Retailer photo of Intel Core i5-10500. View this offer in Where to buy
Intel · CPU
Intel Core i5-10500
The current Intel Core i5-10500 price from retailers, its key specifications, and how it performs for each job.
Trade-offs: you want strong value with Balanced priorities specifically
- Cores / threads
- 6C / 12T
- Boost clock
- 4500 MHz
- Socket
- LGA 1200
- TDP
- 134 W
- Memory support
- DDR4
Move a slider and the page re-scores this product against the same market frame.
What does it cost today, and is that a good price?
Market confidence: LowAt $146 the Intel Core i5-10500 is priced in line with its $146 representative market level. Only one retailer currently backs that price, so the level is a single data point rather than a market.
Limited market: only one retailer currently has a verified offer, so treat this price as a single data point.
Prices & availability
Intel Core i5-10500: current price and offers
Compare the offers we track for this model, across variants and retailers.
1 tracked offers · 1 retailers
| Variant | Store | Condition | Price (snapshot) | Value · Balanced | Checked | Offer link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i5-10500 | Newegg | New | $146 | 38 | 2026-10-16 | View offer → |
| Intel Core i5-10500Multiple variants available | Amazon Affiliate | Varies | Find on Amazon | Not tracked | No price snapshot | Find on Amazon → |
Prices are dated snapshots, not live quotes — confirm the final price at the store. New, refurbished and used offers are listed separately; used offers carry warranty and seller risk.
Performance and where it ranks
Two different questions, side by side. Performance compares what the hardware can do; Value compares what that capability costs at today’s price. A product can rank high on one and low on the other — that gap is the point.
Performance Balanced
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#188 of 264 graded processors
- #185 IntelIntel Core i7-9700F 8
- #186 AMDAMD Ryzen 5 2600 8
- #187 IntelIntel Core i7-7800X 8
- #188 IntelIntel Core i5-10500 8
- #189 IntelIntel Core i7-8700 7
- #190 IntelIntel Core i3-12100 7
- #191 IntelIntel Core i5-10400F 7
Value Balanced
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#124 of 264 currently priced processors
- #121 IntelIntel Core i5-7400 40
- #122 IntelIntel Core i5-8500 39
- #123 IntelIntel Core i7-9700 39
- #124 IntelIntel Core i5-10500 38
- #125 IntelIntel Core i5-8600K 38
- #126 IntelIntel Core i3-9100 38
- #127 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G7400 38
Performance Gaming
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#179 of 264 graded processors
- #176 IntelIntel Core i9-9940X 55
- #177 IntelIntel Core i7-8700 55
- #178 IntelIntel Core i7-7740X 55
- #179 IntelIntel Core i5-10500 55
- #180 IntelIntel Core i5-8600K 55
- #181 IntelIntel Core i9-9900X 54
- #182 IntelIntel Core i7-7700K 54
Value Gaming
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#128 of 264 currently priced processors
- #125 AMDAMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X 37
- #126 AMDAMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX 37
- #127 AMDAMD Ryzen 9 5950X 36
- #128 IntelIntel Core i5-10500 36
- #129 AMDAMD Ryzen 5 4600G 36
- #130 IntelIntel Core i5-10600 36
- #131 IntelIntel Core i5-9600KF 35
Performance Productivity
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#188 of 264 graded processors
- #185 IntelIntel Core i7-9700F 8
- #186 AMDAMD Ryzen 5 2600 8
- #187 IntelIntel Core i7-7800X 8
- #188 IntelIntel Core i5-10500 8
- #189 IntelIntel Core i7-8700 7
- #190 IntelIntel Core i3-12100 7
- #191 IntelIntel Core i5-10400F 7
Value Productivity
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#163 of 264 currently priced processors
- #160 IntelIntel Core i9-7940X 4
- #161 IntelIntel Core i5-10600 4
- #162 IntelIntel Core i5-10600K 4
- #163 IntelIntel Core i5-10500 4
- #164 AMDAMD Ryzen 3 4100 4
- #165 IntelIntel Core i7-9700K 4
- #166 IntelIntel Core i9-7920X 3
Performance Performance per Watt
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#166 of 264 graded processors
- #163 IntelIntel Core i9-9940X 18
- #164 IntelIntel Core i9-10850K 18
- #165 IntelIntel Core i7-8700K 18
- #166 IntelIntel Core i5-10500 18
- #167 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G7400 18
- #168 IntelIntel Core i9-10940X 17
- #169 IntelIntel Core i9-7960X 17
Value Performance per Watt
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#128 of 264 currently priced processors
- #125 AMDAMD Ryzen Threadripper 9985WX 24
- #126 AMDAMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX 24
- #127 AMDAMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7975WX 23
- #128 IntelIntel Core i5-10500 22
- #129 IntelIntel Core i7-11700K 22
- #130 IntelIntel Core i9-10900F 22
- #131 IntelIntel Core i7-11700KF 21
These ladders follow the preset scenario shown above. Your own weights re-score this product, not the whole field.
