Intel Core i5-6200U vs Intel Core i5-6500

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   Perhaps you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i5-6200U vs Intel Core i5-6500 tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for rendering, machine learning, video editing, streaming, programming. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A careful review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like Dolphin Emulator, Blender, Furmark, 7zip, UserBenchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PassMark, WPrime, PCMark 10, VeraCrypt, RealBench, Blender, SuperPi, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 3DMark, Gears 5, Handbrake, AIDA64, DaVinci Resolve Studio, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Prime95, MATLAB.
   And how good the processors are in games:

Fortnite
Rainbow Six Siege
Fallout 76
Apex Legends
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Borderlands 3
Death Stranding
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Red Dead Redemption 2
Last Man Standing
Watch Dogs Legion
Grand Theft Auto V
DOOM: Eternal
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Halo Infinite
Valorant
Cyberpunk 2077
Valheim
Overwatch

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-6500 or Intel Core i5-6200U.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-6200U

50%

Core i5-6500

51%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-6500 is 1% better than Core i5-6200U. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-6200U

50%

Core i5-6500

51%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a little game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Metro Exodus, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, League of Legends (LOL), Ghostrunner, Horizon Zero Dawn, Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Battlefield V, NBA 2K20, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), DOTA 2A, Monster Hunter World, Control, Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	89.7	91.4
Valorant	102.0	103.9
Cyberpunk 2077	57.1	58.2
Apex Legends	95.8	97.6
Call of Duty Warzone	76.5	77.9
Overwatch	82.6	84.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	70.4	71.7
DOOM Eternal	51.0	51.9
Warzone	79.5	81.0
Assassin's Creed	85.6	87.3
Valheim	84.6	86.2

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-6200U

157%

Core i5-6500

51%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-6200U is more energy efficient than the Core i5-6500 as it consumes less power: 15W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, machine learning, video rendering or video editing, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the advantages of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-6200U	Intel Core i5-6500
Cinbench 15 Single-core	119	153
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	290	565
Cinbench 20 Single-core	282	354
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	735	1299
Cinbench 23 Single-core	716	842
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	1706	2928

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-6200U	Intel Core i5-6500
Single-Core	1586	2149
Multi-Core	3019	5644

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-6200U	Intel Core i5-6500
Single-Core	707	1004
Multi-Core	1691	3346

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-6200U	Intel Core i5-6500
Announcement date	April 01, 2015	April 01, 2015
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1356	LGA 1151
Core name	Skylake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	6	6
Turbo Frequency	2.8 MHz	3.6 MHz
Frequency	2.3 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	2	4
Threads	4	4
Bus rate	4 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	1750 millions	1760 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2133, LPDDR3-1866, DDR3L-1600	DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V
Max. Memory	32 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	34.1 GB/s	34.1 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	3 MB	6 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-6500 is 28% better than Core i5-6200U in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-6500 has 2 more core than Core i5-6200U. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-6200U is better: 1
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-6500 is better: 28
The summary data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-6200U and Intel Core i5-6500 before making a decision which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-6200U specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-6500 specs and review.