Intel Core i5-6400 Processor

The Intel Core i5-6400 Processor — 4 cores and 4 threads, 2.7 GHz base rising to 3.3 GHz with Turbo Boost, 6 MB Intel Smart Cache, 65 W processor base power, LGA1151. Supplied from stock with a 1-year warranty.

The budget Skylake quad-core

The i5-6400 is the floor of the Skylake i5 line: four physical cores at 2.70 GHz with a 3.30 GHz Turbo, 6 MB of cache and a 65 W envelope. It was the cheapest way into a true quad-core on the DDR4 platform, and it became the standard processor for entry corporate towers and micro-towers.

The clock is modest, but four real cores with no Hyper-Threading still handle office suites, browser-based line-of-business apps and light multitasking without the thread-scheduling quirks of a dual-core. Intel HD Graphics 530 with Quick Sync covers dual display output and hardware video decode, so most of these machines never needed a discrete card.

Technical specifications

Instruction set extensions: Intel SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX and AVX2. AVX-512 is not present on this generation. Security and virtualisation: AES-NI, Intel VT-x with EPT and VT-d, Intel Boot Guard.

Which systems take this processor

Anything on the FCLGA1151 socket with an Intel 100 or 200 series chipset: H110, B150, B250, H170, H270, Q170, Q270 and Z270. Boards built for 7th Generation parts will run 6th Generation processors, and most 6th Generation boards take 7th Generation parts after a BIOS update.

• Business desktops and SFF machines — Dell OptiPlex 3040 / 5040 / 7040, HP EliteDesk 800 G2 / ProDesk 600 G2, Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 / M900. These chassis shipped with this generation as a factory option, so replacement boards and coolers are easy to source.
• Entry workstations — HP Z240 SFF / Tower, Dell Precision T3620, Lenovo ThinkStation P310, where a 65 W quad-core covers office, light CAD and point-of-sale duty.
• NAS and firewall builds — C236 boards such as Supermicro X11SSH and ASUS P10S accept Core i5 parts alongside Xeon E3, and the integrated graphics keeps the platform usable without a discrete card.

One caveat when buying a board separately: 100 series boards may need a BIOS from late 2015 or later before a 7th Generation part will POST, and 200 series boards handle both generations out of the box. Tell us the board or the machine model when you enquire and we will confirm before you order.

How it compares across the i5 line

Within Skylake the 6400 trades clock for price: the 6500 adds 500 MHz at base, the 7500 another 200 MHz on the 7th Generation. The T-variants cut power to 35 W for small chassis. For office duty the 6400 remains the cheapest four cores on this socket.

How each processor is tested before it ships

1. Visual inspection of the integrated heat spreader, substrate and contact pads; the sSpec laser marking (SR2BY/SR2L7 on our i5-6400 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.