Core i5-10500

The Core i5-10500 is a 6-core / 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process node. It reaches a maximum boost clock of 4.5 GHz from a base frequency of 3.1 GHz— higher boost clocks directly translate to better single-threaded performance and responsiveness in gaming. It carries 12 MB (total) of L3 cache, plus 256K (per core) of L2 cache and 64K (per core) of L1 cache per core. In the PassMark benchmark (a comprehensive multi-threaded test), it scores 13,067, placing it in the Budget performance tier as a Aging generation product.

The Core i5-10500 fits into the LGA1200 socket and supports PCIe 3.0 with 16 total PCIe lanes for expansion cards and storage. It supports DDR4-2666 memory at speeds up to DDR4-2666 (faster RAM improves bandwidth-sensitive workloads), with a maximum capacity of 128 GB across 2 channels (dual-channel doubles bandwidth). Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 630 — allows display output without a dedicated GPU, useful for troubleshooting and light tasks.

The Core i5-10500 is primarily designed for Desktop. Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d — enables running virtual machines efficiently (important for development and server workloads).

The Core i5-10500 has a rated TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 65 Watt — this indicates the amount of heat generated under sustained load and determines what cooling solution is needed.

At an average price of $178 (MSRP: $200), the Core i5-10500 delivers 73 PassMark points per dollar. Performance ranking position: #1137 out of all indexed processors.