Core i7-6700K CPU Review

How We Tested

During our benchmarking sessions, we used the configuration listed below. Between our benchmarking sessions, the only variable device was the CPU being tested, besides the motherboard and memory, which had to be replaced to match the different CPUs.
Hardware Configuration

• Motherboard (socket LGA1151): ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K6+
• Motherboard (socket LGA1150): ASRock Z97 Extreme4
• CPU Cooler: Intel
• Memory (DDR3): 8 GiB DDR3-2133, two G.Skill Ripjaws F3-17000CL9Q-16GBZH 4 GiB memory modules configured at 2,133 MHz
• Memory (DDR4): 8 GiB DDR4-2400 two G.Skill Ripjaws 4 F4-2400C15Q-16GRR 4 GiB memory modules configured at 2133 MHz
• Boot drive: Kingston HyperX Savage 480 GB
• Video Card: GeForce GTX 980 Ti
• Video Monitor: Philips 236VL
• Power Supply: Corsair CX750

Operating System Configuration

• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• NTFS
• Video resolution: 1920 x 1080 60 Hz

Driver Versions

• NVIDIA driver version: 359.06
• Intel Inf chipset driver version: 10.0

Software Used

• 3DMark 1.5.915
• Adobe Photoshop CC + Retouch Artist Speed Test 1.0
• Cinebench R15
• DivX 10.2.4
• DVD Shrink 3.2
• Media Espresso 6.7
• PCMark 8 2.4.304
• Dirt Rally
• Dying Light
• Fallout 4
• GTA V
• Mad Max

Error Margin
We adopted a 3% error margin. Thus, differences below 3% cannot be considered relevant. In other words, products with a performance difference below 3% should be considered as having similar performance.