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Intel Core i5-10600K

Intel Core i5-10600K: Review and Practical Guide for 2025

The relevance of the processor five years after release

Key Specifications: Architecture and Performance

The Intel Core i5-10600K processor, released in 2020, still remains a popular choice for budget builds. Its Comet Lake architecture (14 nm) features 6 cores and 12 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. The base clock speed is 4.1 GHz, with the ability to overclock up to 4.8 GHz (Turbo Boost 2.0). The L3 cache is 12 MB, ensuring quick data access.

Key Features:

- Unlocked multiplier for overclocking.

- Integrated graphics Intel UHD Graphics 630 (suitable for office tasks and casual gaming).

- Support for PCIe 3.0 (16 lanes).

Performance:

- In the Geekbench 6 test (2025), the processor shows 1651 points in single-core and 6806 points in multi-core modes. For comparison, modern Ryzen 5 7500F scores about ~2100/9500 points but is also more expensive (~$220).

14 nm Process Technology:

Despite its aging technology, Intel optimized Comet Lake for stable performance even under load. However, the high TDP (125 W) requires quality cooling.

Compatible Motherboards: Sockets and Chipsets

The processor uses the LGA 1200 socket. Compatible chipsets include:

- Z490/Z590 — for overclocking and maximum performance (e.g., ASUS ROG Strix Z590-E, ~$250).

- B460/H470 — basic boards without overclocking (MSI B460 Tomahawk, ~$120).

- H410 — budget option for office PCs (Gigabyte H410M-H, ~$80).

Important in 2025:

- New boards for LGA 1200 are no longer being produced, but remaining stock is available for sale.

- Upgrading to DDR5 or PCIe 5.0 will require a platform change (e.g., to Intel Alder Lake/Raptor Lake or AMD AM5).

Memory Support: DDR4 and Limitations

The i5-10600K only works with DDR4:

- Officially supports frequencies up to 2933 MHz (depending on the chipset).

- On Z490/Z590 boards, memory can be overclocked to 4000+ MHz.

Recommendations:

- Optimal capacity is 16–32 GB (for instance, Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB DDR4-3200 kit, ~$60).

- For gaming, the difference between DDR4-2933 and DDR4-3600 is minimal (1–5% in FPS).

Power Supply: Power Calculation

With a TDP of 125 W and overclocking, consumption reaches 150–170 W.

Recommendations:

- For a system with a graphics card like the NVIDIA RTX 3060 (~170 W), a PSU of at least 550 W is required (e.g., EVGA 550 B5, 80+ Bronze, ~$70).

- When using high-end GPUs (RTX 4070/4080), opt for supplies of 650 W or more (Seasonic Focus GX-650, ~$110).

Tip: Don’t skimp on the PSU — unstable power can shorten the lifespan of components.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

- Affordable price (~$180 for new units).

- Good gaming performance (for example, Cyberpunk 2077 at high settings — 60–70 FPS with RTX 3060).

- Overclocking capability.

Cons:

- High power consumption.

- No support for PCIe 4.0/5.0 and DDR5.

- Lags behind new processors in multi-threaded tasks (rendering, streaming).

Use Cases

1. Gaming: Ideal for Full HD/QHD with mid-range GPU. In 2025, it handles most AAA titles at high settings.

2. Work Tasks: Suitable for video editing in Premiere Pro, working in Photoshop, but for 3D rendering, better to choose Ryzen 7/9.

3. Multimedia: Streaming at 1080p is possible, but simultaneous gaming and streaming may cause FPS drops.

Practical Example: A build with the i5-10600K + RTX 3060 + 16 GB DDR4 will cost around ~$700 (excluding peripherals) and offers comfortable gaming.

Comparison with Competitors

- AMD Ryzen 5 5600X (2020): Better in multi-threaded tasks (6C/12T, 7 nm), but more expensive (~$200). Supports PCIe 4.0.

- Intel Core i5-12400F (2022): Higher performance (+15% in games), DDR4/DDR5, PCIe 5.0, price ~$190.

- Ryzen 5 7500F (2024): 5 nm, Zen 4, DDR5, but requires expensive AM5 boards.

Conclusion: The i5-10600K is only advantageous if purchased at a reduced price or when upgrading an old LGA 1200 system.

Assembly Tips

1. Cooling: Minimum — a tower cooler (DeepCool GAMMAXX 400, ~$30). For overclocking — AIO (Cooler Master ML240L, ~$80).

2. Case: Ensure good ventilation (Lian Li Lancool 215).

3. Motherboard: For overclocking, choose Z490/Z590 with VRM heatsinks.

4. SSD: Use NVMe (Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1TB, ~$100) for faster load times.

Final Verdict: Who is the i5-10600K Suitable For?

1. Budget Gamers: If you find the processor for under $150, it will be an excellent foundation for a build with a GPU up to RTX 4060.

2. Owners of Old LGA 1200 Systems: Upgrade from i3-10100 or i5-10400 without replacing the motherboard.

3. Overclocking Enthusiasts: Experimenting with overclocking on budget hardware.

Why Not? Don't choose this processor for professional 3D work or if you plan to upgrade to DDR5/PCIe 5.0. In 2025, the market offers more modern and energy-efficient options.

Conclusion: The Intel Core i5-10600K exemplifies a “long-liver” that has maintained its relevance due to a balance of price and performance. However, it should only be considered within specific scenarios where cost savings are important without compromising basic functionality.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

April 2020

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.

i5-10600K

Code Name

Comet Lake

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

4.10 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.

4.80 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

4.80 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

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0

Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best performing core(s) on a processor and provides increased performance on those cores through increasing frequency as needed by taking advantage of power and thermal headroom.

L3 Cache

12 MB

CPU Socket

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

FCLGA1200

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

125 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.

DDR4-2666

Max Memory Size

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

128 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).

41.6 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® UHD Graphics 630

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.

1.20 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.

4096 x 2160@30Hz

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.

4096 x 2304@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.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

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.

12 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 Boot Guard

Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.

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 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

1651

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

6806

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

1258

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

6939

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2928

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

14351

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Ryzen 5 5500GT

1825 +10.5%

Ryzen Embedded V3C48

1702 +3.1%

Core i5-10600K

1651

Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U

1593 -3.5%

Core i7-8700B

1537 -6.9%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Xeon W-1290E

7632 +12.1%

Xeon W-2145

7197 +5.7%

Core i5-10600K

6806

Ryzen 7 4700GE

6361 -6.5%

Ryzen Threadripper 1900X

5905 -13.2%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i9-9900KS

1339 +6.4%

Core i9-10900E

1295 +2.9%

Core i5-10600K

1258

Core i7-10700KF

1214 -3.5%

Core i3-1115GRE

1179 -6.3%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Ryzen 5 7640U

7710 +11.1%

Core i7-6900K

7327 +5.6%

Core i5-10600K

6939

Xeon E5-2608L v4

6558 -5.5%

Core i5-11400H

6155 -11.3%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Xeon W-1270P

3074 +5%

EPYC 9454P

2991 +2.2%

Core i5-10600K

2928

Xeon E-2286G

2848 -2.7%

Xeon W-10885M

2774 -5.3%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X

15587 +8.6%

EPYC 7251

14935 +4.1%

Core i5-10600K

14351

Core i9-9880H

13860 -3.4%

Xeon D-1581

13282 -7.4%