CPU Comparison

The Verdict

The data paints an unambiguous picture: the AMD EPYC 7282 wins every single benchmark in this comparison, taking all six head-to-head tests. The Intel Core i5-6500 does not secure a single victory in any measured workload. For anyone building or upgrading a system, the EPYC 7282 is the clear choice on raw performance, regardless of the task.

The Core i5-6500 is a 4-core, 4-thread desktop part from the Skylake generation, while the EPYC 7282 is a 16-core, 32-thread server/workstation processor from AMD's Zen 2 Rome family. The benchmark results show a massive gulf in capability: the EPYC 7282 delivers roughly 438% higher multi-core scores across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, and about 440% higher single-core scores in the same tests. The EPYC 7282 is also the only one of the two that supports ECC memory, making it viable for error-sensitive workloads where data integrity is critical.

The i5-6500 remains a functional processor for basic desktop tasks, but it is end-of-life, and its benchmark scores place it at the 63rd percentile among all CPUs, the same percentile as the EPYC 7282. That percentile parity is misleading, though, the EPYC 7282's average benchmark score of 7409 is only slightly lower than the i5-6500's 7569, but that average includes many different tests where the server chip's massive core count and higher memory bandwidth dominate. If you need multi-threaded throughput, the EPYC 7282 is the only rational pick. If you are on a legacy LGA 1151 platform and cannot change sockets, the i5-6500 will still run a basic system, but it will lag far behind in any demanding workload.

Architecture Differences

The architectural contrast is stark. The Intel Core i5-6500 is built on Intel's 14 nm process, with a die size of 177 mm², and uses the Skylake architecture. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. Its cache layout includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 6 MB L3 cache. The memory controller supports dual-channel DDR4 with a theoretical bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, and it does not support ECC memory. The i5-6500 also includes integrated HD Graphics 530, and its PCIe connectivity is limited to Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

The AMD EPYC 7282, by contrast, is fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm process, with a total of 7,600 million transistors spread across two 74 mm² dies. It uses the Zen 2 Rome architecture and packs 16 cores and 32 threads. Base clock is 2.80 GHz, boosting to 3.20 GHz. Cache is substantially larger: 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and a 64 MB total L3 cache (32 MB per die). Memory support is eight-channel DDR4, yielding a theoretical bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s, more than double the i5-6500's, and ECC memory is supported. The EPYC 7282 has no integrated graphics, and its PCIe interface is Gen 4 with 128 lanes, a massive difference from the i5-6500's 16 Gen 3 lanes. The EPYC 7282 also has a 120 W TDP versus the i5-6500's 65 W, and it uses the AMD Socket SP3 platform rather than Intel Socket 1151.

Where Each One Wins

The EPYC 7282 wins everywhere in the measured data. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, both multi-core and single-core, the EPYC 7282 is ahead by roughly 81.4% in every case. That means for rendering, video encoding, scientific computing, or any workload that scales with threads, the EPYC 7282 is overwhelmingly faster. Its 16 cores and 32 threads, combined with 64 MB of L3 cache and eight-channel memory, give it a fundamental advantage that the i5-6500 cannot overcome.

The i5-6500 has no benchmark wins, but it does have some qualitative advantages from the spec sheet. It includes integrated graphics, so it can run a system without a discrete GPU. Its 65 W TDP is lower, which means less heat output and potentially lower cooling requirements. It also supports DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus, which is standard for mainstream desktop builds. For a basic office PC, a lightweight web browser, or a legacy system that only needs light duty, the i5-6500 can still function, but it will not excel in any measured performance metric.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core performance?

A: The AMD EPYC 7282 is faster in every single-core test. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 364 versus the i5-6500's 67, a delta of -81.6%. In R20 single-core, it scores 1518 versus 282, and in R23 single-core, it scores 3616 versus 672, both with a delta of -81.4%.

Q: Does the EPYC 7282 support ECC memory?

A: Yes. The EPYC 7282 has ECC memory support enabled, while the Intel Core i5-6500 does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the core and thread count difference?

A: The i5-6500 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The EPYC 7282 has 16 cores and 32 threads, four times the cores and eight times the threads.

Q: Which CPU has a smaller manufacturing process?

A: The EPYC 7282 is built on a 7 nm process from TSMC. The i5-6500 uses Intel's 14 nm process.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does each CPU provide?

A: The i5-6500 offers 34.1 GB/s over dual-channel DDR4. The EPYC 7282 offers 85.3 GB/s over eight-channel DDR4.

Q: Is the i5-6500 still in production?

A: No. The i5-6500 is marked as end-of-life, while the EPYC 7282 is listed as active production.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data is one-sided, with the EPYC 7282 winning all six head-to-head tests. The largest relative margin is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the EPYC 7282 scores 364 against the i5-6500's 67, a delta of -81.6%. That means the EPYC 7282 is roughly 5.4 times faster in that specific test. In every other test, the delta is -81.4%.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the EPYC 7282 posts 2581 versus 479 for the i5-6500. That is a 5.4x advantage in a rendering workload that heavily leverages thread count. Moving to Cinebench R20, the EPYC 7282 scores 10758 multi-core and 1518 single-core, while the i5-6500 manages 1999 and 282, respectively. The R23 results continue the pattern: 25616 multi-core for the EPYC 7282 versus 4760 for the i5-6500, and 3616 single-core versus 672.

The consistency of the -81.4% delta across different Cinebench versions suggests that the performance gap is structural, not workload-specific. The EPYC 7282's 16 cores, 32 threads, larger cache, and eight-channel memory give it a decisive edge that scales uniformly across rendering benchmarks. The i5-6500, with only 4 threads and a 6 MB shared L3 cache, simply cannot compete in these multi-threaded scenarios. Even in single-core tests, the EPYC 7282's Zen 2 architecture and higher boost clock of 3.20 GHz overcome the i5-6500's 3.60 GHz boost, showing that IPC improvements and memory bandwidth matter more than raw clock speed.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs diverge on nearly every specification that matters for performance. The core count is 4 for the i5-6500 versus 16 for the EPYC 7282, and threads are 4 versus 32. Base clocks are 3.20 GHz versus 2.80 GHz, with boost clocks of 3.60 GHz versus 3.20 GHz, the i5-6500 has a higher clock speed, but it is far slower in practice. TDP is 65 W versus 120 W. The process node is 14 nm for Intel versus 7 nm for AMD, and the foundry is Intel versus TSMC.

Cache differences are substantial: L1 is 64 KB per core on both, but L2 is 256 KB per core on the i5-6500 versus 512 KB per core on the EPYC 7282. L3 is 6 MB shared on the i5-6500 versus 64 MB total on the EPYC 7282. Memory support is DDR4 on both, but the i5-6500 runs dual-channel with 34.1 GB/s, while the EPYC 7282 runs eight-channel with 85.3 GB/s. ECC memory is unsupported on the i5-6500 and supported on the EPYC 7282. PCIe is Gen 3 with 16 lanes on the i5-6500 versus Gen 4 with 128 lanes on the EPYC 7282. The i5-6500 has integrated HD Graphics 530; the EPYC 7282 has no integrated graphics. Sockets are Intel Socket 1151 versus AMD Socket SP3. Market segment is Desktop for the i5-6500 and Server/Workstation for the EPYC 7282. Production status is end-of-life versus active. Release dates are July 2015 for the i5-6500 and August 2019 for the EPYC 7282. The EPYC 7282 has a launch MSRP of $650. The i5-6500 is not overclockable, and neither is the EPYC 7282. Part numbers are SR2L6 for Intel and 100-000000078 for AMD.