Xeon X5690 vs Core i7-6820HK
Xeon X5690
Core i7-6820HK
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 Xeon X5690 is positioned at rank 514 and the Core i7-6820HK is on rank 911, so the Xeon X5690 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon X5690
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6820HK
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon X5690 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($250) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($378) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon X5690 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+52%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($250) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($378) |
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 Xeon X5690 and Core i7-6820HK
Xeon X5690
The Xeon X5690 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.46 GHz, with boost up to 3.73 GHz. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,031 points. Launch price was $205.
Core i7-6820HK
The Core i7-6820HK 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: 7,012 points. Launch price was $378.
Processing Power
The Xeon X5690 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-6820HK offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Xeon X5690 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.73 GHz on the Xeon X5690 versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-6820HK — a 3.5% clock advantage for the Xeon X5690 (base: 3.46 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Xeon X5690 uses the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-6820HK uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon X5690 scores 7,031 against the Core i7-6820HK's 7,012 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon X5690. L3 cache: 12288 kB (total) on the Xeon X5690 vs 8 MB on the Core i7-6820HK.
| Feature | Xeon X5690 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12+50% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.73 GHz+4% | 3.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.46 GHz+28% | 2.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12288 kB (total)+50% | 8 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Westmere-EP (2010−2011) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 7,031 | 7,012 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 3,000 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon X5690 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-6820HK uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon X5690 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1366 | BGA1440 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| RAM Channels | 3 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon X5690) / not specified (Core i7-6820HK). Primary use case: Xeon X5690 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon X5690 rivals Core i7-980X.
| Feature | Xeon X5690 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Workstation | — |
Value Analysis
The Xeon X5690 launched at $250 MSRP, while the Core i7-6820HK debuted at $378.
| Feature | Xeon X5690 | Core i7-6820HK |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $250-34% | $378 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $250 | — |
| Release Date | 2011 | 2015 |
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