Core Ultra 5 115U vs Core i7-6850K
Core Ultra 5 115U
Core i7-6850K
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 Ultra 5 115U is positioned at rank 779 and the Core i7-6850K is on rank 827, so the Core Ultra 5 115U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 5 115U
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6850K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core Ultra 5 115U | Core i7-6850K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Meteor Lake (2023) / 7 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-E (2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core Ultra 5 115U | Core i7-6850K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 115U and Core i7-6850K
Core Ultra 5 115U
The Core Ultra 5 115U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake (2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 10 MB. Memory support: DDR5 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 11,518 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i7-6850K
The Core i7-6850K 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 15 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: 11,376 points. Launch price was $475.
Processing Power
The Core Ultra 5 115U packs 8 cores / 10 threads, while the Core i7-6850K offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core Ultra 5 115U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 115U versus 4 GHz on the Core i7-6850K — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 115U (base: 1.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 115U uses the Meteor Lake (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Core i7-6850K uses Broadwell-E (2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 115U scores 11,518 against the Core i7-6850K's 11,376 — a 1.2% lead for the Core Ultra 5 115U. L3 cache: 10 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 115U vs 15 MB (total) on the Core i7-6850K.
| Feature | Core Ultra 5 115U | Core i7-6850K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 10+33% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 4.2 GHz+5% | 4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 3.6 GHz+140% |
| L3 Cache | 10 MB (total) | 15 MB (total)+50% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core)+700% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 7 nm-50% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Meteor Lake (2023) | Broadwell-E (2016) |
| PassMark | 11,518+1% | 11,376 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,200 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 5,500 |
Memory & Platform
The Core Ultra 5 115U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-6850K uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core Ultra 5 115U | Core i7-6850K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA2049 | LGA2011 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 4 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 40 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core Ultra 5 115U) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-6850K). Primary use case: Core i7-6850K targets HEDT.
| Feature | Core Ultra 5 115U | Core i7-6850K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | HEDT |
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