The Best Motherboards for the intel i5 6500 Processor

The intel i5 6500 processor, like all of the i5 processors, is one of the most popular CPUs on the market, and for good reason. It’s a great balance between price and performance, but with such a diverse range of motherboards available from different manufacturers.

It can be difficult to choose which one will give you the best results. In this guide, we’ll show you some of the best motherboards that work with the intel i5 6500 processor.

List of best motherboards for Intel i5 6500

1: GIGABYTE B365M DS3H

Gigabyte is one of our favorite motherboard manufacturers because of its commitment to using only high-quality components. And, with a world-class engineering team, they make sure that even low-cost motherboards are packed with features. Their B365M DS3H includes dual M.2 slots and can accept an array of high-end CPUs, such as an intel i5 6500 or an Intel Pentium G5400.

With support for 32GB DDR4 RAM and built-in gaming networking, you’ll never get bored or lag again with your new Gigabyte motherboard. #2: ASUS TUF Z370-PLUS GAMING: The ASUS TUF Z370-PLUS GAMING includes all the latest technologies from ASUS, including their unique protective armor shielding system that protects against damage from dust particles and other potential threats.

2: ASUS Micro ATX DDR4 LGA 1151

Another solid entry-level motherboard that’s simple, but can easily handle an i5. It has two RAM slots, which allow you to upgrade to a maximum of 32GB if needed. You also get four SATA ports, so adding additional hard drives is easy. As far as features go, it doesn’t have any advanced networking capabilities or other frills, but it gets the job done at a great price point. It also comes with Asus’ Q-LED diagnostic display and EZ Flash 3 BIOS software for updating your BIOS without having to use discs in order to help beginners.

If you want something a little more affordable than the ASRock H270M-ITX/ac motherboard, this ASUS Micro ATX DDR4 LGA 1151 could be perfect for you. It has all the basic features like 4x SATA ports, 2x RAM slots, and an Intel LAN controller. The downside is it only supports one graphics card due to its size (micro ATX). But it does come with dual M.2 slots, which makes it possible to add a fast NVMe SSD and a wireless card simultaneously.

These are often sold separately on competing motherboards, making the ASUS Micro ATX DDR4 LGA 1151 really worth looking into if you’re interested in those extra additions. Other notable features include two USB 3.0 headers and USB Type-C support. Unfortunately, there are no front panel audio connections on this board.

While most people would rather buy a separate sound card anyway, it’s still nice to have that built-in option available if you need it. The ASRock Z170 Pro4S offers plenty of different options for both gaming and work applications. For starters, there are three PCIe x16 slots along with two PCIe x1 slots–the latter of which can also run at x16 speeds when necessary.

3: Asus H110M-K

The best mid-range option. The H110M-K motherboard is a solid choice if you have to choose a board in that price range. It’s aimed at users who are looking to use their PCs as all-around desktops, and not just gaming machines or workstations. The Asus H110M-K has four RAM slots, so it can accept up to 32 GB of memory—enough for most home users. The H110M-K also comes with six SATA connectors, which means that you won’t be restricted by its storage options.

And the rear I/O panel includes one VGA port, one DVI port, two USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, and an HDMI port for connecting monitors with only DVI connections (a rarity these days). In addition to offering six SATA connectors on its own merits, this model also has two SATA ports available from its Intel chipset connections.

That means that even if your motherboard is already full of other devices (read: hard drives), you can still install an SSD without needing any additional cables or adapters. It may not sound like much, but being able to hook up an SSD without cluttering your PC’s interior makes this motherboard worth a second look.

The ASUS H110M-K is also fairly easy to install; it has onboard power, reset, and CMOS clear buttons that make adjusting things inside the case a lot easier than using keyboard commands. Plus there’s a built-in LCD screen that gives you quick access to crucial system stats. Finally, the H110M-K’s integrated audio isn’t too shabby either. All in all, it’s a great buy for those wanting something more than just a basic motherboard at an affordable price point.

4: MSI Z170A GAMING M5

If you’re looking to build a powerful machine with integrated video, then MSI’s Z170A GAMING M5 is our top pick. This full-sized ATX board will fit an ATX case and features an Intel Gigabit Ethernet controller and integrated video. If you have any other PCIe video cards, it also supports 2-way CrossFire and SLI support. The MSI Z170A GAMING M5 is also great for overclocking and features enough fan headers to power even serious cooling setups.

You’ll have plenty of space for your storage needs as well, with four DIMM slots supporting up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM, and three PCIe x16 slots (one of which runs at x4), and two PCIe x1 slots. There are six SATA ports on this motherboard that can be used for SATA III or RAID 0/1 configurations, and there are six USB 3.0 ports as well as two USB 2.0 ports on the back panel.

We found the layout of the internal components to be quite good, with everything being spaced far enough apart to not interfere with installation. We also liked that this motherboard comes with a dedicated BIOS chip so you don’t need a CPU with integrated graphics just to flash the BIOS from time to time. The only downside we could find with this motherboard was its lack of onboard WiFi. That said, if you’re in the market for a new motherboard, then look no further than MSI’s Z170A GAMING M5.

5: Asus STRIX Z270-E GAMING

If you’re looking to build a high-end gaming PC, then you’ve likely got your eye on Intel’s just-launched Kaby Lake processors. And with a CPU as good as that inside, you’re going to want a motherboard worthy of it. The Asus STRIX Z270-E GAMING is that motherboard. It’s built on top of Intel’s Z270 chipset, which supports up to 14 different USB ports (including two XMP Gen 2 ports), four PCIe x16 slots, and three M.2 sockets (two PCIe 3.0 x4 and one PCIe 2.0 x4).

