Intel Core i5-11500 Processor

The Intel Core i5-11500 Processor — 6 cores and 12 threads, 2.7 GHz base rising to 4.6 GHz with Turbo Boost, 12 MB Intel Smart Cache, 65 W processor base power, LGA1200. Supplied from stock with a 1-year warranty.

Rocket Lake with the bigger iGPU

The i5-11500 sits between the 11400 and the 11600K: six cores, twelve threads, 2.70 GHz base with a 4.60 GHz Turbo, 12 MB of cache, 65 W — and the larger UHD Graphics 750 engine with 32 execution units. Launched Q1 2021.

The 200 MHz Turbo step over the 11400 is modest, but the UHD 750 matters for machines that never see a discrete card: faster Quick Sync, better display pipeline, more headroom for multi-monitor signage. PCIe 4.0 applies here too on 500 series boards.

Technical specifications

Instruction set extensions: Intel SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX and AVX2. Security and virtualisation: AES-NI, Intel VT-x with EPT and VT-d.

Which systems take this processor

Anything on the LGA1200 socket with an Intel 500 or 400 series chipset: H510, B560, Z590, plus Z490, H470, Q470 and W480 after a BIOS update. 11th Generation parts run natively on 500 series boards; Z490 and H470 boards take them after a BIOS update, while H410 and B460 boards do not support 11th Generation parts at all.

• Business desktops and SFF machines — Dell OptiPlex 3090 / 5090 / 7090, HP EliteDesk 800 G7 / ProDesk 600 G7, Lenovo ThinkCentre M70s / M90s. The 65 W envelope is what these chassis were designed around.
• Entry workstations — HP Z1 G8, Dell Precision 3650, Lenovo ThinkStation P350, where six cores with Hyper-Threading and PCIe 4.0 cover office, CAD and light simulation work.
• Micro-server and NAS builds — W480 and W580-class boards accept Core i5 parts with ECC UDIMMs; Rocket Lake added PCIe 4.0, which matters for NVMe-heavy builds.

One caveat when buying a board separately: 400 series boards need a BIOS update before an 11th Generation part will POST, and H410 / B460 boards do not support 11th Generation at all — check the board, not just the socket. Tell us the model and we will confirm before you order.

How it compares across the i5 line

The 11600K adds an unlocked multiplier, 300 MHz more Turbo and 60 W more power for Z-series boards. The 12500 is the Alder Lake successor with the UHD 770 engine — the natural next platform if a rebuild is on the table.

How each processor is tested before it ships

1. Visual inspection of the integrated heat spreader, substrate and contact pads; the sSpec laser marking (SRKNY on our i5-11500 stock) is verified against the Intel specification sheet.
2. Burn-in on a matched diagnostic board with a pair of memory modules of the correct type for this platform.
3. All populated memory channels and the primary PCIe lanes are validated, then the processor is identified in the BIOS and in the operating system.
4. A sustained multi-threaded load test at full core count, with the clock and thermal readings recorded.
5. Thermal paste cleaned off, final inspection, then packaging in an anti-static tray with foam — which is how it arrives to you.

Warranty and lead time

Every processor is covered by a 1-year warranty against defects in workmanship and function. If a part fails within the period we replace it or refund it, and we cover return shipping on a verified fault. Stock is held in our own warehouse and normally dispatches within three to seven working days; tracking is issued at dispatch.

Purchasing and volume enquiries

The minimum order quantity for this processor is 2 units. Price is quotation-based rather than listed, because CPU pricing moves with each incoming batch — send us the quantity you need and we will come back with a firm quote and the current lead time. Larger quantities ship from the same production batch so the sSpec and the stepping stay consistent across your order.