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Intel Core i7-6700HQ

Intel Core i7-6700HQ in 2025: Is It Worth Considering an Outdated Processor?

Analysis of Architecture, Performance, and Relevance for Modern Tasks

Architecture and Process Technology: The Skylake Legacy

The Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, released in 2015, is part of Intel's sixth generation (codename Skylake). Despite its age, its architecture is still found in used laptops today.

Key Specifications

- Process Technology: 14 nm — for 2025, this is an outdated standard, but at the time, it provided a balance between performance and energy efficiency.

- Cores and Threads: 4 cores, 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. Base clock speed is 2.6 GHz, with a maximum in turbo mode of 3.5 GHz.

- Integrated Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 530 with 24 execution units (EU), clocked up to 1050 MHz. Supports DirectX 12 and can output 4K (60 Hz via DisplayPort).

Skylake Features:

- Improved IPC (instructions per cycle) of 5-10% compared to the previous Broadwell generation.

- Support for DDR4-2133 MHz and LPDDR3 — relevant for upgrading older laptops.

- Enhanced virtualization and hardware encryption capabilities (Intel AES-NI).

Power Consumption and TDP: A Balance Between Power and Heat

With a TDP of 45 watts, the i7-6700HQ is classified as a processor for mid-range performance laptops. In 2025, this figure seems excessive compared to modern chips (e.g., Intel Core 12th generation with a TDP of 28 watts or Apple M3).

What Does This Mean for the User?

- Cooling Demands: Laptops with this CPU often come equipped with large heatsinks and noisy fans.

- Limitations in Thin Cases: In ultrabooks from 2016-2018, the i7-6700HQ could throttle (reduce clock speeds) due to overheating.

Performance: How Does It Handle Tasks in 2025?

A Geekbench 6 score (1082 / 3395) shows that the processor lags behind even budget modern models. For instance, the Intel Core i3-1315U (2023) scores around ~1800/5500.

Real-World Scenarios

1. Office Work:

- Browsing with 10+ tabs open, Word, Excel — no issues, but there may be slowdowns when working with PDF editors concurrently.

- Recommended at least 16 GB RAM and an SSD.

2. Multimedia:

- Video conversion in HandBrake (1080p to 720p): ~40-50% slower than the Ryzen 5 7640HS (2024).

- 4K video playback: manageable, but only with hardware acceleration (e.g., VLC with DXVA enabled).

3. Gaming:

- With integrated graphics: CS:GO — 40-60 FPS (720p, low settings), GTA V — 25-30 FPS (720p).

- With a discrete GPU like NVIDIA GTX 1650: Fortnite — 60 FPS (1080p, medium settings), but there may be bottlenecks due to the CPU in modern games (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077).

Turbo Boost Mode:

The processor can temporarily boost to 3.5 GHz, but under prolonged loads (rendering, gaming), it often drops to 2.8-3.0 GHz due to overheating.

Use Cases: Who Is It Suitable for in 2025?

- Students: For studying, document work, and Zoom calls.

- Office Workers: If heavy applications (e.g., AutoCAD) aren’t required.

- Budget Enthusiasts: For upgrading an old laptop (replacing HDD with SSD, adding RAM).

- Retro Gamers: Running games from the 2010s (Skyrim, Dota 2) with a discrete graphics card.

Not Suitable For:

- Modern gaming streaming.

- Working with neural networks or 3D modeling.

- 4K video editing.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Laptop Last?

The average battery life of a laptop with the i7-6700HQ is around 4-6 hours (with a 50-60 Wh battery). In power-saving mode (disabling Turbo, reducing brightness), it can stretch to 7 hours.

Energy-Saving Technologies:

- Intel Speed Shift: Dynamic frequency control (enabled by default).

- C-States: Putting cores into "sleep mode" during idle.

Tip: Replace the old battery (if the laptop supports replacement) — this can extend battery life by 1-2 hours.

Comparison with Competitors: What the Market Offers in 2025?

1. AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS (2024): 6 cores / 12 threads, TDP 35 watts, Zen 4. Twice the performance in multi-threaded tasks.

