Core i5 6600K processor review: Desktop Skylake - Skylake: Core i5-6600K Review

Intel Core i5  6600K
The Skylake Quad-Core value processor 

We review the Intel Core i5 6600K processor. Developed at 14nm node these processors are very energy friendly. For this review we look at the performance of this processor in a wide variety of benchmarks and situations.

Skylake Core i5-6600K and Core i7 6700K processors for the desktop platform have been released. We test both processors, yet have separate reviews on each of these processors. A new chip, a new package meaning both of them are Socket 1151. The new series Skylake processors are energy efficient, quite powerful and this need to be paired with a new motherboards series. For you guys that means the Z170 and h170 range. In this review we test the Core i5 6600K. An unlocked Skylake processor that has four cores and a slim 91W TDP, that is lower compared to Haswell with its 84W/95W TDP, obviously thanks to the new and smaller 14nm fabrication process. 

CPU	Core i7-5775C	Core i5-5675C	Core i7-6700K	Core i5-6600K	Core i7-4790K	Core i7-4770K
Codename	Broadwell	Broadwell	Skylake	Skylake	Haswell	Haswell
Package	LGA1150	LGA1150	LGA1151	LGA1151	LGA1150	LGA1150
Cores/threads	4/8	4/4	4/8	4/4	4/8	4/8
Frequency（GHz）	3.3-3.7	3.1-3.6	4.0-4.2	3.5-3.9	4.0-4.4	3.5-3.9
memory	DDR3-1600	DDR3-1600	DDR4-2133	DDR4-2133	DDR3-1600	DDR3-1600
IGP	Iris Pro 6200	Iris Pro 6200	Intel HD 530	Intel HD 530	Intel HD 4600	Intel HD 4600
L3 Cache	6MB	4MB	8MB	6MB	8MB	8MB
Fab	14nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	22nm	22nm
Unlocked multiplier	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
TDP	65W	65W	91W	91W	84W	95W

The quad core CPU has 8 MB L3 cache, and an integrated memory controller that supports both DDR4 and DDR3 memory. The Z170 and H170 series motherboards will all be offered with DDR4 though. For the gaming community two processors are the most important.

• Core i7 6700K
  Four CPU cores with Hyper-Threading, 4.0GHz frequency, 4.20GHz maximum Turbo Boost frequency, 8MB last-level cache, dual-channel DDR3/DDR4 memory controller with 1600MHz or 2133MHz support, Intel HD Graphics 530-series integrated graphics core, LGA1151 packaging
   
• Core i5 6600K
  Four cores, 3.50GHz frequency, 3.90GHz maximum Turbo Boost frequency, 6MB last-level cache, dual-channel DDR3/DDR4 memory controller with 1600MHz or 2133MHz support, Intel HD Graphics 530-series integrated graphics core, LGA1151 packaging;

Skylake is the code name used by Intel for the 14nm processor micro-architecture under development and is the successor to the Haswell and Broadwell architecture. As stated, in this review we focus on the Core i5 6600K. Let's get started shall we ?