CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i5-6600 and Intel Core i3-10100 are separated by five years of silicon evolution, yet the benchmark data reveals a fascinating reversal of expectations. The i5-6600, a Skylake part from 2015, dominates Cinebench multi-core tests by staggering margins, while the i3-10100, a Comet Lake chip from 2020, counters with wins in Geekbench. The data suggests that raw core count and clock speed do not tell the whole story; the i5-6600’s performance in Cinebench is anomalous, and the i3-10100’s overall average score is nearly identical, with the i5-6600 averaging 1744 and the i3-10100 averaging 1742. This places both CPUs at the 41st percentile of all CPUs, making them statistical peers despite their contrasting benchmark profiles.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the head-to-head comparison is the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, where the i5-6600 scores 520 against the i3-10100’s 258, a delta of 101.6% in favor of the older chip. This is not a minor edge; it is a doubling of performance. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, with the i5-6600 at 2167 and the i3-10100 at 1076, again a 101.4% delta. Cinebench R23 multi-core follows suit: 5161 versus 2564, a 101.3% margin. These results are counterintuitive, as the i3-10100 has more threads (8 versus 4), yet the i5-6600 scores roughly double in every Cinebench multi-core iteration.

Single-core Cinebench results are equally lopsided but in the opposite direction for one test. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the i3-10100 wins with 88 points against 73, a -17% delta for the i5-6600. However, in Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-6600 wins with 305 against 152, a 100.7% delta, and in R23 single-core, it wins 728 to 362, a 101.1% delta. The R15 single-core result appears to be an outlier, as the R20 and R23 single-core scores show the i5-6600 at roughly double the i3-10100’s performance. This inconsistency across Cinebench versions suggests the i5-6600 benefits from some architectural advantage or the benchmarks themselves scale differently with the i3-10100’s design.

Geekbench tells a different story. In Geekbench multi-core, the i3-10100 wins with 4495 against 3755, a -16.5% delta for the i5-6600. The single-core Geekbench test also goes to the i3-10100, 1350 to 1239, a -8.2% delta. These wins are substantial but nowhere near the margins the i5-6600 achieves in Cinebench. The data indicates the i3-10100 is more efficient in Geekbench’s workload, which likely favors its higher clock speeds and Hyper-Threading, while the i5-6600 excels in Cinebench’s rendering tasks, perhaps due to deeper pipelining or better cache utilization in that specific benchmark engine. Overall, the i5-6600 wins 5 of the 8 head-to-head tests, with the i3-10100 taking 3, but the i3-10100’s victories are more modest in percentage terms.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two processors is significant, even though both use the same 14 nm process node from Intel. The i5-6600 is built on the Skylake architecture, with a codename of Skylake, and belongs to the Core i5 (Skylake) generation. The i3-10100 uses Comet Lake, part of the Core i3 (Comet Lake) generation. Both have 4 physical cores, but the i3-10100 supports 8 threads via Hyper-Threading, while the i5-6600 is limited to 4 threads. This thread disparity is a key differentiator, yet it does not translate into Cinebench wins for the i3-10100, as noted.

Clock speeds favor the i3-10100: its base clock is 3.60 GHz versus 3.30 GHz, and its boost clock is 4.30 GHz versus 3.90 GHz. The i3-10100 also has a higher TDP at 65 watts versus the i5-6600’s 35 watts, which is unusual since the i5-6600 is older and typically would draw more power. Cache configurations are identical: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. The i5-6600 has a die size of 177 mm², while the i3-10100’s die size is not listed in the data. Memory support differs, with the i5-6600 supporting DDR3 and DDR4, while the i3-10100 supports only DDR4. Memory bandwidth also favors the i3-10100 at 42.7 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s.

The sockets are incompatible, with the i5-6600 on Intel Socket 1151 and the i3-10100 on Intel Socket 1200. Integrated graphics differ as well: the i5-6600 has UHD Graphics 530, while the i3-10100 has UHD Graphics 630. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), and neither supports ECC memory. The production status is a major split: the i5-6600 is end-of-life, while the i3-10100 is active. The i5-6600 has a launch MSRP of $224, while the i3-10100’s launch MSRP is not provided. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not an option on either.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-6600’s dominance in Cinebench is its defining characteristic. If the workload involves Cinebench R15, R20, or R23, whether multi-core or single-core (excluding R15 single-core), the i5-6600 wins decisively, often by margins exceeding 100%. This suggests the i5-6600 is better suited for rendering tasks that Cinebench represents, such as 3D modeling or animation, where the Skylake architecture appears to have a hidden efficiency that Comet Lake lacks in this specific benchmark suite. The data does not explain why, but the consistent doubling of scores across three Cinebench versions is hard to ignore.

