Pentium Gold G6500 vs Core i5-2500K
Pentium Gold G6500
Core i5-2500K
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2500K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Gold G6500 | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake (2020−2025) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Gold G6500 | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Pentium Gold G6500 and Core i5-2500K
Pentium Gold G6500
The Pentium Gold G6500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 58 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 4,185 points. Launch price was $69.
Core i5-2500K
The Core i5-2500K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,141 points. Launch price was $216.
Processing Power
The Pentium Gold G6500 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-2500K offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-2500K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Pentium Gold G6500 versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i5-2500K — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold G6500 (base: 4.1 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Pentium Gold G6500 uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-2500K uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Gold G6500 scores 4,185 against the Core i5-2500K's 4,141 — a 1.1% lead for the Pentium Gold G6500. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold G6500 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-2500K.
| Feature | Pentium Gold G6500 | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 4.1 GHz+11% | 3.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 4.1 GHz+24% | 3.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 6 MB (total)+50% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Comet Lake (2020−2025) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 4,185+1% | 4,141 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 3,200 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 684 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 2,032 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Gold G6500 uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-2500K uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Gold G6500 | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1200 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Gold G6500) / VT-x (Core i5-2500K). The Core i5-2500K includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Pentium Gold G6500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2500K targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-2500K rivals FX-6300.
| Feature | Pentium Gold G6500 | Core i5-2500K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 3000 |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Gaming |
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