I've always done 5K or 6 month intervals with "synthetic" oil too, including hybrids which are generally easier on oil since the ICE is running less (but constantly starting and stopping). Just not worth the penny pinching going longer unless most of your miles are on the highway at full operating temp, and you do stuff like Blackstone oil analysis to see what the interval really should be. So many major engine problems, particularly on modern ones with turbos, multiple timing chains, high compression, direct injection, etc. come back to poor oil quality.
I put synthetic in quotes though for the OP's question because what you buy off the shelf for $20-30 / 5 quart jug at Wal-Mart is highly refined hydrocarbon based oil, not a synthetic material made in a lab. The quality of the oil and additive packs are very good, but for basic applications, it's not really too much different than blended or dino oil. I was recently thinking back on my 300K mile 89' Accord in another thread that was still running perfectly with no leaks, which at least while I owned it, I used TropArtic 5w30 blend from Dollar Tree almost exclusively.
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