Intel Core i5-11500T vs Intel Core i7-7800X Comparison

The Intel Core i7-7800X and Intel Core i5-11500T are both six-core, twelve-thread desktop parts, but they represent radically different eras and design philosophies. The data reveals a fascinating split: the older, higher-power i7-7800X dominates in almost every multi-threaded and Cinebench test, while the newer, ultra-low-power i5-11500T delivers a decisive victory in Geekbench single-core performance. This head-to-head is less about raw capability and more about architectural efficiency versus brute-force resource allocation.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results show a remarkably consistent pattern, with the Intel Core i7-7800X winning seven of the eight head-to-head comparisons. The margins in the Cinebench suite are narrow but uniform. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests, the i7-7800X maintains a steady advantage of 1.8% over the i5-11500T. The scores illustrate this: 1113 vs 1093 in R15 multi-core, 4638 vs 4558 in R20 multi-core, and 11044 vs 10854 in R23 multi-core. Single-core Cinebench results follow the same trend, with the i7-7800X leading by 1.3% in R15 (156 vs 154), 1.7% in R20 (654 vs 643), and 1.8% in R23 (1559 vs 1532). This consistency suggests that the i7-7800X’s higher base and boost clocks provide a slight, yet persistent, edge in rendering workloads.

The most significant divergence appears in Geekbench. The i7-7800X wins the multi-core test with a score of 6144, a substantial 6.4% lead over the i5-11500T’s 5774. This is the largest margin of victory for the older chip in any test. However, the single-core Geekbench result flips the narrative entirely. The i5-11500T scores 1696, which is 20.3% higher than the i7-7800X’s 1352. This is a dramatic swing, indicating that while the i7-7800X can marshal its resources for multi-threaded tasks, its per-core architecture is significantly less efficient than the newer Rocket Lake design. The i5-11500T’s single-core score is a clear outlier, suggesting a major generational improvement in instruction-level parallelism or branch prediction that the older Skylake-X design lacks.

Looking at the average benchmark scores, the i7-7800X posts 3333, while the i5-11500T is close behind at 3288. The i7-7800X sits at the 54th percentile of all CPUs, while the i5-11500T is at the 53rd. The nearest rivals for the i7-7800X include the Intel Xeon D-1587 (avg score 3350, -0.5% delta) and the Intel Core i5-11400T (avg score 3309, 0.7% delta). The i5-11500T’s closest competitor is the Intel Xeon E-2374G (avg score 3278, 0.3% delta) and the Intel Core i3-12100T (avg score 3277, 0.3% delta). These rankings confirm that both chips are essentially peers in terms of overall performance, with the i7-7800X holding a marginal edge that is almost entirely attributable to its multi-core and Cinebench results.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core rendering workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-7800X consistently outperforms the i5-11500T in all multi-core Cinebench tests. It leads by 1.8% in R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests, with scores of 1113 vs 1093, 4638 vs 4558, and 11044 vs 10854, respectively. It also wins Geekbench multi-core by a larger 6.4% margin (6144 vs 5774).

Q: Is the newer i5-11500T better at single-core tasks?

A: The data shows a split result. The i5-11500T wins Geekbench single-core decisively, scoring 1696 versus the i7-7800X’s 1352, a 20.3% advantage. However, the i7-7800X still wins all three Cinebench single-core tests, albeit by narrow margins of 1.3% to 1.8%.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-7800X has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 3333, compared to 3288 for the i5-11500T. This places the i7-7800X at the 54th percentile of all CPUs, while the i5-11500T sits at the 53rd percentile.

Q: What is the most significant performance gap between the two?

A: The largest performance delta is in Geekbench single-core, where the i5-11500T is 20.3% faster than the i7-7800X. The next largest gap is in Geekbench multi-core, where the i7-7800X is 6.4% faster.

Q: Do they have the same core and thread configuration?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i7-7800X and the Intel Core i5-11500T feature 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-7800X has a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, which is higher than the i5-11500T’s 3.90 GHz boost clock.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on the same 14 nm manufacturing process by Intel, but they utilize vastly different architectures. The i7-7800X is based on the Skylake architecture, specifically the Skylake-X codename, and belongs to the Core i7 X-Series 7th Gen family. In contrast, the i5-11500T is built on the Rocket Lake architecture, part of the Core 11th Gen series. This generational leap is crucial, as Rocket Lake was designed to improve IPC (instructions per clock) significantly over the older Skylake design.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The i7-7800X has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 cache per core, with an 8.25 MB shared L3 cache. The i5-11500T, on the other hand, has a larger 80 KB L1 cache per core and a smaller 511 KB L2 cache per core, but compensates with a much larger 12 MB shared L3 cache. This larger L3 pool on the i5-11500T likely helps with data reuse and contributes to its strong single-core performance. The i7-7800X also has a larger die size, though the pack only lists a die size for the i5-11500T at 276 mm².

