Intro
Contents
The Core i7-8700K is a six-core CPU with 12 threads, 3.7 GHz base clock and 4.7 GHz maximum clock, being the highest-end model from Intel’s eighth generation of Core i CPUs. Let’s see how fast is it.
The new eighth generation of Core i7 CPUs from Intel, codename Coffee Lake, was recently launched, among with the new Z370 chipset. In this new generation, the microarchitecture is very similar to the previous one (Kaby Lake), with the same graphics engines, same supported technologies, and the same 14 nm manufacturing technology. The biggest difference is the CPU core count: while, on previous generations, Core i7 CPUs have four cores and eight threads (thanks to the Hyper-Threading technology), Core i5 have four cores and four threads, and the Core i3 have two cores and four threads, on the eighth generation Core i7 CPUs have six cores (and 12 threads), Core i5 processors have six cores (and six threads), and Core i3 CPUs now have four cores (and four threads, as they lose HT technology).
It may be motivated by the launch of AMD Ryzen processors, that bring more cores that Intel conterparts, with similar single core performance. It is clear that the tendency of the industry is offering a higher core count on desktop CPUs, and we can expect programs and games to take advantage of the extra cores on the near future.
It is important to keep in mind that, even if the socket used by the eighth generation CPUs is physically the same used on the sixth and seventh generations (LGA1151), the pin disposition is not exactly the same, allegedly to meet the higher power demand of the new CPUs with more cores. Because of this, sixth and seventh generation CPUs do not work in motherboards designed for the eighth generation ones (that use 300-series chipsets), and vice-versa.
The Core i7-8700K is (so far) the highest-end CPU of this new generation. It has a base clock of 3.7 GHz and a maximum Turbo clock of 4.7 GHz, with 12 MiB of L3 cache. It has a TDP of 95 W and brings with Intel UHD 630 integrated video running up to 1.2 GHz.
Figure 1 shows the Core i7-8700K CPU. It is sold without a cooler.
Figure 1: the Core i7-8700K
In Figure 2 we have the underside of the CPU.
Figure 2: underside of the Core i7-8700K
For our benchmarks, we compared the Core i7-8700K to the the Ryzen 7 1700X (read review here), which is its direct competitor. We also included the Core i7-7700K (review), which is the predecessor of the reviewed CPU.
We used a GeForce GTX 1080 video card on all tests.
Let’s compare the main specs of the reviewed CPUs in the next page.