OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using Processors Methodology v3.0
Processors Methodology v3.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Processors Methodology v3.0: the technical score from the specifications is the base, and independent expert and video reviews (up to ±0.5 points), owner opinions (up to ±0.3) and best-of lists (up to +0.3) move it up or down.
Explore Processors Methodology v3.0

Intel Core i5-6500 review: 74 specs compared

Avg. price:~£25PassMark multi-core score:5601N. of physical cores:4CPU boost clock speed:3.6 GHzCPU socket:LGA1151TDP (Thermal design power):65 W

Intel Core i5-6500 Review: Compare 74 technical specifications and 11 expert and video reviews to see how this product ranks in the Processors category and whether it is worth buying.

Intel Core i5-6500
6.1/10

Overall score

Score
6.1/ 10
✕
What it is
Our main score for this model, 1–10. It combines specs, expert reviews, best-of lists and owners.
How we count it
Parts: Technical score 40%, Reviews score 25%, List score 25%, Sentiment score 10%
Marks: Each part gets a mark out of 10. For reviews, lists and owners, a typical model in this category gets about 8 and the best one gets 10.
No data yet: A part with no data shows "?". It counts as the mark of a weaker model in this category (4 in 5 models with data score higher). This way, models with reviews, lists and owners usually come out ahead.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
Score components

40%

4.5

Technical score

25%

7.6

Reviews score

25%

?

List scoreNot enough data yet, so we use 7.5, the mark of a weaker model in this category

10%

4.5

Sentiment score

â–¼Worse than 73% of processors
7.2

Value for money

Value for money
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the processor's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a processor with a good balance between performance, efficiency, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
Score components

70%

6.1

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–¼Worse than 60%
4.5

Technical score

Technical score
4.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
Score components

60%

4.0

Performance

18%

4.3

Architecture

10%

5.0

Memory & PCIe

7%

6.9

Power & Thermal

4%

7.1

Platform

1%

6.9

Integrated graphics

â–¼Worse than 70%
7.6

Reviews score

Reviews score
7.6/ 10
✕
What it is
Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
How we count it
Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Big test sites count more, short reviews half as much as full tests. A video review counts half.
Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.2 for now.
Share: Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 50% of models

80%

7.4

Average grade

20%

8.7

Popularity

Grades by review (11)
2 reviews: 0 with a printed score, 2 estimated from the review. 9 video reviews, each counting half as much as a written test. Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
â–²Better than 50%
?

List score

List score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
How we count it
Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 25% of the overall score.
Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
Lists with this model (0)
Not in any best-of list yet, so this part counts as 7.5. Models in a list get 8 to 10.
Not in any best-of list yet
  • intel-core-i5-6500
intel-core-i5-6500
Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.

What reviewers say about the Intel Core i5-6500

Based on 2 · 8

Reviewers see it as good value, but the stock cooler runs hot and opinions on gaming and overclocking are split.
Praised
Mixed views
Criticised
Pick a topic to see who said what

What owners say about the Intel Core i5-6500

Based on 148 owners sharing their experience in online comments

53%positive15%mixed32%negative

Owners value its lasting gaming and everyday performance, while limited threads increasingly bottleneck newer games.

What owners dislike

  • Frame rates can drop to around 20–30 FPS in demanding games like Battlefield 1, Warzone and Cyberpunk, even at low settings.22
  • With GPUs like the GTX 1060 or RTX 3060, the CPU maxes out at 90–100% while the GPU sits at 30–50% usage, cutting performance.13
  • Recent demanding games like Need for Speed Heat and Cyberpunk run poorly, and the chip shows clear limits compared with newer processors.9
  • Some owners see stutters, freezes lasting a few seconds, and frame dips in crowded areas of games like Cyberpunk and Elden Ring.8
  • Some owners report crashes or restarts when overclocking, and boot failures after a BIOS change or a PSU swap.6
  • Some owners find performance below expectations, with low Cinebench scores and the CPU not reaching full power.5
  • With only 4 cores and 4 threads, the chip cannot keep up with modern games that use more threads, which hurts gaming performance.3

Points mentioned by at least 3 owners, most mentioned first.

