i5-6500

i5-6500

Processor

R 500.00
In Stock(1 available)
Condition: Refurbished - Good
Warranty: 3 months
SKU: i5-6500

Intel Core i5-6500 — Skylake quad-core (3.2–3.6GHz), 6MB cache, 65W TDP, LGA1151 with Intel HD 530. Reliable 1080p gaming and everyday desktop performance.

Product Details

Overview

The Intel Core i5-6500 is a 6th-generation 'Skylake' desktop processor built on Intel's 14nm process. It features 4 physical cores (4 threads), a 3.2GHz base clock and up to 3.6GHz Turbo Boost, with 6MB of Intel Smart Cache and a 65W TDP. The chip uses the LGA1151 socket and includes the integrated Intel HD Graphics 530.

Architecture and real-world performance

Skylake brought solid IPC improvements for its time; the i5-6500 delivers dependable single-threaded performance and good everyday responsiveness. With four full cores and no Hyper-Threading, it excels at tasks that rely on per-core speed—gaming, office work and web browsing—while being modest in heavily multi-threaded workloads. It supports DDR4-2133 (also DDR3L-1600), giving a modern memory platform for typical mid-range builds.

Gaming, media and workstation notes

Paired with a mid-range GPU (e.g. GTX 1050–1660-series or similar), the i5-6500 handles 1080p gaming at high settings very well and will not bottleneck many GPUs at 60Hz. The onboard HD 530 graphics are fine for desktop graphics, video playback and light eSports titles at low settings, but not suitable for modern AAA gaming. For content creation, the i5-6500 is capable of 1080p video editing and photo work; expect longer render times on 4K projects compared to contemporary 6-core+ CPUs since it lacks Hyper-Threading and additional cores.

Specifications

  • CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 (6th Gen Skylake)
  • Cores / Threads: 4 cores / 4 threads
  • Clocks: 3.2 GHz base, up to 3.6 GHz Turbo Boost
  • Cache: 6MB Intel Smart Cache
  • Process: 14nm
  • TDP: 65W
  • Socket: LGA1151 (100-series motherboards native; some 200-series support with BIOS update)
  • Memory: DDR4-2133 / DDR3L-1600 supported
  • Integrated GPU: Intel HD Graphics 530

Who this CPU is ideal for

The i5-6500 is ideal for budget-conscious builders and home users who need a responsive desktop for 1080p gaming, office productivity, multimedia playback and light content creation. It's a great match for mid-range GPU builds and users who prioritise solid single-threaded performance without the premium of newer multi-core chips.