Intel Core i7-2600 vs Intel Core i7-6700

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   Perhaps you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i7-2600 vs Intel Core i7-6700 tests and see which is better for games or simple use for rendering, programming, machine learning, video editing, streaming. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications like Gears 5, SuperPi, Blender, PCMark 10, GeekBench 6, 5.2, AIDA64, RealBench, WPrime, PassMark, Furmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 3DMark, VeraCrypt, Handbrake, UserBenchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Dolphin Emulator, MATLAB, 7zip, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Prime95, Blender.
   And how good the processors are in games:

Fortnite
Last Man Standing
Halo Infinite
Overwatch
Grand Theft Auto V
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Valheim
Fallout 76
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Death Stranding
Valorant
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Apex Legends
Borderlands 3
DOOM: Eternal
Cyberpunk 2077
Rainbow Six Siege
Watch Dogs Legion
Red Dead Redemption 2

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-6700 or Intel Core i7-2600.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i7-2600

51%

Core i7-6700

52%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i7-6700 is 1% better than Core i7-2600. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-2600

51%

Core i7-6700

52%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Metro Exodus, NBA 2K20, Hitman 3, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Ghostrunner, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Monster Hunter World, Forza Horizon 4, Battlefield V, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Control, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Horizon Zero Dawn, League of Legends (LOL).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.3	92.4
Valorant	103.7	105.0
Cyberpunk 2077	58.1	58.8
Apex Legends	97.5	98.7
Call of Duty Warzone	77.8	78.8
Overwatch	84.0	85.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.6	72.5
DOOM Eternal	51.9	52.5
Warzone	80.9	81.9
Assassin's Creed	87.1	88.2
Valheim	86.1	87.2

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i7-2600

29%

Core i7-6700

56%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-6700 is more energy efficient than the Core i7-2600 since it has less power consumption: 95W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i7-2600	Intel Core i7-6700
Cinbench 15 Single-core	124	171
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	568	816
Cinbench 20 Single-core	257	406
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1824	1774
Cinbench 23 Single-core	759	1071
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3647	4921

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i7-2600	Intel Core i7-6700
Single-Core	1751	2325
Multi-Core	5341	8025

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i7-2600	Intel Core i7-6700
Single-Core	844	1095
Multi-Core	3227	4353

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-2600	Intel Core i7-6700
Announcement date	October 01, 2010	April 01, 2015
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	LGA1155	LGA 1151
Core name	Sandy Bridge	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation		6
Turbo Frequency	3.8 MHz	4 MHz
Frequency	3.4 MHz	3.4 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	8
Bus rate	5 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	32 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	2800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	95 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V
Max. Memory	32 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	21 GB/s	34.1 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	8 MB	8 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-2600 is better: 1
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-6700 is better: 29
All the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i7-2600 and Intel Core i7-6700 before making a selection which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i7-2600 specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-6700 specs and review.