Intel Core i5-6500 vs Intel Core i3-8100

The Intel Core i5-6500 is based on the Skylake S architecture and was introduced as a mainstream desktop processor.

It is manufactured using the 14 nm process and features 4 cores and 4 threads, making it well-suited for everyday tasks, moderate multitasking, and also for many games when combined with a dedicated graphics card. The processor uses PCIe 3.0, offers a maximum memory bandwidth of 34 GB/s, and is equipped with a 6 MB L3 cache.

Its integrated graphics solution is the Intel HD Graphics 530. In benchmarks, the Intel Core i5-6500 shows solid performance in single-core and multi-core applications, comparable to that of the Intel Core i3-8100.

Its Thermal Design Power (TDP) is 65 Watts. The Intel Core i3-8100 belongs to the newer Coffee Lake S architecture and was positioned as an entry-level to mid-range desktop processor. It is also manufactured using the 14 nm process and has 4 cores and 4 threads, which provides good performance for general computing tasks, multitasking, and modern games with a separate graphics card.

The more modern architecture gives it a slight performance advantage in some specific, clock-sensitive applications and games, though benchmarks do not show a significant difference of over 10 percent compared to the Intel Core i5-6500. It supports PCIe 3.0, offers a maximum memory bandwidth of 38 GB/s, and a 6 MB L3 cache.

The internal graphics unit is the Intel UHD Graphics 630. Its TDP is also 65 Watts.