Intel Core i5 processors are generally considered the golden standard for gamers. In terms of performance, they sit right in the middle echelon of Intel’s performance hierarchy, but they have just the correct type of specs that most contemporary AAA games use.
As such, as far as the question of value for money goes for gaming PC builds, Intel Core i5s are considered the reigning kings. So the answer to the question” “is Intel Core i5 good for gaming”?” is a resounding yes.
The reason is simple. They have just the right amount of cores, threads, and clock speed that most contemporary games demand.
Whereas an Intel Core i3 can produce potential bottlenecks for a high-end graphics card with its quad-core configuration and an Intel Core i7 is overkill for most games, the Intel Core i5 is positioned perfectly in the gaming market.
In the following article, I will explore this topic in detail and discuss why the Intel Core i5 is great for gaming.
Intel Core i5 and Its Position in the Intel Hierarchy
Intel Core i5 sits conveniently right in the middle of IIntel’sperformance hierarchy:
- Intel Celeron – The Weakest
- Intel Pentium
- Intel Core i3
- Intel Core i5
- Intel Core i7
- Intel Core i9 – The Strongest
While the Intel Core i7 and Core i9 are often designated for high-performance computing for professional work, the i5 in the center offers the best value and performance.
It should be noted, however, that the difference between i3, i5, i7, and i9 is often just the number of cores. The performance PER core is generally the same across the series.
Meaning the multi-core performance scales with the number of cores the processors has, which brings us to the following point:
Single-Core vs. Multi-Core Performance
Single-core and Multi-core scores are essential metrics to gauge a given CPU’s performance.
These are generally determined by popular benchmarks such as the Passmark or the Cinebench R15, R20, and R23.
You can see here that single-core performance in any given generation for Intel Core i5 and Core i7 is almost the same, indicating that for the application highly reliant on single-core performance, the i5 is practically the same as the Core i7s.
Most editing apps, as well as many eSports titles, are highly reliant on the Single-Core performance of a CPU.
The i7s have the edge over the i5s because i7s have more cores in any given generation.
Multi-core performance only matters for apps and games that do utilize a high number of cores.
Game streaming on platforms like Twitch and YouTube live is a task that requires a high number of cores.
So unless you are a game streamer, you would not benefit from many cores.
I talk about how many cores games generally need below, but for more details, I recommend a separate article:
Read: Do Games Use Multiple Cores?
How Many Cores Does an Intel Core i5 Have?
The number of CPU cores isn’t precisely a measure of a CPU’s performance. However, it can give you an insight into where it stands within a given generation. For instance, when gauging the arrangement between an Intel Core i5-12600K and an Intel Core i5-12700K, the number of cores would be deciding factor.
The following table shows the number of cores in the FLAGSHIP CPUs of different Intel series and their generation.
| 12th Gen Cores/Threads | 11th Gen Cores/Threads | 10th Gen Cores/Threads |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Celeron | 2/2 | NA | 2/2 |
| Intel Pentium | 2/4 | NA | 2/4 |
| Intel Core i3 | 4/8 | NA | 4/8 |
| Intel Core i5 | 10/16 | 6/12 | 6/12 |
| Intel Core i7 | 12/20 | 8/16 | 8/16 |
| Intel Core i9 | 16/24 | 8/16 | 10/20 |
You can see from the table above that the flagship Intel Core i5 from the 12th Generation, the Core i5 12600K, has whopping 10 cores and 16 threads.
While lower than the core count on i7 and i9s, the number of cores in i5 is still overkill for MOST AAA games.
Also Read:
Latest Intel Core i5 Models and Their Performance / Dollar Value
The following table lists the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 CPUs and compares them with the 12th Gen Core i3 and i7 CPUs regarding their corresponding Passmark scores, MSRP, and performance/dollar value.
| CPU | Passmark Score |
MSRP |
Value Points/$ |
| Intel Core i3 12100 (4c/8t) | 4.3 GHz |
14531 | $122 | 119 |
| Intel Core i3 12300 (4/8t) | 4.4 GHz |
14955 | $143 | 104 |
| Intel Core i5 12400 (6c/12t) | 4.9 GHz |
19550 | $192 | 101 |
| Intel Core i5 12600K (10c/16t) | 4.9 GHz |
27546 | $289 | 95 |
| Intel Core i7 12700 (12c/20t) | 4.9 GHz |
31389 | $339 | 92 |
| Intel Core i7 12700K (12c/20t) | 5.0 GHz |
34450 | $419 | 82 |
You can see from the table above that the Intel Core i5 sits conveniently in the middle in terms of performance.
Also Read: Is Intel Core i3 Good for Gaming?
Note: The Generation of the i5 Processor Matters At Any Given Time
It should be noted that when considering whether the Intel Core i5 is good for gaming, you must also consider the CPU’s generation.
There is a world of difference in performance between a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 and a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 despite being only a generation apart.
