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Intel Core i7-6920HQ

Intel Core i7-6920HQ in 2025: Is it Worth Buying a Laptop with This Processor?

In 2025, the laptop market is filled with processors featuring Zen 5 architecture, Intel Meteor Lake, and Apple M3. However, older models based on the Intel Core i7-6920HQ are still available for sale, especially in the budget segment. Let's explore who this chip is suitable for and what compromises one might have to make.

Architecture and Manufacturing Process: The Basics of Skylake

The Intel Core i7-6920HQ processor, released in 2016, belongs to the Skylake generation. This was the first Intel architecture to support DDR4 and Thunderbolt 3. However, today its capabilities appear modest.

Technical Specifications

- Cores and Threads: 4 cores, 8 threads (Hyper-Threading). In 2025, even budget processors (like the Intel Core i5-1340P) offer 12 threads.

- Frequencies: Base frequency — 2.9 GHz, turbo — up to 3.8 GHz. While it remains relevant for single-threaded tasks, in multi-threaded scenarios, the chip lags behind modern counterparts.

- Integrated Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 530 (24 EU). It supports DirectX 12 and 4K video, but it is not suitable for gaming — even CS:2 at low settings provides only 30-40 FPS.

14nm Manufacturing Process — the main limiting factor. Modern Intel and AMD chips are manufactured on 5–7nm processes, offering better energy efficiency and performance.

Power Consumption and TDP: The Cost of Power

TDP of 45W places the i7-6920HQ in the category of high-performance mobile processors. For comparison:

- The modern Intel Core i7-1360P (13th generation) has a TDP of 28W and demonstrates twice the performance.

- Apple M2 (10-20W) outperforms the i7-6920HQ in multi-threaded tasks by 50-70%.

Laptops with this chip require heavy cooling systems. In 2025, finding new devices with the i7-6920HQ is challenging — production has ceased, but you can find models like the Dell Precision 5510 or MSI GT72 on the second-hand market or remaining store stocks priced at $500-700.

Performance in 2025: Where Will It Be Sufficient?

Office Tasks

- Browser, Office, PDF: The processor can handle 10-15 tabs in Chrome and work in Excel, but heavy use of AI features (like Copilot in Microsoft 365) may lead to stuttering.

- Example: Running Zoom + 15 tabs + Slack — CPU load up to 60-70%.

Multimedia

- Video Editing: In Premiere Pro, rendering 1080p video takes 2-3 times longer than on Apple M1. 4K projects are not recommended.

- Photo Editors: Lightroom Classic runs smoothly, but AI filters (like Denoise in Lightroom) process slowly.

Gaming

- Integrated Graphics: Suitable only for older games — Dota 2 (60 FPS on medium), GTA V (30-40 FPS).

- With Dedicated GPU: If the laptop has a GeForce GTX 1060/1070 (a typical pairing for i7-6920HQ), you can run Cyberpunk 2077 on low settings (45-50 FPS at 1080p).

Turbo Boost mode temporarily raises the frequency to 3.8 GHz, but under prolonged loads (over 10 minutes), throttling occurs due to overheating.

Use Scenarios: Who Is It Suitable For?

- Students and Office Workers: For document work, online courses, and non-demanding programs.

- Engineers: Compatible with AutoCAD, SolidWorks (for small projects).

- Economical Gamers: Only with a discrete graphics card like the GTX 1660 Ti or above.

Not suitable for:

- 4K video editing, machine learning, VR gaming.

- Fans of thin ultrabooks — systems with a TDP of 45W are bulky and noisy.

Battery Life: How Long Will It Last?

Even new laptops with the i7-6920HQ (if any still exist) come equipped with batteries of 50-60 Wh. Under active use (Chrome, Word, background synchronization) the working time is about 3-4 hours. In power-saving mode — up to 5-6 hours.

Energy Efficiency Technologies:

- SpeedStep: Dynamically reduces frequency during idle.

- C-States: Disables unused cores.