What it is good for
| Scenario | this productCapability grade · Value at current price | Higher capability | Higher Value with current priorities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced (all-round)Weighted all-round view | GradeNo grade Value38 | Higher capability AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 43 +151% capability · -13% price | Higher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 7500F 98 +72% capability · -28% price |
| GamingScenario capability | GradeB Value36 | Higher capability Ryzen 5 9600X A 88 +33% capability · +18% price | Higher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 7500F A 83 +27% capability · -28% price |
| ProductivityScenario capability | GradeF Value4 | Higher capability AMD Ryzen 9 3900X C 5 +151% capability · -13% price | Higher Value with current priorities Intel Core Ultra 5 225 B 18 +135% capability · +10% price |
| Performance per WattScenario capability | GradeF Value22 | Higher capability Ryzen 5 9600X A 95 +256% capability · +18% price | Higher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 7500F B 77 +163% capability · -28% price |
Balanced has no letter: it is a weighting preset, not a capability rubric. A grade answers “how well does this handle that job?” — price is never part of it. Relative Value puts the current market price back in.
Compare these grades with the full tier list
Browse shortlists for different uses
Trade-offs
Works well if
- Gaming is your main prioritygraded B for Gaming on the same rubric as the tier list
Consider other options if
- You want strong value with Balanced priorities specificallyat today's market no realistic price for this model reaches strong value with Balanced priorities — the calculation only gets there near $51, against a cheapest tracked $146
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelAMD Ryzen 5 7500F holds Relative Value 98 against its 38 with Balanced priorities, at $105
- Productivity is what you actually need it forit grades only F there
Works well if
- Gaming is your main prioritygraded B for Gaming on the same rubric as the tier list
Consider other options if
- You want strong value for Gaming specificallycompeting products deliver so much more for Gaming per dollar that no price this model realistically trades at reaches the strong-value mark for this job
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelAMD Ryzen 5 7500F holds Relative Value 83 against its 36 for Gaming, at $105
- Productivity is what you actually need it forit grades only F there
For the selected scenario this is not a strong fit — the grade above is the reason, and the models below suit it better.
Works well if
- Productivity is not actually your main job — Gaming isit grades F for Productivity, but B for Gaming
Consider other options if
- Productivity is what you actually need it forit grades F there; AMD Ryzen 9 3900X grades C at $127
For the selected scenario this is not a strong fit — the grade above is the reason, and the models below suit it better.
Works well if
- Performance per Watt is not actually your main job — Gaming isit grades F for Performance per Watt, but B for Gaming
Consider other options if
- Performance per Watt is what you actually need it forit grades F there; Ryzen 5 9600X grades A at $172
- You want strong value for Performance per Watt specificallycompeting products deliver so much more for Performance per Watt per dollar that no price this model realistically trades at reaches the strong-value mark for this job
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelAMD Ryzen 5 7500F holds Relative Value 77 against its 22 for Performance per Watt, at $105
Models that suit Performance per Watt better, at this budget
Every line states the fact it was derived from, for the scenario selected above. Thresholds are calculated points on our value curve — information about where the maths turns, not instructions about what to pay.
