The i5 6500 may feel dated right now, given that the 12th gen Intel processors are just rolling out. But, the core i5 6500 packs a serious punch even if you can pair it up with the right components, especially the motherboard. As one of the best performing processors on a budget, here are our picks for the top-rated and best mobo compatible with the i5 6500.
Short on time? The best mobo for the Intel Core i5 6500 in 2025 is the MSI Z270 GAMING M7. If you want a more affordable alternative, you can go for the ASRock B250M-HDV.
Best Mobo For i5 6500: Quick Comparison
BEST RATED  |
MSI Z270 GAMING M7
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RUNNER UP  |
ASRock B250M-HDV
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MSI H270-A PRO
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ASUS PRIME H270M-PLUS
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ASRock B250M PRO 4
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ASUS PRIME Z270-A
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Top Rated Motherboard Compatible With Intel Core i5 6500 2025: Reviews
1. MSI Z270 Gaming M7 Mobo
Best Gaming Motherboard for i5 6500
To create a product specifically catered for gaming and gamers, MSI worked with gamers and used their input to create the perfect pro-quality motherboard that lets you spend more time gaming and less time tweaking.
You get all the connectivity options you could ask for with this motherboard starting with three M.2 ports which you can use for SSD connections. You also get USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C ports for easy and fast USB connectivity.
Apart from the connectivity options, this motherboard has automatic overclocking capabilities and compatibility with over 500 DDR4 memory modules.
But wait, there’s more! The Z270 Gaming M7 also comes with RGB lighting and a specifically tailored software suite for gamers to help them control all the required parameters of their hardware from the suite.
This model comes at a high price compared to the other models on the list, but it truly delivers in terms of its price, and if you can afford it, it truly is the best gaming motherboard for i5 6500, at least according to us.
Pros
- Great connectivity options
- Automatic CPU overclocking capability
- Wide range of compatible memory modules
- RGB lighting
- VR Ready
Cons
- Superb quality comes at a high cost
2. ASRock B250M-HDV Motherboard
Best Budget Motherboard for i5 6500
The ASRock B250M-HDV has the ability to be a perfect fit for the i5 6500 processor and provides the best performance and connectivity features you can get on a budget.
As a budget pick, you will get limited connectivity options compared to the MSI Z270 Gaming M7. But, you still get one M.2 port for your SSD. You get two PCI-Express x1 slots and two memory slots with a maximum memory capacity of 32GB.
So, that pretty much covers your basic needs in terms of connectivity. It gives you more than enough if you are an average PC user.
The ASRock B250M-HDV has enough power to provide quality performance while helping you stay within your budget. If you are a fan of multiple display setups, you can connect up to three monitors using this motherboard.
You also get 7.1 HD audio support from this motherboard, making it a great motherboard available at a genuinely affordable price.
This motherboard is not the cheapest mobo on the market, but when you are pairing it with the i5 6500, this board is the best budget motherboard you can get.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Can connect up to three displays using this motherboard
- All the necessary connectivity options are available
- 7.1 audio support
- Included installation guide
Cons
- Maximum 32GB memory capacity.
3. MSI H270-A PRO
The MSI H270-A PRO does just that; it is a great motherboard that you can use if you are interested in exactly that. However, you can use this mobo for gaming and general use as well.
This motherboard is quite powerful and offers many connectivity options for you, starting with one M.2 port for your SSD. You also get four PCI-E 3.0 x1 expansion slots necessary if you want to do crypto mining successfully on your PC.
Then you have your USB 3 Gen 1 Type-A ports for fast USB connectivity. You also get as much as 64GB of DDR4 memory support.
You can see, MSI does a great job of creating niche-related products directly targeted to gamers or crypto miners. They understand the demands of the industry and deliver accordingly. The H270-A PRO from MSI follows that same path.
This mobo has all the features and connectivity options you need from a quality motherboard. You can use it for whatever purpose you like. People who want to do crypto mining will be able to utilize this board best and get what they need. Win-win for everyone, basically.
Pros
- Perfect choice for mining crypto with your i5 6500
- Contains all the necessary connectivity and expansion slots
- Quality performance at a reasonable price
- Versatile and can handle all types of use
- 3-year manufacturer warranty
Cons
- None for the price
4. ASUS PRIME H270M-PLUS
Most Versatile Motherboard for i5 6500
We have seen in our testing that this mobo performs great for all kinds of tasks, from gaming to crypto mining.
This motherboard is very versatile, and the performance is commendable considering the price.
This motherboard has great connectivity features starting with two M.2 slots with Intel Octane Memory compatibility.