- Intel Dynamic Tuning: Adapts power to tasks (requires drivers).

However, even these technologies do not prevent high base TDP. For comparison, a laptop with the Apple M2 can run for 12-15 hours in similar scenarios.

Competitors: Who to Compare With?

AMD

- Ryzen 5 5600H (2021): 6 cores/12 threads, TDP 45W. In Geekbench 6 Multi-Core — 6800 points (compared to 3720 for i7-6920HQ). New laptops with this CPU start from $600.

Apple

- M1 (2020): Single-thread performance on par with i7-6920HQ, multi-threaded — 40% higher. Meanwhile, the TDP is only 15W.

Intel

- Core i5-1240P (2022): 12 cores (4P+8E), TDP 28W. Multi-Core — 8500 points in Geekbench 6. Laptops from $700.

Conclusion: The i7-6920HQ in 2025 lags behind even budget modern chips. Its advantage lies in the low price on the second-hand market ($300-400 for a laptop).

Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Affordable price for basic tasks.

- Supports 64 GB DDR4 (relevant for virtualization).

- Compatibility with Windows 10/11 and Linux.

Weaknesses:

- No support for PCIe 4.0, Thunderbolt 4.

- High power consumption.

- Outdated graphics.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

If you still decide to buy a device with the i7-6920HQ, pay attention to:

- Type of Device: Workstations (Dell Precision), gaming laptops (MSI, Alienware) — these have better cooling.

- Upgrade Options: Availability of slots for SSD NVMe and RAM DDR4.

- Screen: Minimum Full HD. 4K panels will excessively load the integrated GPU.

- Battery: At least 70 Wh — otherwise, battery life will be less than 3 hours.

Examples of 2025 Models (new, leftover stock):

- Dell Precision 5510: $700-900 (with Quadro M1000M).

- HP ZBook 15 G3: $650-800.

Final Conclusion

The Intel Core i7-6920HQ in 2025 is a choice for those who need a cheap laptop for:

- Working with office applications.

- Educational tasks (programming, drafting).

- Older games (with a discrete GPU).

Key Benefits:

- Low cost.

- Reliability (proven platform).

- Easy component replacement (memory, SSD).

However, for tasks involving AI, video editing, or professional gaming, consider modern processors: AMD Ryzen 5 8640U, Intel Core Ultra 5 125U, or Apple M3. Their prices start at $800, but they offer double the performance with half the power consumption.

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.

i7-6920HQ

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

2.90 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.

3.80 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.80 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

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.

8 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 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 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

1134

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

3720

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

826

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

3332

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2088

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

7307

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Xeon W-3275M

1203 +6.1%

Core i5-7400

1169 +3.1%

Core i7-6920HQ

1134

Core i7-4870HQ

1095 -3.4%

Core i5-4570TE

1060 -6.5%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Xeon Silver 4116

4175 +12.2%

Xeon X5670

3953 +6.3%

Core i7-6920HQ

3720

Core i3-9300

3515 -5.5%

Core i5-4670

3279 -11.9%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Xeon Silver 4214R

862 +4.4%

Core i7-4940MX

848 +2.7%

Core i7-6920HQ

826

Xeon Gold 6314U

810 -1.9%

Xeon Gold 6150

794 -3.9%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Athlon Gold 3150G

3593 +7.8%

Xeon E3-1230 v3

3451 +3.6%

Core i7-6920HQ

3332

Xeon E5-2428L

3211 -3.6%

Ryzen 3 5300U

3087 -7.4%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i7-8650U

2141 +2.5%

Core i3-9100T

2117 +1.4%

Core i7-6920HQ

2088

Xeon E5-2687W v4

2058 -1.4%

Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U

2038 -2.4%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Xeon E5-2620 v3

7802 +6.8%

Core i7-8557U

7498 +2.6%

Core i7-6920HQ

7307

Core i7-5850EQ

7036 -3.7%

Core i7-6820HQ

6822 -6.6%