For instance, the Intel Core i5 10600K, the flagship i5 CPU from the 10th Gen, has a Passmark score of 14,531, and the 12th gen flagship CPU, the Intel Core i5 12600K, has a score of a whopping 27,546.
So if you ask me whether Intel Core i5s from the 7th generation or the 8th generation are good for gaming or not, the answer will most probably be no, they are not.
Also Read: How is Processor Speed Measured?
So Is Intel Core i5 Good for Gaming?
If talking about the newer generation, i.e., 10th, 11th, and particularly the 12th Core i5 CPUs, then yes, an Intel Core i5 is not just great but far exceeds the current gaming requirements.
I will reference some performance analysis charts detailing the amount of cores the latest AAA titles use. DSOGaming.com conducts these tests.
God of War
God of Wars’ optimal core requirement is 4 cores/8 threads. So basically, the newer i3. I5 is an overkill for this game.
It works optimally at 4 cores / 8 threads and sees diminishing results with any higher core count.
Crysis 3 Remastered
Crysis 3 is a heavier game like the original release and demands 6 cores / 6 threads to work optimally.
So on and so forth. You will notice that most games still use 4 cores for optimal performance. They benefit from 6 cores by a reasonable margin, but anything beyond that is excessive and offers diminishing returns.
All this indicates that an i5 is more than capable of handling modern games.
The following video also shows how a 6-core CPU can give the best results in various games.
Here, 6 cores offer the best FPS on any game, and anything beyond that provides diminishing returns.
Also Read: Difference Between Intel Celeron vs. i7
Does Intel Core i5 Have Sufficient Cores for Gaming?
As clarified above, an Intel Core i5 has more cores than most AAA games need. In fact, given the current trend and gaming generation, the amount of cores a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 should be sufficient for years to come.
Look at some of the AAA games and their recommended CPU requirements. Pay attention to the Passmark scores of the CPUs.
| Minimum Requirements |
Recommended Requirements |
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Intel Core i5-3570K (4 Cores / 4 Threads) Passmark: 4915 |
Intel Core i7-4790 (4 Cores / 8 Threads) Passmark: 7213 |
| Resident Evil Village | Intel Core i5-7500 (4 Cores / 4 Threads) Passmark: 6061 |
Intel Core i7-8700 (6 Cores / 12 Threads) Passmark: 13080 |
| Watch Dog Legions | Intel Core i5-4460 (4 Cores / 4 Threads) Passmark: 4796 |
Intel Core i7-7700 (4 Cores / 8 Threads) Passmark: 8621 |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | Intel Core i5-4460 (4 Cores / 4 Threads) Passmark: 4796 |
Intel Core i7-6700 (4 Cores / 8 Threads) Passmark: 8056 |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 | Intel Core i5-4460 (4 Cores / 4 ThreadsAssassin’s: 4796 |
Intel Core i5-8400 (6 Cores / 6 Threads) Passmark: 9216 Ideal Spec Requirements: Intel Core i7-9800X (8c/16t) (Passmark: 18366) |
| Elden Ring | Intel Core i5-8400 (6 Cores / 6 Threads) Passmark: 9220 |
Intel Core i7-8700K (6 Cores / 12 Threads) Passmark: 13867 |
Of all the games listed above, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has the most robust Recommended Requirements for a CPU, i.e., Intel Core i7-9800X, with its Passmark score of 18,366.
But the newer 12th Gen Core i5-12600K beats it considerably with its Passmark score of 27,546.
Not that recommended requirements are often based on FHD resolution and high settings. For QHD, 4K resolution, higher than 60 FPS, and for Epic graphics settings, the requirement would be higher.
Also Read:
A Good CPU is NOT a Replacement for a Dedicated Graphics Cards
Take good note of the fact that you do need to have a good dedicated graphics card to play most games.
CPUs alone are NOT sufficient for gaming.
FAQ
Can We Play Games With Intel Core i5?
Of course, you can. However, you do need to have a good dedicated graphics card.
The integrated graphics card in Intel Core i5s is good enough only for the lightest eSports titles such as League of Legends or DOTA.
Should I Buy an i5 or i7 for Gaming?
This is a question that never gets old.
In my opinion, an Intel Core i5 from the newer generation is not just sufficient for almost all more recent titles but also for many games to come in the future.
I have already established that most games do not even saturate the core count of an Intel Core i5. Hence investing in an Intel Core i7 would be a waste of money.
However, if you are a streamer, then the answer changes. This is because encoding the game streams live can eat your CPU cores.
Encoding can be taxing on your system. x264 will utilize a lot of your CPU, resulting in lower FPS. – Twitch.tv
Hence, if you are a streamer, I recommend an Intel Core i7.
Also Read: Is Intel Core i7 Good for Gaming?
Final Words
So is Intel Core i5 good for gaming? From the discussion, it should be pretty clear that the Intel Core i5 is just the perfect series for gaming PCs.
Unless you have particular requirements, the i5 is considered the holy grail and generally purpose-built for gamers.
They are NOT as expensive as an i7 nor as underperforming as i3s.