And if all that wasn’t enough, it even comes with an ESS SABRE DAC + Op Amp in addition to external Wi-Fi antenna support. So yes, this board is pricey. But when you consider what you get for your money, it’s actually very reasonable—especially when compared to other options like the MSI X99A Gaming Pro Carbon AC or Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming 7.

There are few boards on the market that match this in terms of features and performance, making it our top pick for Intel’s new processor. Best Motherboard for Intel I5 6500 – The ASUS Strix Z270-E is worth every penny thanks to its extensive list of features and a long list of benefits. For those building a mid-range computer or seeking out only specific components, the ASUS Strix may not be the best option.

6: ASRock FATAL1TY H270M

The ASRock FATAL1TY H270M is a cheap, no-frills motherboard that still packs some nice extras. The most notable are built-in USB 3.1 and M.2 slots on an H270 chipset board. The chipset doesn’t support SLI or CrossFire (or overclocking), but it does support eight SATA ports, two PCIe x16 slots, four DDR4 RAM slots, and an 802.11ac Wi-Fi card (unfortunately, there are no Gigabit Ethernet ports).

But that means you can add all sorts of new components to your system without needing extra cables or expansion cards—which is especially useful if you have a compact computer case like a small form factor PC. It is an excellent choice for people who want something better than the H270M but don’t want to spend more than $100 on their motherboard. It supports everything including CPU overclocking, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and one M.2 slot—plus three PCI slots and six SATA ports.

Plus it has Wi-Fi support for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands in addition to Gigabit Ethernet ports. The only downside is that it doesn’t come with a USB 3.1 or integrated graphics, so you may need to install those yourself. If you don’t care about those features, this is the best budget motherboard for Intel Core i5 6500 processor as well as other Skylake processors like the 6600K and 6700K. What makes this the best budget motherboard?

Well, the answer is simple–you get great performance at just over half the price of similarly equipped boards from Asus and MSI. Moreover, these manufacturers charge even more when you choose between a Mini ITX board or Micro ATX–just what’s needed for tight builds. And finally, this board also comes equipped with easy OC tuning and reliable protection circuitry against power loss and voltage surges–all for just under fifty bucks!

The buying guide on the motherboard for i5 6500

The Skylake processor is what’s now being released by Intel. Skylake will be available in three different processors and will be backward compatible with most of its Z170 motherboard, but there are some slight differences as well. So you’ll have to make sure that your motherboard has a socket LGA 1151 so that it can support Skylake processors. You’ll also need to pick out an appropriate motherboard if you plan on using more than one graphics card on your computer (most new boards support 2 or 3 cards).

Also, if you have any PCI-E x1 slots, make sure they’re populated by something important like a sound card—otherwise, you may run into issues when upgrading. If you plan on overclocking your PC make sure that your CPU supports it as well. If you want a DDR4 ram make sure that your motherboard supports it as well. It would also be wise to get a board with USB 3.0 headers so that you don’t have to purchase them separately. And finally, check the compatibility list provided by the manufacturer before buying anything!

Compatibility

I5 6500 doesn’t require any special motherboard, therefore all motherboards which support Skylake will also support i5 6500. But before purchasing, you should check whether your chosen motherboard has all the required features for overclocking and gaming. For more information about the compatibility of each motherboard and i5 6500 processor, please check the benchmark list.

Connectivity

The first thing to look for when buying a motherboard is how many connectors it has. If you’re building a custom gaming PC, you’ll need something with a lot of USB 3.0 ports for connecting everything from your keyboard and mouse to external hard drives and more. You may also want to make sure that your new motherboard has at least one M.2 slot for ultra-fast SSDs, as well as an extra PCI Express x16 slot if you plan on getting an AMD graphics card. Speaking of graphics cards, make sure your motherboard supports PCIe 3.0 if you plan on installing one—or just buy an Intel processor instead!

RAM

DDR4 memory is faster and more efficient than DDR3. While it’s not a requirement for an i5 6500, high-end graphics cards often require at least 8GB of RAM for optimal performance. Finding motherboards with adequate RAM slots to support your memory needs can be tricky, but one of our favorite high-end motherboards, Gigabyte’s GA-Z170X Gaming 3, comes with four slots and supports 64GB of DDR4.

For even more performance, you can install 32GB (two 16GB modules) of RAM into eight slots on another one of our favorites—the ASRock Z170 Extreme 7+—but we don’t recommend installing more than that because it would push your motherboard past its design limits.

Conclusion

From our extensive research and experience, we believe that X99-A II is your best bet. If you have a limited budget, or you’re on a tight deadline, X99M Extreme4 is another excellent choice. We do not recommend buying H170X if you are using an Intel i5 6500 processor. We think Z170A Gaming M3 has too many downsides to being worth your money.

FAQs

Is i5-6500 still good for gaming?

Intel i5-6500 is still a good processor to play games on. So if you are planning to build a computer or replace your old one with a new one, you can go ahead and buy an Intel Core i5-6500. I5-6500 offers better gaming performance than its predecessor, i3-6100. Also, it is cheaper than the other higher-tier processors like 6700K which means that it offers better value for money. There is also no need to worry about overheating as it has got lower power consumption.

What RAM is compatible with i5-6500?

If you’re planning to build a PC, selecting a motherboard is one of your most important early decisions. While Intel-based processors are common across many PCs, there are several versions of these chips and each works with specific kinds of motherboards. To make sure you don’t end up with an incompatible combination, familiarize yourself with your processor and motherboard options. For example, if you have an Intel Core i5-6500 CPU, you need a Z170 chipset motherboard—and even though it may be tempting to save money by choosing another brand like MSI or Gigabyte instead of ASUS or ASRock, it won’t work.