Intel Core i5-6500 vs Intel Core i5-6600K

Intel Core i5-6500

The Intel Core i5-6500 is a mid-range quad-core desktop processor based on the Skylake architecture, which was announced in August 2015. The CPU, which is manufactured in a 14 nm process, runs at 3.2 - 3.6 GHz and does not support Hyperthreading (only 4 threads simultaneously).

Architecture

Intel uses Skylake to replace both Broadwell as well as Haswell and therefore uses one core design for all TDP classes between 4.5-45 Watts. Several improvements of the Skylake architecture include bigger Out-to-Order-Buffer, optimizations for pre-fetching as well as bigger gains by Hyperthreading. However, the changes are small for a "Tock" – a new micro architecture – in general, so the per-MHz performance is only between 5-10 % (compared to Haswell) or less than 5 % higher (compared to Broadwell), respectively.

Performance

The performance is similar to the old Core i5-3570K of the Sandy Bridge generation. Therefore, it should be sufficient even for demanding tasks.

Graphics

Graphics are handled by the integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 with 24 EUs (Execution Units), which is clocked at 350 - 1050 MHz. Compared to the HD Graphics 4600 (Haswell, 20 EUs), the performance is increased by around 25 percent. The overall GPU performance is still low-end, so modern games can, if at all, only be played smoothly with low settings.

Power Consumption

Intel specifies the TDP with 65 Watts.

Intel Core i5-6600K

The Intel Core i5-6600K is a high-end quad-core desktop processor based on the Skylake architecture, which was announced in August 2015. The CPU, which is manufactured in a 14 nm process, runs at 3.5 up to 3.9 GHz (2 cores: 3.8 GHz, 3 cores: 3.7 GHz, 4 cores: 3.6 GHz) and – contrary to the i7-series – does not support Hyperthreading. Being a so called "K"-model, the Core i5-6600K has a free multiplier and can be easily overclocked. 

Performance

Because of the slightly slower clocks, the smaller L3-cache (6 instead of 8 MB) as well as the missing Hyperthreading support, the Core i5-6600K is about 10-30 percent slower than the top model i7-6700K. The CPU will still handle demanding applications and games without any problems.

Graphics

Graphics are handled by the integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 with 24 EUs (Execution Units), which is clocked at 350 - 1150 MHz. Compared to the HD Graphics 4600 (Haswell, 20 EUs), the performance is increased by around 25 percent. The overall GPU performance is still low-end, so modern games can, if at all, only be played smoothly with low settings. 

Power Consumption

The TDP was slightly raised from 88 to 91 Watts compared to the predecessor.