CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-6600T vs Intel Core i5-9500T
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-6600T is a 35W low-power quad-core Skylake processor providing a higher frequency ceiling than the 6500T, aimed at performance small form factor desktops.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Snappy for light tasks, but 4 threads limit heavy productivity workloads.
Excellent for office environments, large spreadsheets, and heavy web browsing.
Gaming
Good burst performance for older games, but low base clock hinders sustained heavy gaming.
Not intended for gaming; integrated graphics can handle basic 2D and very light 3D apps.
Virtualization
Can run a light VM, but resources are quickly exhausted.
vPro and VT-x support make it highly capable for enterprise VDI setups.
Efficiency
Excellent performance-per-watt, typical of Intel's T-series bins.
Outstanding power efficiency; runs exceptionally cool.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration and low core counts make it unviable for AI tasks
- No AI acceleration hardware
- Low power limits prevent sustained AI workloads
Content Creation
Gaming
- 3.5 GHz single-core turbo helps with older eSports titles
- Low base clock causes sluggishness in CPU-heavy open-world games
- Not recommended as a gaming CPU today
- UHD 630 is only for display output or very old games
- Not designed for 3D gaming workloads
- Low base clock hinders gaming performance
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- High single-core turbo for a 35W part
- Excellent 3.3 GHz all-core turbo
- Runs very cool and quiet
- Supports both DDR3L and DDR4
Cons
- Only 4 threads
- Locked multiplier
- Low base clock of 2.7 GHz
- Hard to find outside of pre-built systems
Pros
- Strict 35W TDP (configurable to 25W)
- Intel vPro support for enterprise management
- 6 physical cores for multitasking
- Integrated UHD Graphics 630
- Runs exceptionally cool and quiet
Cons
- Low base clock of 2.2 GHz
- Locked multiplier
- Expensive compared to consumer i5 parts
- No Hyper-Threading
- End-of-life platform
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-6600T
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-6500TRival
Low Power Desktop
- AMD A10-8700PRival
Mobile/Low Power Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i7-6700TRival
High-End Low Power
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-4570TRival
Previous Gen Low Power
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200GERival
Low Power Desktop
6 cores, higher clocks, same 35W TDP on the used market.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5600GEAlt
6 cores/12 threads with vastly superior efficiency and performance.
- Intel Core i5-12400TAlt
Modern architecture with incredible low-power performance.
- Intel N100Alt
Cheaper, more modern low-power chip for basic NAS/HTPC use.
- AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650GEAlt
Best value 35W 6-core alternative for OEM systems.
Intel Core i5-9500T
- AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 2600GERival
Low Power Enterprise
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-9500Rival
Mainstream Enterprise
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i7-8700TRival
Low Power Enterprise
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-8500TRival
Low Power Enterprise
- AMD Ryzen 5 3400GERival
Low Power Enterprise
Cheaper and offers nearly identical performance if vPro is not needed.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core i5-10500TAlt
Newer generation with 12 threads and better efficiency.
Our Verdict on Each
The i5-6600T offers slightly more headroom than the 6500T within the same 35W limit, making it a slightly better choice for SFF refurbishing, though still outdated overall.
Best for: If you are picking up a used 1-liter PC (like a Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny or HP EliteDesk Mini) for a home server, HTPC, or basic office terminal, the i5-6600T is a great little workhorse. It offers a nice balance between the lower clocks of the 6500T and the higher power draw of the 65W parts. It runs incredibly cool and is virtually silent. However, buying this chip standalone to build a new PC is a terrible idea. Modern budget processors deliver vastly superior performance and efficiency. If you have this CPU, an SSD and 16GB of RAM will make it feel incredibly responsive for daily tasks, but do not expect it to handle modern gaming or heavy creative workloads.
Read the full reviewAn excellent low-power processor for enterprise environments. The 35W TDP and vPro support make it ideal for compact, managed office PCs.
Best for: Building a silent home server, pfSense router, or compact enterprise PC where vPro and 35W TDP are required.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-6600T or Intel Core i5-9500T?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-9500T comes out ahead with a score of 8/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-6600T or Intel Core i5-9500T?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-9500T leads with a gaming performance score of 50/100 among Intel Core i5-6600T and Intel Core i5-9500T.
Do Intel Core i5-6600T and Intel Core i5-9500T use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-6600T: LGA 1151, Intel Core i5-9500T: Intel Socket 1151), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core i5-9500T has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core i5-6600T (4 cores), Intel Core i5-9500T (6 cores).
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-6600T posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-6600T (5,000). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.