CPU Comparison

The Intel Core 5 330 and the Intel Core i7-8700 represent two distinct eras of Intel mobile and desktop computing. The Core 5 330 is a modern, low-power mobile processor built on a 3 nm process, while the i7-8700 is a legacy desktop part from the 14 nm Coffee Lake generation. Benchmark data shows a generational shift in performance, with the Core 5 330 winning 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, yet the i7-8700 retaining clear victories in specific workloads where its higher thread count and cache configuration prove decisive. The following analysis details the architectural differences, benchmark results, and the specific use cases where each processor excels.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 18345, compared to 18223 for the Intel Core i7-8700, placing both at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How much faster is the Core 5 330 in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Core 5 330 scores 13150, which is 21.4% higher than the i7-8700's score of 10829 in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test.

Q: In which benchmark does the i7-8700 achieve its largest margin of victory?

A: The i7-8700's biggest win is in PassMark data compression, where it scores 187009, which is 22.3% higher than the Core 5 330's 145287.

Q: What is the single-thread performance difference between the two?

A: The Core 5 330 is significantly ahead, scoring 4088 in the PassMark single-thread test, a 55.5% advantage over the i7-8700's 2629.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of physical cores?

A: Yes, both have 6 physical cores, but the i7-8700 supports 12 threads due to Hyper-Threading, while the Core 5 330 has 6 threads.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of each processor?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 has a launch MSRP of $309, and the Intel Core i7-8700 has a launch MSRP of $303.

Architecture Differences

The most fundamental difference lies in the manufacturing process and target platform. The Intel Core 5 330 is fabricated on a 3 nm process using the Wildcat Lake architecture, whereas the i7-8700 uses a 14 nm process with the Coffee Lake architecture. This process advantage contributes to a major disparity in power consumption: the Core 5 330 has a TDP of 15 W, while the i7-8700 is rated at 65 W.

The two chips also target different sockets and market segments. The Core 5 330 is a mobile processor using the Intel BGA 1516 socket, while the i7-8700 is a desktop part for Intel Socket 1151. Their memory support differs accordingly: the Core 5 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel memory bus with a theoretical bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s, whereas the i7-8700 supports DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth.

Cache configurations also vary significantly. The Core 5 330 features a smaller total L3 cache of 6 MB (shared), while the i7-8700 offers a 12 MB (shared) L3 cache. The L1 and L2 caches are structured differently as well, with the Core 5 330 having 192 KB of L1 and 2.5 MB of L2, while the i7-8700 has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core. The i7-8700 also lists a die size of 154 mm², a detail not provided for the Core 5 330.

PCIe support is another differentiator. The newer Core 5 330 provides PCIe Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only), while the older i7-8700 provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics differ as well, with the Core 5 330 featuring Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) versus the UHD Graphics 630 in the i7-8700. Both processors have locked multipliers and do not support ECC memory. The production status also contrasts: the Core 5 330 is active, while the i7-8700 is end-of-life.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results paint a clear picture of the Core 5 330's dominance in most compute-heavy tasks, driven by its superior IPC and single-core speed. In the Cinebench suite, the Core 5 330 wins every test by a remarkably consistent margin. In Cinebench R15, it scores 1325 multi-core and 186 single-core, beating the i7-8700's 1091 and 153 by 21.4% and 21.6%, respectively. This pattern holds in Cinebench R20 and R23, where the multi-core deltas are 21.4% and the single-core deltas are 21.5% across the board. The consistency of these margins suggests a fundamental architectural advantage in per-clock performance rather than a workload-specific quirk.

The PassMark suite reveals where the i7-8700 can claw back ground. The most striking result is in data compression, where the i7-8700 scores 187009, a 22.3% advantage over the Core 5 330's 145287. This suggests the older chip's larger L3 cache and higher thread count are beneficial for compression workloads that can utilize parallel threads effectively. The i7-8700 also wins in integer math, scoring 44881 versus 33258, a 25.9% lead, and in random string sorting, scoring 23963 versus 17771, a 25.8% lead. These wins indicate that the i7-8700's 12 threads provide a significant edge in highly parallel, integer-heavy operations.

However, the Core 5 330's wins in the remaining PassMark tests are often massive. In data encryption, it scores 11076, a 146.8% improvement over the i7-8700's 4488. The find prime numbers test shows a 225.7% advantage (114 vs 35), and floating point math results in a 57.6% lead (43885 vs 27839). The Core 5 330 also wins the PassMark multi-thread test 15471 to 12756 (21.3% delta), the physics test 1201 to 732 (64.1% delta), and the extended instructions test by a narrower 3% margin (12808 vs 12432). The single-thread results are lopsided, with the Core 5 330 scoring 4088 versus 2629, a 55.5% advantage.

The Verdict

The data shows two processors with distinct strengths, despite both sitting at the 72nd percentile. The Intel Core 5 330 is the clear winner for general-purpose computing and single-threaded performance. Its 55.5% lead in single-thread tests and consistent 21%+ advantages in all Cinebench workloads make it the superior choice for everyday applications, productivity software, and tasks that rely on high IPC. Its massive leads in encryption (146.8%) and floating-point math (57.6%) also make it well-suited for security-related tasks and scientific calculations. The 15 W TDP further makes it the obvious choice for mobile platforms where power efficiency is paramount.

The Intel Core i7-8700, despite being significantly older and less power-efficient, retains a specific niche. Its 12 threads and larger 12 MB L3 cache give it a decisive edge in data compression (22.3% faster), integer math (25.9% faster), and random string sorting (25.8% faster). These workloads are common in server-side data processing, database operations, and certain content-creation pipelines that are heavily parallelized and integer-intensive. For users running such specific multi-threaded desktop applications, the i7-8700's performance in these areas remains competitive, even if its overall average score is lower.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core 5 330 | Intel Core i7-8700 |

|---|---|---|

| Threads | 6 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 1.50 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.60 GHz | 4.60 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1516 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Codename | Wildcat Lake | Coffee Lake |

| Process Node | 3 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | N/A | 154 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 192 KB | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2.5 MB | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 6 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5, LPDDR5X | DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Single-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 59.7 GB/s | 42.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 6 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) | UHD Graphics 630 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2026-04-15 | 2017-10-04 |

| Launch MSRP | $309 | $303 |