CPU Comparison
Intel Core 7 360
Core i7-8700
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core 7 360 vs Intel Core i7-8700
The Intel Core 7 360 and the Intel Core i7-8700 represent two distinct eras of Intel mobile and desktop design, yet they land within 1% of each other in overall average benchmark score (18374 vs 18223). The newer Core 7 360, a 3nm Wildcat Lake part, takes the majority of benchmark victories with 13 wins out of 17 head-to-head tests, while the older 14nm Coffee Lake i7-8700 secures 4 wins in specific workloads. This split reveals a clear generational trade-off: the Core 7 360 dominates in raw compute throughput and single-threaded tasks, while the i7-8700 leverages its additional threads and larger cache to win in data-heavy, memory-latency-sensitive operations.
Where Each One Wins
The Core 7 360 is the clear winner for compute-intensive workloads that rely on modern instruction efficiency and high clock speeds. In Cinebench tests, it wins every single-core and multi-core round, with consistent 25.9% to 26.1% margins across R15, R20, and R23. This makes it the better choice for 3D rendering, video encoding, and any application that scales with pure CPU arithmetic performance. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4274 versus 2629 for the i7-8700 (a 62.6% advantage) further cements its position for responsiveness in everyday tasks, light productivity, and gaming where per-core speed matters most. The Core 7 360 also dominates in physics calculations (1213 vs 732, 65.7% ahead), floating-point math (44963 vs 27839, 61.5% ahead), and prime number finding (120 vs 35, 242.9% ahead), indicating a substantial edge in scientific computing and simulation workloads.
The i7-8700, despite its age, wins where its 12 threads (versus 6) and larger 12MB L3 cache (versus 6MB) provide an advantage. Its PassMark data compression score of 187009 is 23.6% higher than the Core 7 360's 142877, and its integer math score of 44881 beats 34238 by 23.7%. Random string sorting also favors the i7-8700 (23963 vs 17636, 26.4% ahead). These wins point to workloads that are heavily memory-bandwidth-bound or benefit from higher thread counts for parallel data manipulation. The i7-8700's extended instructions score of 12432 is essentially a tie with 12390 for the Core 7 360 (0.3% difference), so neither chip holds a meaningful edge in SIMD-heavy code.
Architecture Differences
The two processors are built on fundamentally different technologies. The Core 7 360 uses Intel's 3nm process node with a Wildcat Lake codename, while the i7-8700 uses the 14nm Coffee Lake architecture. This node advantage explains the Core 7 360's efficiency: it fits 6 cores and 6 threads into a 15W TDP, whereas the i7-8700 requires 65W for its 6 cores and 12 threads. The Core 7 360 is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1516, while the i7-8700 is a desktop chip on Intel Socket 1151. The Core 7 360 features Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores, while the i7-8700 includes UHD Graphics 630. Both lack ECC memory support and have locked multipliers.
The cache layouts diverge significantly. The Core 7 360 offers 192 KB L1 and 2.5 MB L2 per core, with 6 MB shared L3. The i7-8700 has smaller per-core caches (64 KB L1, 256 KB L2) but compensates with a 12 MB shared L3 and a 154 mm² die size. The i7-8700's larger L3 is likely why it wins in random string sorting and data compression, where larger working sets can be cached locally. Memory support also differs: the Core 7 360 uses DDR5 and LPDDR5X with single-channel bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s, while the i7-8700 uses DDR4 with dual-channel bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The newer chip's higher bandwidth helps in floating-point and encryption tasks, but the older chip's dual-channel configuration may provide lower latency for certain access patterns.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The biggest single win for the Core 7 360 is in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 11164 versus 4488, a 148.8% advantage. This indicates modern AES-NI and cryptographic instruction support vastly outpaces the older architecture. Prime number finding shows a 242.9% lead (120 vs 35), suggesting the newer chip's integer execution units are dramatically more efficient per clock. Floating-point math favors the Core 7 360 by 61.5% (44963 vs 27839), and physics by 65.7% (1213 vs 732). Single-thread performance is 62.6% higher (4274 vs 2629), which is the largest single-thread gap in this comparison and drives many of the Cinebench single-core wins.
The i7-8700's counterattacks are narrower but consistent. Data compression shows a 23.6% win (187009 vs 142877), integer math a 23.7% win (44881 vs 34238), and random string sorting a 26.4% win (23963 vs 17636). These are substantial margins, but they are smaller than the Core 7 360's biggest wins. The i7-8700's only near-tie is extended instructions, losing by just 0.3% (12432 vs 12390). In multithreaded PassMark, the Core 7 360 wins by 21.9% (15544 vs 12756), showing that even with half the threads, the newer chip's higher IPC and boost clock of 4.80 GHz (versus 4.60 GHz) overcome the i7-8700's thread advantage.
Specification Differences
| Specification | Intel Core 7 360 | Intel Core i7-8700 |
|---|---|---|
| Threads | 6 | 12 |
| Base Clock | 1.50 GHz | 3.20 GHz |
| Boost Clock | 4.80 GHz | 4.60 GHz |
| TDP | 15W | 65W |
| Socket | Intel BGA 1516 | Intel Socket 1151 |
| Codename | Wildcat Lake | Coffee Lake |
| Process Node | 3 nm | 14 nm |
| Die Size | Not listed | 154 mm² |
| L1 Cache | 192 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |
| L2 Cache | 2.5 MB (per core) | 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 | Gen 3, 16 Lanes |
| 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 | $426 | $303 |
| Part Number | SAE3E | SR3QS |
FAQ
Q: Which CPU has better single-threaded performance?
A: The Core 7 360 is decisively ahead. It scores 4274 in PassMark single-thread versus 2629 for the i7-8700, a 62.6% advantage. Cinebench R23 single-core also favors it (1924 vs 1528, 25.9% higher).
Q: Why does the i7-8700 win in some benchmarks despite being older?
A: The i7-8700 has 12 threads versus 6, and 12 MB of L3 cache versus 6 MB. This helps in data compression (187009 vs 142877), integer math (44881 vs 34238), and random string sorting (23963 vs 17636), where parallel data manipulation and larger caches provide an edge.
Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?
A: The largest delta is in PassMark data encryption, where the Core 7 360 leads by 148.8% (11164 vs 4488). Prime number finding shows a 242.9% lead (120 vs 35), but the absolute scores are small.
Q: How do their power draws compare?
A: The Core 7 360 is rated at 15W TDP, while the i7-8700 is rated at 65W TDP. This makes the newer chip far more suitable for mobile and low-power systems, despite similar core counts.
Q: Are these chips in the same performance percentile?
A: Yes, both are at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs. Their average benchmark scores are 18374 and 18223, placing them within 0.8% of each other overall.
Q: Which chip supports newer memory types?
A: The Core 7 360 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-8700 supports DDR4 with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. The newer chip also uses PCIe Gen 4 (6 lanes) versus Gen 3 (16 lanes) on the older part.