Loading category ranking...

Technical Specifications of processor Intel Core i5-6500

Technical score
Technical score
4.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
Score components:

60%

4.0

Performance

18%

4.3

Architecture

10%

5.0

Memory & PCIe

7%

6.9

Power & Thermal

4%

7.1

Platform

1%

6.9

Integrated graphics

4.5
Reviews score
7.6
List score
?
Value for money
Value for money
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the processor's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a processor with a good balance between performance, efficiency, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
Score components:

70%

6.1

Overall score

30%

10

Price

7.2
Processor type
desktop
This processor belongs to the desktop processor class, which is more advanced than that of 54.7% of processors and equal to that of 39.5% of processors.
CPU socket
LGA1151
This processor uses the LGA1151 CPU socket, which is newer than that of 59% of processors and equal to that of 9% of processors.
Chipset
Intel 100 Series
This processor supports Intel 100 Series chipsets, which is narrower compatibility than 50.6% of processors and equal to that of 2.5% of processors.
CPU architecture
x86-64
This processor uses the x86-64 architecture, which is more advanced than that of 1.8% of processors and equal to that of 98.2% of processors.
Instruction sets
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
This processor supports SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 instruction sets, which is narrower support than 88.2% of processors and equal to that of 9.7% of processors.
Show more
N. of physical cores
4
Market range: <2 – >12
This processor has 4 CPU cores, which is fewer than 52.8% of processors and equal to 27.5% of processors.
CPU threads
4
Market range: <4 – >24
This processor offers 4 CPU threads, which is fewer than 69% of processors and equal to 25.2% of processors.
CPU boost clock speed
3.6 GHz
Market range: <3 GHz – >5.5 GHz
This processor reaches a boost clock of 3.6 GHz which is lower than that of 78% of processors and equal to that of 3.4% of processors.
CPU base clock speed
4x 3.2 GHz
This processor has a base clock of 4x3.2 GHz which is lower than that of 57.3% of processors and equal to that of 1.2% of processors.
PassMark multi-core score
5,601
Market range: <2.5k – >32.5k
This processor scores 5,601 in PassMark, which is lower than 69.7% of processors and equal to 0.1% of processors.
Show more
What reviewers say
Semiconductor size
14 nm
Market range: <4 nm – >24 nm
This processor uses a 14 nm process node, which is older than that of 52% of processors and equal to that of 32.9% of processors.
Foundry
Intel 14 nm
This processor is built on the Intel 14 nm foundry process, which is less advanced than that of 55.9% of processors and equal to that of 29% of processors.
L3 cache
6 MB
Market range: <2 MB – >32 MB
This processor has an L3 cache of 6 MB which is smaller than that of 62.3% of processors and equal to that of 9.4% of processors.
L2 cache
1 MB
Market range: <1 MB – >16 MB
This processor has an L2 cache of 1 MB which is smaller than that of 68.3% of processors and equal to that of 17% of processors.
L1 cache
256 KB
Market range: <128 KB – >1.2k KB
This processor has an L1 cache of 256 KB which is smaller than that of 60.4% of processors and equal to that of 18.1% of processors.
Show more
DDR memory version
DDR3L/DDR4
This processor supports DDR DDR3L/DDR4, which is older than that of 78.6% of processors and equal to that of 5.1% of processors.
Maximum memory speed
2,133 MHz
Market range: <1.5k MHz – >6.5k MHz
This processor supports memory speeds up to 2,133 MHz, which is lower than that of 76.4% of processors and equal to 8.4% of processors.
Max memory speed (JEDEC)
DDR4-2133 MHz
This processor supports JEDEC memory speeds up to DDR4-2133 MHz, which is lower than that of 78.8% of processors and equal to 5.5% of processors.
Max memory speed (XMP / EXPO)
N/A
Maximum memory capacity
64 GB
Market range: <32 GB – >256 GB
This processor supports up to 64 GB of memory, which is more than 27.2% of processors and equal to 26.1% of processors.
Show more
Integrated graphics
yes
This processor includes integrated graphics. 14.7% of processors offer this.
Integrated GPU model
Intel HD Graphics 530
This processor uses the Intel HD Graphics 530 integrated GPU, which is less advanced than that in 76.2% of processors and equal to that in 2.2% of processors.
Integrated GPU execution units
24
Market range: <6 – >64
This processor has 24 GPU execution units, which is more than 49.1% of processors and equal to 20.8% of processors.
Integrated GPU base frequency
350 MHz
Market range: <300 MHz – >800 MHz
This processor has an integrated GPU clock of 350 MHz which is higher than that of 42.7% of processors and equal to that of 25.4% of processors.
Integrated media encoders/decoders
H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), VP9 (HW decode), VP8 (HW decode/encode), VC-1 (HW decode), JPEG (HW decod
Show more
TDP (Thermal design power)
65 W
Market range: <15 W – >90 W
This processor has a TDP of 65 W which is higher than that of 68% of processors and equal to that of 17% of processors.
Base power (PL1)
65 W
Market range: <15 W – >90 W
This processor has a base power of 65 W which is higher than that of 68.1% of processors and equal to that of 17.4% of processors.
Boost power (PL2)
?
Tau (power duration limit)
8 seconds
Market range: <8 seconds – >28 seconds
This processor has a turbo duration of 8 seconds which is longer than that of 90.1% of processors and equal to that of 6.9% of processors.
Configurable TDP
no
This processor does not support configurable TDP. 53.7% of processors offer this.
Show more
What reviewers say