The i3-10100 wins in Geekbench multi-core and single-core, with deltas of -16.5% and -8.2% respectively. Geekbench is a more general-purpose benchmark, covering tasks like encryption, image processing, and machine learning. The i3-10100’s higher clock speeds and additional threads likely contribute to these wins, as Geekbench is known to scale with thread count and frequency. The i3-10100 also has higher memory bandwidth, which could help in memory-intensive workloads. For users running everyday applications, office productivity, web browsing, or light content creation that mirrors Geekbench’s mix, the i3-10100 is the better choice based on the data.

The i5-6600’s lower TDP of 35 watts is a practical win for system builders, as it implies lower power consumption and potentially quieter cooling, though no cooler specifications are provided. The i3-10100’s 65 watt TDP is higher, suggesting it may require more robust cooling. The i5-6600’s support for DDR3 memory is a legacy advantage, as it allows reuse of older DDR3 modules, while the i3-10100 is locked to DDR4. However, the i3-10100’s higher memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s gives it a raw speed advantage in memory-bound tasks.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear but paradoxical verdict: the i5-6600 is the superior processor for Cinebench workloads, while the i3-10100 is better for Geekbench-style tasks. With an average benchmark score of 1744 versus 1742, the two are effectively tied in overall performance, with a deltaPct of 0.1% in favor of the i5-6600. The i5-6600’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-980X, which scores 1746 with a -0.1% delta, while the i3-10100’s nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 3 4300U, scoring 1742 with a 0% delta. This means neither CPU has a meaningful overall advantage.

For a user whose primary application is Cinebench-based rendering, the i5-6600 is the clear pick, despite being end-of-life. Its 101% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is a decisive factor. For a user focused on general computing, the i3-10100’s Geekbench wins and active production status make it a more future-proof option, even if its Cinebench scores are drastically lower. The i3-10100 also offers higher clock speeds and more threads, which may benefit multithreaded applications outside of Cinebench, but the data does not include such benchmarks. The i5-6600’s lower TDP and DDR3 compatibility are niche advantages, while the i3-10100’s higher memory bandwidth and UHD Graphics 630 are incremental upgrades. Strictly from the data, the choice depends on which benchmark suite aligns with the intended use case.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-6600 has an average benchmark score of 1744, while the Intel Core i3-10100 scores 1742, a difference of 0.1% in favor of the i5-6600.

Q: Why does the i5-6600 win Cinebench R23 multi-core by such a large margin?

A: The i5-6600 scores 5161 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the i3-10100 scores 2564, resulting in a deltaPct of 101.3%. The data does not specify the cause, but the Skylake architecture appears to handle this workload far more efficiently.

Q: What is the i3-10100’s best benchmark result?

A: The i3-10100’s best result is in Geekbench multi-core, where it scores 4495, beating the i5-6600’s 3755 by 16.5%. It also wins Geekbench single-core with 1350 versus 1239.

Q: Do both CPUs have the same cache size?

A: Yes, both have 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3 cache. Neither has vCache3d or a total L3 figure listed.

Q: Which CPU supports DDR3 memory?

A: The Intel Core i5-6600 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, while the Intel Core i3-10100 supports only DDR4.

Q: Are both processors still in production?

A: No, the i5-6600 is end-of-life, while the i3-10100 has an active production status.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i5-6600 | Intel Core i3-10100 |

|-------|---------------------|----------------------|

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.30 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.90 GHz | 4.30 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | Intel Socket 1200 |

| Architecture | Skylake | Comet Lake |

| Generation | Core i5 (Skylake) | Core i3 (Comet Lake) |

| Die Size | 177 mm² | Not listed |

| Memory Support | DDR3, DDR4 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | 42.7 GB/s |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 530 | UHD Graphics 630 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2015-06-30 | 2020-04-29 |

| Launch MSRP | $224 | Not listed |

| Part Number | SR2BWSR2L5 | SRH3N |