2. Apple M3 (2023): 8-core CPU, integrated graphics comparable to GTX 1050. Full autonomy of MacBook Air — up to 18 hours.

3. Intel Core i5-1340P (2023): 12 cores (4P + 8E), TDP 28 watts. Best energy efficiency and support for PCIe 5.0.

Conclusion: The i7-6700HQ falls behind even budget newcomers from 2023-2024, but it is cheaper in the second-hand market.

Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Low cost (laptops from $200 on the second-hand market).

- Upgrade support: Replacing SSD and RAM extends the device's life.

- Reliability: Proven architecture over time.

Weaknesses:

- High power consumption.

- No support for modern standards: PCIe 4.0, Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6.

- Weak integrated graphics.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

If you decide to buy a device with the i7-6700HQ in 2025, consider:

1. Form Factor:

- Gaming Laptops (e.g., old MSI GP62 models): Good cooling, discrete graphics.

- Business Models (Dell Latitude 5570): High repairability.

2. Configuration:

- Must have SSD (minimum 256 GB) and 16 GB RAM.

- Presence of a discrete GPU (GTX 1050 or better).

3. Battery Condition: Check charge cycles using utilities like HWMonitor.

Prices: There are no new laptops with this CPU anymore. In the second-hand market, prices range from $200-400 depending on condition.

Final Verdict: Who Is the i7-6700HQ Suitable For?

This processor is an option for those who:

- Are looking for a cheap laptop for basic tasks (up to $300).

- Are willing to accept performance limitations.

- Plan to use the device as a temporary solution.

Key Benefits:

- Cost savings.

- Upgrade potential.

- Sufficient power for Windows 10 / Linux.

However, if your budget allows spending $600-800, it is better to choose a laptop with a processor from 2023-2024 — this will provide a performance margin for the next 3-5 years.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

July 2015

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i7-6700HQ

Code Name

SkyLake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

2.60 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

3.50 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.50 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

Yes

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCBGA1440

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

14 nm

TDP

45 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

100°C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

3.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

PCI Express Configurations

PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.

Up to 1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8+2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR4-2133 | LPDDR3-1866 | DDR3L-1600

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

64 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

8 GT/s

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

34.1 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® HD Graphics 530

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

350 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.05 GHz

Graphics Video Max Memory

64 GB

4K Support

Yes | at 60Hz

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

Max Resolution (HDMI)

Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096x2304@24Hz

Max Resolution (DP)

Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096x2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)

Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.

4096x2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (VGA)

N/A

Number of Displays Supported

Graphics Output

Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.

eDP/DP/HDMI/DVI

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)

Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

6 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel Clear Video Technology

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel Flex Memory Access

Yes

Intel OS Guard

Yes

OpenGL Support

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.

4.5

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

1082

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

3395

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

847

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

3323

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1914

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

6531

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Xeon E3-1225 v3

1157 +6.9%

Xeon E5-2699 v4

1118 +3.3%

Core i7-6700HQ

1082

Ryzen 3 PRO 1200

1038 -4.1%

Core i5-4430

984 -9.1%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i5-9500E

3859 +13.7%

Core i7-6700T

3613 +6.4%

Core i7-6700HQ

3395

Core i5-4590

3143 -7.4%

Xeon E5-1603 v3

2958 -12.9%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Xeon Gold 6242

876 +3.4%

Core i5-4670S

862 +1.8%

Core i7-6700HQ

847

Core i3-6300

826 -2.5%

Core i3-4150

810 -4.4%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Athlon Gold PRO 3150G

3593 +8.1%

Core i3-N300

3451 +3.9%

Core i7-6700HQ

3323

EPYC 7601

3210 -3.4%

Ryzen 5 PRO 2400G with Radeon Vega 11 Graphics

3085 -7.2%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Xeon Platinum 8571N

1969 +2.9%

Core i3-4350

1945 +1.6%

Core i7-6700HQ

1914

Core i3-8100T

1887 -1.4%

Xeon E3-1505L v6

1848 -3.4%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i7-6820HK

7038 +7.8%

Xeon X5680

6838 +4.7%

Core i7-6700HQ

6531

Xeon E3-1225 v6

6321 -3.2%

Xeon E3-1505L v6

6088 -6.8%