Intel Core i5-6500 vs the average processor

246810TotalPlatformPerformanceArchitectureMemory & PCIeIntegrated graphicsPower & Thermal
  • Includes a cooler
    This processor includes a cooler, while the average processor does not. 26.9% of processors include a cooler.
  • Supports memory overclocking
    This processor supports memory overclocking, while the average processor does not. 43.9% of processors support memory overclocking.
  • 13.4% higher review score
    Reviews score
    7.6/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
    How we count it
    Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Big test sites count more, short reviews half as much as full tests. A video review counts half.
    Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
    Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.2 for now.
    Share: Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    â–² Better than 50% of models

    80%

    7.4

    Average grade

    20%

    8.7

    Popularity

    Grades by review (11)
    2 reviews: 0 with a printed score, 2 estimated from the review. 9 video reviews, each counting half as much as a written test. Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
    User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
    7.6 vs 6.7
  • 10x cheaper
    Intel Core i5-6500 is cheaper than the average processor (£25 vs £250).
    £25 vs £250
  • Modern CPU socket
    This processor uses a more modern CPU socket than the average processor (LGA1151 vs FP5).
    LGA1151 vs FP5
  • 13.4% higher review score
    Reviews score
    7.6/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
    How we count it
    Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Big test sites count more, short reviews half as much as full tests. A video review counts half.
    Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
    Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.2 for now.
    Share: Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    â–² Better than 50% of models

