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Intel Core i5-6500T

Intel Core i5-6500T: An Outdated yet Still Relevant Choice for Budget Systems?

April 2025

1. Key Specifications: Skylake Architecture and Modest Performance

The Intel Core i5-6500T processor, released back in 2015, is based on the Skylake architecture (6th generation) with a 14 nm manufacturing process. Despite its age, it still finds its way into budget builds and mini-PCs.

- Cores and Threads: 4 cores, 4 threads (no Hyper-Threading).

- Frequencies: Base clock — 2.5 GHz, turbo boost up to 3.1 GHz.

- TDP: 35 W — low power consumption for compact systems.

- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 530 with a base frequency of 350 MHz.

Key Features:

- Support for hardware decoding of 4K (HEVC, H.264) — relevant for media centers.

- Virtualization technologies (VT-x, VT-d) — useful for test environments.

- Energy efficiency — ideal for silent systems.

Performance:

- Geekbench 6: 1035 (single-core) / 2838 (multi-core).

For comparison, the modern Core i3-13100 (2023) scores ~2000/8000. The i5-6500T's scores are suitable for basic tasks but not for resource-intensive applications.

2. Compatible Motherboards: Hunting for LGA 1151 Socket

The processor uses the LGA 1151 (v1) socket, which limits motherboard choices to older models:

- Chipsets: H110, B150, H170, Z170.

- Features:

- Z170 supports overclocking (but the i5-6500T itself is locked).

- H110 — the most budget-friendly option, but with limited PCIe lanes and SATA ports.

Choosing Tips:

- In 2025, new LGA 1151 motherboards are hardly produced. Prices for remaining stock:

- ASUS H110M-K: $45–60 (new, leftover stock).

- MSI B150M Mortar: $70–90.

- Check the BIOS version: some motherboards require an update for Skylake support.

3. Memory: Only DDR4 with Limitations

The i5-6500T officially supports DDR4-2133 MHz. Higher frequencies do not work without overclocking through XMP profiles, and even then, stability cannot be guaranteed.

- Configurations:

- 2 memory channels (2×8 GB recommended for dual-channel mode).

- Maximum of 64 GB (but in practice, most motherboards are limited to 32 GB).

Practical Example:

Installing DDR4-2400 is possible, but the memory will operate at 2133 MHz. For office tasks, 8–16 GB is sufficient, while for gaming with a discrete graphics card, 16 GB is recommended.

4. Power Supply: Minimum Power — Maximum Savings

With a TDP of 35 W, the processor puts minimal strain on the PSU:

- Recommendations:

- Without a discrete graphics card: Use a 300 W PSU (for example, be quiet! SFX Power 3, $40).

- With a graphics card (e.g., GTX 1650): Use a 450 W PSU (EVGA 450 BR, $50).

Important: Even cheap power supplies will work, but for reliability, it's better to choose models with an 80+ Bronze certification.

5. Pros and Cons: Who is it Still Relevant For?

Pros:

- Low power consumption — suitable for mini-PCs and NAS.

- Integrated graphics for basic tasks.

- Availability on the secondary market (CPU price: $30–50 used).

Cons:

- Outdated architecture: no support for PCIe 4.0, AVX-512.

- Only 4 threads — multitasking is limited.

- No official support for Windows 11.

6. Use Cases: Where Does It Still Perform?

- Office and Web: Document work, browsing (up to 10 tabs), Zoom.

- Multimedia: Watching 4K through Kodi or Plex (hardware decoding).

- Casual Gaming:

- CS2: 720p, low settings — 40–50 FPS.

- GTA V: 1080p, medium settings — 30 FPS (with GTX 1650).

Limitations: Modern games (Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield) will be uncomfortable even on minimum settings.

7. Comparison with Competitors: Budget Battle

- AMD Ryzen 3 3200G (4 cores/4 threads, Vega 8):

- Better graphics but higher TDP (65 W).

- New AM4 motherboards are still available (B450 — $60).

- Intel Core i3-10100 (4 cores/8 threads):

- Hyper-Threading, DDR4-2666 support.

- New price: $90 (2025).

Conclusion: The i5-6500T lags in performance but wins in price on the secondary market.

8. Practical Assembly Tips

- Case: Choose compact models (Fractal Design Node 202) for media centers.

- Cooling: Even the stock cooler is adequate (temperature under load — up to 65°C).

- SSD: Essential! A Samsung 870 EVO 500 GB ($45) will eliminate speed bottlenecks.

- Upgrade: If gaming is needed, add a graphics card like the RX 6400 (does not require additional power).

9. Final Verdict: Who Should Consider the i5-6500T in 2025?

This processor is worth considering only in two scenarios:

1. Building an ultra-budget PC: For example, for parents or a terminal in a café.

2. Upgrading an old system: If there is an LGA 1151 motherboard and DDR4 available.

Alternative: For $100–150, you can build a system based on the Ryzen 5 5500 (6 cores/12 threads) which will be 3–4 times faster.

Final Note: The Intel Core i5-6500T is a relic that still has some life left, but only in very narrow scenarios. Its time has passed, but it can still serve as a temporary solution.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

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.

i5-6500T

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

2.50 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.

3.10 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.10 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.

CPU Socket

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

FCLGA1151

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

35 W

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.

DDR4-1866/2133 | DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V

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.

1.10 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 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

1035

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

2838

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

731

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

2287

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1789

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

4779

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i5-5575R

1115 +7.7%

Athlon Gold PRO 3150G

1080 +4.3%

Core i5-6500T

1035

Ryzen 3 1200

983 -5%

Core i5-7267U

934 -9.8%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i5-8250U

3252 +14.6%

Core i3-1115GRE

3033 +6.9%

Core i5-6500T

2838

Core i7-990X

2554 -10%

Core i3-6300T

2327 -18%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Ryzen 5 3550H

766 +4.8%

Celeron G4920

744 +1.8%

Core i5-6500T

731

Core i5-3350P

709 -3%

Xeon Platinum 8180M

686 -6.2%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i7-3635QM

2592 +13.3%

Xeon E5-2609

2443 +6.8%

Core i5-6500T

2287

Xeon D-1521

2120 -7.3%

Core i3-1115GRE

1980 -13.4%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i5-4308U

1859 +3.9%

Xeon E3-1220 v6

1813 +1.3%

Core i5-6500T

1789

Core i5-1030NG7

1763 -1.5%

Core i7-2600S

1743 -2.6%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i7-2600K

5488 +14.8%

Core i5-4670S

5130 +7.3%

Core i5-6500T

4779

FX-6350

4538 -5%

FX-6130

4353 -8.9%