You also get USB 3.0 and 3.1 ports in the front and rear, respectively. One of the best features of this board is that the manufacturer integrated hardware-level safeguards to improve the performance and longevity of the product.
To help you keep your processor cool and performing at an optimum level, this mobo has FanXpert 4 Core integrated to facilitate dynamic cooling. You can also connect two GPUs to this motherboard, and the ports have been created so that the motherboard will not get damaged even if you are using high-end GPUs.
These are just some factors that make this mobo so versatile, reliable, and one of the best choices for pairing up with your i5 6500.
Pros
- Tried and tested quality mobo from Asus
- Versatile performance fit for everything from gaming to crypto mining
- Fast and reliable connectivity options
- Can connect two GPUs
- Supports up to three displays at once
Cons
- No USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports
5. ASRock B250M PRO 4
Best Budget Gaming Motherboard for i5 6500
This motherboard is a classic performance-based mobo that will provide reliable gaming performance when you pair it up with good components.
The connectivity options of this board are relatively limited because of its price point but focusing solely on gaming; you will have all the necessary connections such as two M.2 slots, four DDR4 RAM slots with a maximum capacity of up to 64GB for a smooth gaming experience.
You also get AMD CrossFire support that lets you install multiple GPUs in your system.
Overall, this motherboard is a great budget gaming motherboard, especially when paired with the i5 6500.
In our testing, we have found that the limited connectivity of this board does not create any major hindrance to your gaming experience on this PC. However, pairing up this board with adequately powerful GPUs is necessary to achieve optimal gaming performance.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Two M.2 slots
- Up to 64GB memory support
- Supports multiple GPUs
- Great budget pick for low or mid-range gaming PC
Cons
- None for the price
6. ASUS PRIME Z270-A Mobo
Best RGB Motherboard for i5 6500
With great connectivity features, sturdy build, and reliable quality, there is not much wrong you can find with this motherboard.
In terms of connectivity, the Z270-A features USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, two M.2 slots, and four PCI Express x1 slots. You also get four memory slots with up to 64GB of support. You also get CrossFire, RAID, and SLI support.
But these are not even the top features of this mobo. The best feature is the Aura Sync RGB lighting that allows you to synchronize the lighting of your motherboard with every other Aura Sync supported hardware in your system.
The build quality and the safety measures integrated into this motherboard make it reliable and high-performance, with much lesser chances of damages from physical causes or electric surges.
This mobo also features optimized cooling features that can even monitor the temperature of your GPUs for better cooling performance.
Pros
- Asus Aura Sync RGB lighting
- All the connectivity options you need and want
- CrossFire, SLI, and RAID support
- Optimized cooling for optimum performance
- Solid build quality with reliable performance
Cons
- No USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports
Good Motherboard For i5 6500 FAQ
Is i5 6500 Good For Gaming?
As a quad-core CPU with around 3.2 GHz speed, you can still play most modern games with the i5 6500 on your computer. However, you will probably not be able to get 60fps on ultra settings on modern games unless you use multiple GPUs and large quantities of memory. For quality gaming performance on your i5 6500, choose a quality motherboard such as the MSI Z270 GAMING M7 or the ASRock B250M-HDV in combination with your CPU.
Can You Overclock i5 6500?
Yes, you can overclock the i5 6500 one of two ways. The first would be to get the i5 6500K processor, which is Intel’s unlocked processor that can be overclocked without any issues. But, you can also overclock non-K CPUs with the right motherboard and BIOS updates. The i5 6500 is one of the best quad-core processors in the market, and the overclocked CPU speed of 4.51 GHz can really make a huge difference in the overall performance of your PC. However, overclocking is a somewhat complicated subject, so if you are not entirely sure about what you are doing, we would recommend you stay away from it.
What Chipsets Work With i5 6500?
The i5 6500 has an LGA 1151 socket, so you can use this processor with any motherboard that has an LGA 1151 socket. Having said that, if you want to know about the exact chipsets that the i5 6500 works with, it would be the H110, B250, H270, and Z270 chipsets. These chipsets all have their different features, the Z270 boards can overclock your CPU, and the rest have different features based on their price point. So, get the Z270 chipset motherboards if you plan on overclocking your PC. Else, get the board the suits your requirements and budget.
Final Thoughts About The Best Mobo For i5 6500
Having the right motherboard makes a big difference when it comes to the performance capabilities of your PC. Buying a top of the line mobo such as the MSI Z270 GAMING M7, which the best mobo compatible with the Intel Core i5 6500 in 2025, can improve your PCs performance and even open up CPU overclocking opportunities for improved performance.
If you are not into overclocking and you want a more affordable mobo for your i5 6500, you can buy the ASRock B250M-HDV for quality performance at an affordable price.
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