Another key architectural difference is the memory controller. The i7-7800X supports quad-channel DDR4 memory, providing a theoretical memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The i5-11500T is limited to dual-channel DDR4, with a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. This gives the i7-7800X a significant theoretical bandwidth advantage, which may explain its superior multi-core scaling in Geekbench and Cinebench.

PCIe support also differs. The i7-7800X provides 28 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the i5-11500T offers 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes. The newer Gen 4 standard doubles the per-lane bandwidth, but the i7-7800X has more total lanes for expansion. The i5-11500T also includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 750), while the i7-7800X has none, which is typical for HEDT (High-End Desktop) chips.

Specification Differences

The most stark contrast is in power consumption and clock speeds. The Intel Core i7-7800X has a TDP of 140 watts, whereas the Intel Core i5-11500T has a remarkably low TDP of just 35 watts. This power differential is reflected in their base clocks: the i7-7800X runs at a base clock of 3.50 GHz, while the i5-11500T has a base clock of only 1500.00 MHz (1.50 GHz). However, their boost clocks are closer, with the i7-7800X at 4.00 GHz and the i5-11500T at 3.90 GHz.

The sockets are incompatible. The i7-7800X uses Intel Socket 2066, while the i5-11500T uses Intel Socket 1200. The i7-7800X has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable, whereas the i5-11500T has a locked multiplier. Their release dates are nearly four years apart, with the i7-7800X launching on 2017-06-25 and the i5-11500T on 2021-03-15. The i7-7800X had a launch MSRP of $383, and the i5-11500T had a launch MSRP of $192.

The cache configurations differ as noted previously: the i5-11500T has a larger 12 MB L3 cache compared to the i7-7800X’s 8.25 MB. The i7-7800X supports quad-channel memory, while the i5-11500T is dual-channel. PCIe capabilities also differ, with the i7-7800X offering 28 Gen 3 lanes versus 20 Gen 4 lanes for the i5-11500T. Both processors have part numbers listed (SR3L4 for the i7-7800X, SRKNZ for the i5-11500T) and neither supports ECC memory.

The Verdict

The data presents a nuanced picture. The Intel Core i7-7800X is the clear winner in multi-threaded and rendering workloads, winning seven of eight head-to-head tests. Its quad-channel memory interface and higher clocks give it a consistent, if modest, 1.8% edge in Cinebench and a more substantial 6.4% lead in Geekbench multi-core. For users whose primary tasks are CPU-intensive rendering, video encoding, or scientific simulation, the i7-7800X is the better choice based on the benchmark results.

The Intel Core i5-11500T, however, is not without its strengths. Its 20.3% victory in Geekbench single-core is a massive generational leap. This indicates that for lightly-threaded applications, such as older games, general productivity, or tasks that rely on a single fast core, the i5-11500T is significantly more responsive. Its 35-watt TDP also makes it vastly more power-efficient, though this analysis must strictly avoid pricing or value judgments. The choice hinges on workload: choose the i7-7800X for maximum sustained multi-threaded throughput, or the i5-11500T for superior single-threaded responsiveness and dramatically lower power draw.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i7-7800X:

• Multi-threaded rendering: Wins all three Cinebench multi-core tests (R15, R20, R23) by 1.8%.
• Geekbench multi-core: Wins by a decisive 6.4% (6144 vs 5774).
• Overall average performance: Holds a higher average benchmark score (3333 vs 3288) and a higher percentile ranking (54th vs 53rd).
• Cinebench single-core: Wins all three Cinebench single-core tests, though by slim margins (1.3% to 1.8%).

Intel Core i5-11500T:

• Geekbench single-core: Wins by a massive 20.3% (1696 vs 1352). This is its only head-to-head victory, but it is a dominant one.
• Power efficiency: Has a 35-watt TDP compared to the i7-7800X’s 140 watts, making it far more suitable for low-power or compact systems.
• Modern platform features: Includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 750) and supports PCIe Gen 4, which the i7-7800X lacks.