+100%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake-Y (2015)	Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark	2,342	2,357

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Memory & Platform

The Core m5-6Y57 uses the FCBGA1515 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold 5405U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.