    80%

    7.4

    Average grade

    20%

    8.7

    Popularity

    Grades by review (11)
    2 reviews: 0 with a printed score, 2 estimated from the review. 9 video reviews, each counting half as much as a written test. Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
    User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
    7.6 vs 6.7
  • 10x cheaper
    Intel Core i5-6500 is cheaper than the average processor (£25 vs £250).
    £25 vs £250
  • Modern CPU socket
    This processor uses a more modern CPU socket than the average processor (LGA1151 vs FP5).
    LGA1151 vs FP5
  • Supports memory overclocking
    This processor supports memory overclocking, while the average processor does not. 43.9% of processors support memory overclocking.
  • Includes a cooler
    This processor includes a cooler, while the average processor does not. 26.9% of processors include a cooler.
  • 18.2% lower boost clock
    This processor has a lower boost clock speed than the average processor (3.6 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The average processor reaches boost clock speed of 4.4 GHz.
    3.6 GHz vs 4.4 GHz
  • 51.2% lower PassMark score
    This processor has a lower PassMark benchmark score than the average processor (5,601 vs 11,469). The average processor scores 11,469 in PassMark benchmark.
    5,601 vs 11,469
  • 2 fewer CPU cores
    This processor has fewer CPU cores than the average processor (4 vs 6). The average processor has 6 CPU cores.
    4 vs 6
  • Narrower instruction support
    This processor supports a narrower instruction set than the average processor (SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA, AMD-V).
    SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA, AMD-V
  • No configurable TDP
    This processor does not support configurable TDP, while the average processor does. 53.7% of processors support configurable TDP.
  • 37.7% lower multi-core score
    This processor has a lower Geekbench 6 multi-core score than the average processor (3,243 vs 5,209). The average processor scores 5,209 in Geekbench 6 multi-core.
    3,243 vs 5,209
  • 18.3% weaker single-core performance
    This processor has a lower PassMark single-core score than the average processor (2089 vs 2,558). The average processor scores 2,558 in PassMark single-core.
    2,089 vs 2,558
  • 4 fewer CPU threads
    This processor has fewer CPU threads than the average processor (4 vs 8). The average processor has 8 CPU threads.
    4 vs 8
  • 37.5% lower sentiment score
    4.5 vs 7.2
  • Narrower instruction support
    This processor supports a narrower instruction set than the average processor (SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA, AMD-V).
    SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA, AMD-V
  • 5 years older release date
    This processor has an older release date than the average processor (2015 vs 2020).
    September 2015
    2015 vs 2020
  • Weaker security extensions
    This processor provides less advanced security extensions than the average processor (AES-NI, NX bit, Secure Key, SGX, TXT, MPX, OS Guard, Boot Guard vs AES-NI, NX bit, Secure Key, TXT, OS Guard, Boot Guard, CET, MBEC, TME, TME-MK).
    AES-NI, NX bit, Secure Key, SGX, TXT, MPX, OS Guard, Boot Guard vs AES-NI, NX bit, Secure Key, TXT, OS Guard, Boot Guard, CET, MBEC, TME, TME-MK
  • More limited crypto acceleration
    This processor offers more limited crypto acceleration than the average processor (AES vs AES, SHA).
    AES vs AES, SHA
  • 18.2% lower boost clock
    This processor has a lower boost clock speed than the average processor (3.6 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The average processor reaches boost clock speed of 4.4 GHz.
    3.6 GHz vs 4.4 GHz
  • 51.2% lower PassMark score
    This processor has a lower PassMark benchmark score than the average processor (5,601 vs 11,469). The average processor scores 11,469 in PassMark benchmark.
    5,601 vs 11,469
  • 2 fewer CPU cores
    This processor has fewer CPU cores than the average processor (4 vs 6). The average processor has 6 CPU cores.
    4 vs 6
  • 37.7% lower multi-core score
    This processor has a lower Geekbench 6 multi-core score than the average processor (3,243 vs 5,209). The average processor scores 5,209 in Geekbench 6 multi-core.
    3,243 vs 5,209
  • 18.3% weaker single-core performance
    This processor has a lower PassMark single-core score than the average processor (2089 vs 2,558). The average processor scores 2,558 in PassMark single-core.
    2,089 vs 2,558
  • 4 fewer CPU threads
