HowManyFPS Desktop App v1.25.3Track Bottlenecks and Boost Your FPSOpen HowManyFPS.com on your PC to benchmark

CPU Comparison: FPS, Specs & Value

Core i3-6100 vs Core i5-6500

The Core i3-6100 is slightly slower than the Core i5-6500 on average across 100+ games. However, it's a much better value for money, as it's $90.64 cheaper!

bar_chartBenchmarks groupCommunity calculateFPS Calculator compressBottleneck Calculator

CPU

$44.05View CPUAll CPUs

Is 2 months newer

CPU

$134.69View CPUAll CPUs

Up to 1% faster on average across 100+ games

FPS Comparison Across Popular Games

Predicted average FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, based on real game benchmarks.

Resolution

Quality

Paired GPU

View Compare All GPUs

Select GPU

Escape From Tarkov2017

Core i3-6100

216FPS

Core i5-6500

216FPS

League of Legends2009

Core i3-6100

193FPS

Core i5-6500

194FPS

Grand Theft Auto V2013

Core i3-6100

200FPS

Core i5-6500

201FPS

Valorant2020

Core i3-6100

573FPS

Core i5-6500

574FPS

Fortnite2017

Core i3-6100

325FPS

Core i5-6500

325FPS

Minecraft2011

Core i3-6100

601FPS

Core i5-6500

602FPS

Dota 22013

182FPS

182FPS

Specs & Benchmark Comparison

Side-by-side specs, synthetic benchmarks, and key hardware differences.

Scorehelp

Core i3-6100

21%

Core i5-6500

22%

Core i5-6500 ranks 1 points higher.

Coreshelp

Core i3-6100

Core i5-6500

Core i5-6500 has 2 more cores.

Threadshelp

L3 Cachehelp

4 MB

6 MB

Core i5-6500 has 2 MB more L3 cache.

Base Frequencyhelp

Core i3-6100

3.7 GHz

Core i5-6500

3.2 GHz

Core i3-6100 has a 16% higher base clock.

Turbo Frequencyhelp

Core i3-6100

Core i5-6500

3.6 GHz

TDPhelp

Core i3-6100

51W

Core i5-6500

65W

Core i3-6100 draws 14W less power.

Pricehelp

Core i3-6100

$44.05

Core i5-6500

$134.69

Core i3-6100 is $90.64 cheaper.

Core i3-6100Core i5-6500

LGA1151

Sockethelp

LGA1151

Skylake

Codenamehelp

Skylake

Desktop

Segmenthelp

Desktop

Intel HD 530

Integrated GPUhelp

HD Graphics 530

2133 MHz (DDR4)

RAMhelp

2133 MHz (DDR4)

Not Overclockable

Overclock Supporthelp

Not Overclockable

Frequently Asked Questions

compare_arrowsWhich is better, Core i3-6100 or Core i5-6500?expand_more

Neither, they're within 1% of each other across 100+ games. Pick based on price, availability, or platform compatibility.

aspect_ratioWhich is better for 1440p and 4K gaming, Core i3-6100 or Core i5-6500?expand_more

They trade blows depending on the game. Toggle the resolution selector above to compare per-game FPS at 1440p and 4K.

differenceWhat is the difference between Core i3-6100 and Core i5-6500?expand_more

Performance: Core i3-6100 scores 21/100, Core i5-6500 scores 22/100. They also differ in core count, clock speeds, L3 cache, and power draw. Full breakdown in the specs section above.

compressWill the Core i3-6100 or Core i5-6500 bottleneck my PC?expand_more

Depends on the rest of your build, especially your GPU. Swap the paired GPU in the FPS section above to see if it limits performance, or use our bottleneck calculator for a full analysis.

upgradeIs it worth upgrading to the Core i3-6100 or Core i5-6500?expand_more

Both are solid choices. Compare your current CPU against each one to see the exact FPS gain.