Intel Core i5-11300H vs Intel Core i7-6800K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data tells a fascinating story of generational contrast. The newer Intel Core i5-11300H, despite having fewer cores and threads, takes the win in six of eight benchmark comparisons. The most striking victory comes in Geekbench single-core, where the i5-11300H scores 1589 against the i7-6800K's 1237, a commanding 22.2% lead. This is the single largest delta in the entire comparison and reflects the architectural efficiency of Tiger Lake's newer core design over Broadwell-E.

However, the i7-6800K delivers its own counterpunch in Geekbench multicore. Here the older six-core processor scores 5688 versus 4907 for the i5-11300H, a 15.9% advantage. This is the only benchmark where the i7-6800K wins by a substantial margin, and it highlights the value of having 12 threads versus 8 when the workload can scale across all available cores.

Between those two extremes, the Cinebench results are remarkably close. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i5-11300H edges ahead with 919 points against 916, a mere 0.3% difference. The single-core R15 test is an exact tie at 129 points for both processors. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i5-11300H wins multicore 3833 to 3819 (0.4% ahead) and single-core 540 to 538 (also 0.4% ahead). The R23 results continue the pattern: 9127 versus 9093 in multicore and 1288 versus 1283 in single-core, both favoring the mobile chip by the same 0.4% margin.

What makes these Cinebench results so intriguing is the consistency. Across four different Cinebench versions, the i5-11300H never loses a single test, yet the margins are so narrow that they fall within typical run-to-run variance. The data suggests that in sustained rendering workloads, the two processors are essentially interchangeable despite their radically different designs. The i7-6800K's extra two cores and four threads are almost exactly offset by the i5-11300H's higher boost clock and superior instructions-per-clock.

The Geekbench results, however, reveal a different story. The 15.9% multicore win for the i7-6800K and the 22.2% single-core win for the i5-11300H demonstrate that the two chips have fundamentally different performance profiles depending on workload type. The older chip's advantage in Geekbench multicore suggests that this particular benchmark scales well with physical core count, while the newer chip's single-core dominance points to architectural improvements that matter more in lightly-threaded scenarios.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-6800K's only benchmark victory is Geekbench multicore, but it is a significant one at 15.9% ahead of the i5-11300H. This makes the older chip the better choice for workloads that are heavily multithreaded and resemble the Geekbench multicore test pattern. The i7-6800K also carries a notable advantage in memory bandwidth, supporting quad-channel DDR4 at 76.8 GB/s compared to the i5-11300H's dual-channel 51.2 GB/s. While this bandwidth difference is not directly reflected in the benchmark scores, it suggests the i7-6800K could have an edge in memory-intensive applications that are not captured by the tested workloads.

The i5-11300H wins everywhere else. Its six benchmark victories span every Cinebench test and Geekbench single-core. The Cinebench wins are narrow (0.3% to 0.4%), but the Geekbench single-core win is decisive at 22.2%. This makes the i5-11300H the clear choice for single-threaded productivity, everyday responsiveness, and any application that relies heavily on per-core performance. The mobile chip also benefits from a much higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz versus 3.60 GHz for the desktop part, which helps explain its single-core dominance.

For users who prioritize raw multithreaded throughput in applications similar to Geekbench, the i7-6800K is the winner. For those who need the best single-core performance or balanced performance across a mix of lightly-threaded and moderately-threaded tasks, the i5-11300H is superior. The data also shows that the i5-11300H achieves parity in Cinebench rendering despite having only 4 cores and 8 threads, which speaks to the efficiency of its 10 nm Tiger Lake architecture versus the 14 nm Broadwell-E design.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear but nuanced picture. The Intel Core i5-11300H wins six of eight head-to-head comparisons, including all four Cinebench tests and Geekbench single-core. Its 22.2% advantage in Geekbench single-core is the largest margin in the entire comparison, and its Cinebench wins, while narrow, are consistent across every version tested. For most users, the newer mobile chip is the better performer.