    This processor has fewer CPU threads than the average processor (4 vs 8). The average processor has 8 CPU threads.
    4 vs 8
  • No simultaneous multithreading
    This processor does not support simultaneous multithreading, while the average processor does. 73.8% of processors support it.
  • 18.8% lower single-core score
    This processor has a lower Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (1,246 vs 1,535). The average processor scores 1,535 in Geekbench 6 single-core.
    1,246 vs 1,535
  • 66.7% smaller L2 cache
    This processor has a lower L2 cache than the average processor (1 MB vs 3 MB). The average processor has L2 cache of 3 MB.
    1 MB vs 3 MB
  • 16.7% larger process node
    This processor has a higher process node than the average processor (14 nm vs 12 nm). The average processor uses a process node of 12 nm.
    14 nm vs 12 nm
  • 50% less L2 per core
    This processor has less L2 cache per core than the average processor (0.3 MB/core vs 0.5 MB/core). The average processor provides 0.5 MB/core of L2 cache per core.
    0.25 MB/core vs 0.5 MB/core
  • 18.9% less L3 per core
    This processor has less L3 cache per core than the average processor (1.5 MB/core vs 1.85 MB/core). The average processor provides 1.85 MB/core of L3 cache per core.
    1.5 MB/core vs 1.85 MB/core
  • 33.3% smaller L1 cache
    This processor has a lower L1 cache than the average processor (256 KB vs 384 KB). The average processor has L1 cache of 384 KB.
    256 KB vs 384 KB
  • 72.7% fewer transistors
    This processor has fewer transistors than the average processor (1.4 billion vs 4.95 billion). The average processor has 4.95 billion transistors.
    1.35 billion vs 4.95 billion
  • 33.3% smaller L3 cache
    This processor has a lower L3 cache than the average processor (6 MB vs 9 MB). The average processor has L3 cache of 9 MB.
    6 MB vs 9 MB
  • Less advanced microarchitecture
    This processor uses a less advanced microarchitecture than the average processor (Skylake vs Kaby Lake).
    Skylake vs Kaby Lake
  • 33.3% lower memory speed
    This processor has a lower maximum memory speed than the average processor (2,133 MHz vs 3,200 MHz). The average processor supports memory speed of 3,200 MHz.
    2,133 MHz vs 3,200 MHz
  • 27.3% lower memory bandwidth
    This processor has a lower memory bandwidth than the average processor (34.1 GB/s vs 46.9 GB/s). The average processor offers memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s.
    34.1 GB/s vs 46.9 GB/s
  • Lower JEDEC memory speed
    This processor has a lower JEDEC memory speed than the average processor (DDR4-2133 MHz vs DDR4-3200 MHz). The average processor supports JEDEC memory speed of DDR4-3200 MHz.
    DDR4-2,133 MHz vs DDR4-3,200 MHz
  • Older DDR support
    This processor supports an older DDR generation than the average processor (DDR3L/DDR4 vs DDR4).
    DDR3L/DDR4 vs DDR4
  • Limited PCIe bifurcation
    This processor supports less flexible PCIe bifurcation than the average processor (x16, x8/x8, x8/x4/x4 vs x16, x8/x8, x4/x4/x4/x4).
    x16, x8/x8, x8/x4/x4 vs x16, x8/x8, x4/x4/x4/x4
  • Narrower media codec support
    This processor supports fewer media codecs than the average processor (H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), VP9 (HW decode), VP8 (HW decode/encode), VC-1 (HW decode), JPEG (HW decod vs H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), VP9 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode), JPEG (HW decode/encode)).
    H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), VP9 (HW decode), VP8 (HW decode/encode), VC-1 (HW decode), JPEG (HW decod vs H.264 (HW decode/encode), H.265 (HW decode/encode), VP9 (HW decode/encode), AV1 (HW decode), JPEG (HW decode/encode)
  • Inferior integrated GPU
    This processor uses an inferior integrated GPU to the average processor (Intel HD Graphics 530 vs Intel UHD Graphics 630).
    Intel HD Graphics 530 vs Intel UHD Graphics 630
  • No configurable TDP
    This processor does not support configurable TDP, while the average processor does. 53.7% of processors support configurable TDP.
  • 44.4% higher base power
    This processor has a higher base power draw than the average processor (65 W vs 45 W). The average processor has a base power draw of 45 W.
    65 W vs 45 W
  • 44.4% higher TDP
    This processor has a higher TDP than the average processor (65 W vs 45 W). The average processor has a TDP of 45 W.
    65 W vs 45 W
  • 20 seconds shorter turbo duration
    This processor has a lower turbo duration limit than the average processor (8 seconds vs 28 seconds). The average processor maintains turbo for 28 seconds.
    8 seconds vs 28 seconds

