Core i7-6800K vs Ryzen 3 7330U

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-6800K

2016

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅+87.5% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $434 MSRP, while Ryzen 3 7330U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌833.3% higher power demand at 140W vs 15W.

Ryzen 3 7330U

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 140W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,645 vs 10,715).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 15 MB).

Core i7-6800K

2016

Ryzen 3 7330U

2023

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅+87.5% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 8 MB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 140W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $434 MSRP, while Ryzen 3 7330U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌833.3% higher power demand at 140W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,645 vs 10,715).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 15 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 7330U better than Core i7-6800K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 3 7330U is ahead with a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-6800K pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark. Core i7-6800K also has the bigger cache pool with 87.5% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-6800K is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 87.5% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Ryzen 3 7330U is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen 3 7330U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $434 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-6800K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2016 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (24.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA2011.

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

Ryzen 3 7330U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2016). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

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 i7-6800K Benchmark Check

Ryzen 3 7330U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-6800K	Ryzen 3 7330U
1080p
low	174 FPS	170 FPS
medium	138 FPS	144 FPS
high	112 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	146 FPS
medium	113 FPS	122 FPS
high	91 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	66 FPS	78 FPS
medium	55 FPS	70 FPS
high	44 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core i7-6800K Open Ryzen 3 7330U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-6800K	Ryzen 3 7330U
1080p
low	242 FPS	266 FPS
medium	207 FPS	233 FPS
high	185 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	146 FPS	183 FPS
1440p
low	215 FPS	233 FPS
medium	186 FPS	205 FPS
high	166 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	161 FPS
4K
low	171 FPS	181 FPS
medium	151 FPS	164 FPS
high	134 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	116 FPS

Open Core i7-6800K Open Ryzen 3 7330U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-6800K	Ryzen 3 7330U
1080p
low	268 FPS	266 FPS
medium	268 FPS	266 FPS
high	268 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	268 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	268 FPS	266 FPS
medium	268 FPS	266 FPS
high	268 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	268 FPS	266 FPS
4K
low	268 FPS	266 FPS
medium	268 FPS	266 FPS
high	268 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	191 FPS

Open Core i7-6800K Open Ryzen 3 7330U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-6800K	Ryzen 3 7330U
1080p
low	268 FPS	266 FPS
medium	268 FPS	266 FPS
high	268 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	268 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	268 FPS	266 FPS
medium	268 FPS	266 FPS
high	268 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	268 FPS	266 FPS
4K
low	268 FPS	266 FPS
medium	268 FPS	266 FPS
high	268 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	268 FPS	266 FPS

Open Core i7-6800K Open Ryzen 3 7330U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-6800K and Ryzen 3 7330U

Core i7-6800K

The Core i7-6800K 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 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 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: 10,715 points. Launch price was $345.

Ryzen 3 7330U

The Ryzen 3 7330U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 10,645 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-6800K packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 3 7330U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-6800K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-6800K versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 3 7330U — a 12.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 7330U (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i7-6800K uses the Broadwell-E (2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 7330U uses Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-6800K scores 10,715 against the Ryzen 3 7330U's 10,645 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i7-6800K. L3 cache: 15 MB (total) on the Core i7-6800K vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 7330U.

Feature	Core i7-6800K	Ryzen 3 7330U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4.3 GHz+13%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+48%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	15 MB (total)+88%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Broadwell-E (2016)	Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023)
PassMark	10,715	10,645

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-6800K uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 7330U uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.