The Intel Core i7-6800K, however, retains a meaningful advantage in Geekbench multicore with a 15.9% lead. This is not a trivial margin, and it indicates that applications which scale well across many threads will favor the older chip. The i7-6800K's 6 cores and 12 threads, combined with quad-channel memory support, make it a capable choice for specific multithreaded workloads that resemble the Geekbench multicore test.

The decision ultimately comes down to workload type. Users who run heavily multithreaded applications that behave like Geekbench multicore should consider the i7-6800K. Users who want the best single-core performance or who run a mix of workloads should choose the i5-11300H. The i5-11300H also offers the advantage of integrated graphics (Iris XE 80EU), which the i7-6800K lacks entirely, making it a more complete package for systems without a discrete GPU. Given that the i5-11300H wins the majority of benchmarks and does so with a lower TDP of 28 watts versus 140 watts, the data leans in its favor for general-purpose use.

FAQ

Q: Which processor won more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-11300H won 6 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core i7-6800K won 2.

Q: What was the largest performance difference between the two chips?

A: The largest difference was in Geekbench single-core, where the Intel Core i5-11300H scored 1589 versus 1237 for the Intel Core i7-6800K, a 22.2% advantage.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Core i5-11300H scored 9127, slightly ahead of the Intel Core i7-6800K's 9093, a difference of 0.4%.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-6800K win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-6800K wins Geekbench multicore with a score of 5688 versus 4907 for the Intel Core i5-11300H, a 15.9% lead.

Q: Do both processors have the same average benchmark score?

A: No, the Intel Core i7-6800K has an average benchmark score of 2838, while the Intel Core i5-11300H has an average of 2792. Both rank at the 51st percentile among all CPUs.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-11300H has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-6800K has a boost clock of 3.60 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent distinct architectural eras for Intel. The i7-6800K is built on the Broadwell-E architecture using a 14 nm process node, while the i5-11300H uses the Tiger Lake architecture on a 10 nm node. The manufacturing process difference is significant, with the newer 10 nm node enabling higher transistor density and better power efficiency.

The core configurations differ substantially. The i7-6800K has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i5-11300H has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i7-6800K's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 15 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-11300H has a larger L1 at 80 KB per core, a much larger L2 at 1.25 MB per core, but a smaller 8 MB shared L3. The die sizes also differ: the i7-6800K measures 246 mm² with 3,400 million transistors, while the i5-11300H has a smaller 146.1 mm² die with no transistor count listed.

Memory support shows another key difference. Both support DDR4, but the i7-6800K uses a quad-channel memory bus with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5-11300H uses a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s. PCIe support also differs, with the i7-6800K offering Gen 3 with 28 CPU lanes and the i5-11300H offering Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. The i5-11300H includes integrated Iris XE 80EU graphics, while the i7-6800K has no integrated graphics at all.

Specification Differences

The core count and thread count differ: the i7-6800K has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i5-11300H has 4 cores and 8 threads. Clock speeds also differ, with the i7-6800K running at 3.40 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost, while the i5-11300H runs at 2.60 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost. The TDP is dramatically different: 140 watts for the i7-6800K versus 28 watts for the i5-11300H.

The sockets are incompatible: the i7-6800K uses Intel Socket 2011-3, while the i5-11300H uses Intel BGA 1449. The market segments differ, with the i7-6800K being a desktop processor and the i5-11300H being a mobile processor. Production status also differs: the i7-6800K is end-of-life, while the i5-11300H is active. The release dates show a gap of several years, with the i7-6800K released on 2016-05-30 and the i5-11300H on 2021-01-10.

The unlocked multiplier is a differentiator: the i7-6800K allows overclocking, while the i5-11300H does not. The launch MSRP for the i7-6800K is $434, and for the i5-11300H it is $309. Cache configurations differ across all levels, as detailed above. The memory bus width and bandwidth differ, as do the PCIe generations and lane counts. The i7-6800K has no integrated graphics, while the i5-11300H includes Iris XE 80EU. The part numbers are SR2PD for the i7-6800K and SRKH6 for the i5-11300H.