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

5.0
TechLabUK
≈ estimated
10/10/2024
Upgrade and build video · budget gaming PC, 2024
Verdict
Intel Core i5-6500 is a decent upgrade overall, but it is the weak link and needs replacing.
8.0
Scretch Tech
≈ estimated
19/08/2023
Unboxing and review · gaming benchmarks and editing notes
Verdict
Intel Core i5-6500 is worth buying for budget gaming, streaming and editing when paired with a graphics card, though its hardware feels dated.
4.0
RandomGaminginHD
≈ estimated
11/10/2022
Hands-on test · gaming benchmarks in a prebuilt PC
Verdict
Intel Core i5-6500 struggles in modern games with four cores and no hyperthreading, so it is not recommended for gaming today.
8.0
GECID Benchmarks
≈ estimated
24/03/2016
Hands-on review · lab benchmarks and overclocking
Verdict
Intel Core i5-6500 is a decent option for its price, with strong overclocking gains despite a locked multiplier.
9.0
Digital Foundry
≈ estimated
09/01/2016
Review · gaming performance and overclocking tests
Verdict
Intel Core i5-6500 is a locked chip with real overclocking gains and the best value quad-core for gamers.
6.0
Cheap Bastard
≈ estimated
24/11/2020
Benchmark test · 10 games at multiple settings
Verdict
Intel Core i5-6500 is a good upgrade from an old Pentium or i3, but not the best choice for a new build.
Not graded
Not graded
Hands-on video, no verdict
Not graded
Shop video
Hands-on video, no verdict

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

8.0
digitalfoundry.net
≈ estimated
10/02/2016
Hands-on test · Base-clock overclocking
Verdict
The Intel Core i5-6500 can reach 4.51 GHz on Z170 boards through base-clock tuning, though the workaround disables power saving and temperature readings.
8.0
pcgameshardware.de
≈ estimated
03/10/2015
Lab test · Gaming and tuning
Verdict
The Intel Core i5-6500 is a practical buy: its four cores nearly match the older i7-2600K in games, but it barely accepts overclocking.

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Intel Core i5-6500

  • Excellent price-to-performance ratio for budget-conscious builds
  • Low power consumption and high energy efficiency (65W TDP)
  • Includes a reliable reference heatsink/fan in the retail box
  • Strong single-core performance for everyday office tasks and light productivity
  • Integrated HD Graphics 530 supports 4K at 60Hz and casual gaming
  • Highly reliable with long-term stability reported by many users

What customers don't like about Intel Core i5-6500

  • Lacks Hyper-Threading, featuring only 4 physical cores and 4 threads
  • Struggles with modern, CPU-intensive AAA games (e.g., Battlefield V, Cyberpunk 2077)
  • No official support for Windows 11
  • Locked multiplier prevents straightforward overclocking
  • Frequent 100% CPU utilization and FPS drops in demanding multitasking scenarios
  • Severely outperformed by newer entry-level processors (e.g., i5-12400F or Ryzen 5 5600)

Verdict

The Intel Core i5-6500 is a 6th Generation quad-core desktop processor built on the 14nm Skylake architecture, featuring a 3.20 GHz base frequency and a 3.60 GHz max turbo boost. It is equipped with 6 MB of Intel Smart Cache, a 65W TDP, and integrated Intel HD Graphics 530, supporting up to 64 GB of DDR4-2133 or DDR3L-1600 memory. Main pros include its solid power efficiency, reliable performance for general office tasks and light gaming, and the inclusion of a stock thermal solution. However, significant cons include its lack of Hyper-Threading (limiting it to 4 threads), an officially unsupported status for Windows 11, and a locked multiplier that prevents traditional overclocking.

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