Similar options to the Intel Core i5-10500
Chosen for Balanced
Chosen for Gaming
Chosen for Productivity
Chosen for Performance per Watt
Alternatives stay near this product’s price range. Step-up options may exceed the standard budget envelope when the capability gain is meaningful.
More head-to-head comparisons in this category
Upgrade planner
Judge the change in the active scenario, then make the cash gap explicit.
Using page scenarioWhat are you upgrading from? These are the axes we compare on, and where this product stands in the current market.
We rank upgrades by out-of-pocket cost — the new price minus what yours is worth — not by sticker price.
Only candidates that clear the configured meaningful-upgrade gate will be shown; roles are omitted rather than filled.
Capability differences are expressed as tiers and index points, not as benchmark percentages we did not measure.
Specifications and compatibility
What this product is, and what to check before it goes into your build.
Core / Performance
- Cores
- 6
- Threads
- 12
- Performance cores
- 6
- Efficiency cores
- 0
- Base clock
- 3100 MHz
- Boost clock
- 4500 MHz
Power / Interface
- TDP
- 134 W
- Maximum turbo power
- 134 W
- Socket
- LGA 1200
- Memory support
- DDR4
- Maximum memory
- 128 GB
- Integrated graphics
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
- Process node
- 14 nm
Show all specifications
Core / Performance
- L2 cache
- 1 MB
- L3 cache
- 12 MB
- Unlocked multiplier
- No
Warranty & release
- Warranty
- 3 years
- Release year
- 2020
- Manufacturer part number
- CM8070104290511
Hover any value to see where it came from: a manufacturer specification, or a figure The Comparator calculated.
Sources: Comparator offer frame 2026-10-10–2026-10-17
What to check in your build
LGA 1200 required
Your motherboard must use socket LGA 1200. A different socket does not fit — this is a physical constraint, not a preference.
Board BIOS must list this model
A matching socket is necessary but not sufficient — check the vendor CPU support list.
DDR4 memory
This processor takes DDR4. Memory of another generation does not fit the slots, even on a board with the right socket.
Cooler rated for 134 W or more
No cooler is included. Your cooler must be rated for at least 134 W on socket LGA 1200.
Found an error? Report this specification Email the field, corrected value and an optional source.
Compatibility guidance is practical help, not a score. Missing data is shown as unknown, never invented.
Summary
Intel Core i5-10500 offers a balanced view across an all-round mix of priorities. It ranks #188 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 365. AMD Ryzen 5 7500F currently clears the same practical bar with stronger Relative Value.
Intel Core i5-10500 offers B-grade capability for Gaming. It ranks #179 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 365. AMD Ryzen 5 7500F currently clears the same practical bar with stronger Relative Value.
Intel Core i5-10500 offers F-grade capability for Productivity. It ranks #188 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 365. The F grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
Intel Core i5-10500 offers F-grade capability for Performance per Watt. It ranks #166 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 365. The F grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
FAQ
Why does Relative Value change when I choose another scenario?
Each scenario changes the weights applied to capability, price and the other published factors. The hardware facts stay fixed, but the value question changes, so its score and rank can change too.
Why can Amazon appear without a tracked price?
Amazon is shown as a discovery link when we do not have a permitted verified price snapshot. It is excluded from price comparisons, rankings and Relative Value until a compliant tracked price exists.
Useful links & sources
offer frame 2026-10-10–2026-10-17 · formula cpu-value-v1.4 · facts facts-2026-10-17 · Relative Value is an estimate from our current dataset, the selected weights and dated market prices — not an official product rating and not a price forecast. Target prices are calculation thresholds, not predictions. Methodology We are not a shop. Affiliate links may earn us a commission; they never change the calculations or the ranking.