Retailer photo of Intel Core i5-6500T. View this offer in Where to buy
Intel · CPU
Intel Core i5-6500T
The current Intel Core i5-6500T 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
- 4C / 4T
- Boost clock
- 3100 MHz
- Socket
- LGA 1151
- TDP
- 74 W
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 $35 the Intel Core i5-6500T is priced in line with its $35 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 i5-6500T: 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 i5-6500T | Newegg | New | $35 | 36 | 2026-10-16 | View offer → |
| Intel Core i5-6500TMultiple 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.
#256 of 264 graded processors
- #253 IntelIntel Core i5-7400 3
- #254 IntelIntel Core i5-6402P 3
- #255 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 3
- #256 IntelIntel Core i5-6500T 3
- #257 IntelIntel Celeron G6900 3
- #258 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G6400 2
- #259 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G5500 2
Value Balanced
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#136 of 264 currently priced processors
- #133 IntelIntel Core i7-7800X 36
- #134 IntelIntel Core i9-12900F 36
- #135 IntelIntel Core i5-12500 36
- #136 IntelIntel Core i5-6500T 36
- #137 IntelIntel Core i5-8600 36
- #138 IntelIntel Core i5-8400 36
- #139 IntelIntel Core i9-12900 36
Performance Gaming
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#251 of 264 graded processors
- #248 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 49
- #249 IntelIntel Core i7 Extreme 4960X 49
- #250 AMDAMD Ryzen 3 1200 48
- #251 IntelIntel Core i5-6500T 48
- #252 IntelIntel Xeon E5-2650 v4 48
- #253 AMDAMD Ryzen 3 3200G 48
- #254 AMDAMD Ryzen 5 2400G 47
Value Gaming
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#203 of 264 currently priced processors
- #200 IntelIntel Core i3-13100 14
- #201 AMDAMD Ryzen 7 3800X 14
- #202 IntelIntel Core i5-11600KF 14
- #203 IntelIntel Core i5-6500T 14
- #204 IntelIntel Core i5-4690K 14
- #205 IntelIntel Core i5-6600 13
- #206 IntelIntel Core i7-6700K 13
Performance Productivity
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#256 of 264 graded processors
- #253 IntelIntel Core i5-7400 3
- #254 IntelIntel Core i5-6402P 3
- #255 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 3
- #256 IntelIntel Core i5-6500T 3
- #257 IntelIntel Celeron G6900 3
- #258 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G6400 2
- #259 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G5500 2
Value Productivity
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#246 of 264 currently priced processors
- #243 IntelIntel Core i5-4690K 1
- #244 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G6400 1
- #245 IntelIntel Core i5-4690 1
- #246 IntelIntel Core i5-6500T 1
- #247 IntelIntel Core i3-9350KF 1
- #248 IntelIntel Xeon E3 1240 V5 1
- #249 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 1
Performance Performance per Watt
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#211 of 264 graded processors
- #208 IntelIntel Core i5-8600 12
- #209 IntelIntel Core i5-9500F 12
- #210 IntelIntel Core i5-9500 12
- #211 IntelIntel Core i5-6500T 12
- #212 IntelIntel Celeron G6900 12
- #213 IntelIntel Core i7-9800X 11
- #214 IntelIntel Core i5-8500 11
Value Performance per Watt
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#192 of 264 currently priced processors
- #189 IntelIntel Core i7-8700 10
- #190 IntelIntel Core i9-9920X 9
- #191 IntelIntel Core i3-10300 9
- #192 IntelIntel Core i5-6500T 9
- #193 AMDAMD Ryzen 3 1200 9
- #194 IntelIntel Core i3-8350K 9
- #195 IntelIntel Core i5-12600 9
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 Value36 | Higher capability Higher capability · Higher Value with current priorities Intel Core i3-8100 51 +28% capability · -10% price | |
| GamingScenario capability | GradeC Value14 | — | Higher Value with current priorities Intel Core i3-8100 C 21 +5% capability · -10% price |
| ProductivityScenario capability | GradeF Value1 | Higher capability Intel Core i3-8100 F 1 +28% capability · -10% price | — |
| Performance per WattScenario capability | GradeF Value9 | — | — |
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 C 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 $11, against a cheapest tracked $35
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelIntel Core i3-8100 holds Relative Value 51 against its 36 with Balanced priorities, at $31
- 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.
Consider other options if
- Gaming is what you actually need it forit grades C there; Intel Core i3-8100 grades C at $31
- 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 modelIntel Core i3-8100 holds Relative Value 21 against its 14 for Gaming, at $31
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 C for Gaming
Consider other options if
- Productivity is what you actually need it forit grades F there; Intel Core i3-8100 grades F at $31
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 C for Gaming
Consider other options if
- Performance per Watt is what you actually need it forit grades F there; Intel Core i3-8100 grades F at $31
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 i5-6500T
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
- 4
- Threads
- 4
- Performance cores
- 4
- Efficiency cores
- 0
- Base clock
- 2500 MHz
- Boost clock
- 3100 MHz
Power / Interface
- TDP
- 74 W
- Maximum turbo power
- 74 W
- Socket
- LGA 1151
- Maximum memory
- 64 GB
- Integrated graphics
- Intel HD Graphics 530
- Process node
- 14 nm
Show all specifications
Core / Performance
- L2 cache
- 1 MB
- L3 cache
- 6 MB
- Unlocked multiplier
- No
Warranty & release
- Warranty
- 3 years
- Release year
- 2014
- Manufacturer part number
- CM8066201920600
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 1151 required
Your motherboard must use socket LGA 1151. 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.
Unknown
Cooler rated for 74 W or more
No cooler is included. Your cooler must be rated for at least 74 W on socket LGA 1151.
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 i5-6500T offers a balanced view across an all-round mix of priorities. It ranks #256 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 134. The main limitation appears when Productivity becomes the priority, where it grades F.
Intel Core i5-6500T offers C-grade capability for Gaming. It ranks #251 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 134. The C grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
Intel Core i5-6500T offers F-grade capability for Productivity. It ranks #256 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 134. The F grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
Intel Core i5-6500T offers F-grade capability for Performance per Watt. It ranks #211 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 134. 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.