Intel Core i5-7300HQ vs Intel Core i7-2700K Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two processors along very clear lines. The Intel Core i7-2700K dominates the Cinebench suite, taking all six recorded Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, both multi-core and single-core runs favor the older desktop chip. The margins are consistent, with the i7-2700K leading by roughly 10.7% in every Cinebench multi-core test and by 10.3% to 10.8% in every Cinebench single-core test. If your workload relies on Cinebench-style rendering, the i7-2700K is the stronger candidate.

The Intel Core i5-7300HQ wins a different category entirely: Geekbench. It takes both the multi-core and single-core Geekbench tests by substantial margins. The i5-7300HQ scores 3044 in Geekbench multi-core versus 2294 for the i7-2700K, a 32.7% advantage. In Geekbench single-core, the gap widens to 56.5%, with scores of 1052 and 672 respectively. These are not small differences. The i5-7300HQ nearly doubles the i7-2700K's single-core Geekbench score.

The overall win count favors the i7-2700K at 6 wins versus 2 for the i5-7300HQ. However, the magnitude of the Geekbench wins for the i5-7300HQ is larger than the magnitude of any single Cinebench win for the i7-2700K. The average benchmark score tells a similar mixed story: the i5-7300HQ averages 1448, while the i7-2700K averages 1419. The i5-7300HQ also sits at the 38th percentile of all CPUs in the database, versus the 37th percentile for the i7-2700K. So while the i7-2700K wins more individual tests, the i5-7300HQ has a slightly higher overall average and percentile ranking.

Architecture Differences

These two CPUs come from different eras and different design philosophies. The i5-7300HQ is a Kaby Lake-H mobile processor built on Intel's 14 nm process with a die size of 126 mm². The i7-2700K is a Sandy Bridge desktop processor on the older 32 nm process with a die size of 216 mm² and 1,160 million transistors. The process node difference is significant: 14 nm versus 32 nm, which explains the i5-7300HQ's smaller die and lower power footprint.

Core and thread counts differ as well. Both have 4 physical cores, but the i7-2700K supports 8 threads through Hyper-Threading, while the i5-7300HQ is limited to 4 threads. This matters for multi-threaded workloads. The i7-2700K also has a larger L3 cache at 8 MB shared, versus 6 MB shared for the i5-7300HQ. L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB per core and 256 KB per core respectively.

Clock speeds tell another part of the story. The i7-2700K has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The i5-7300HQ runs at 2.50 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost. The i7-2700K is faster on paper, and the Cinebench results confirm that its higher clocks and extra threads translate into real performance gains.

The sockets are incompatible. The i7-2700K uses Intel Socket 1155, while the i5-7300HQ uses Intel BGA 1440. The i5-7300HQ is a mobile chip soldered to the board, while the i7-2700K is a desktop part with an unlocked multiplier. The i7-2700K allows overclocking, the i5-7300HQ does not.

Memory support also diverges. The i5-7300HQ supports both DDR3 and DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration. The i7-2700K supports only DDR3, also dual-channel, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s. The i5-7300HQ does not have a listed memory bandwidth figure in the database.

PCIe generation differs. The i5-7300HQ uses Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i7-2700K uses Gen 2 with the same 16 lanes. Integrated graphics are present on both, but they are different generations: Intel HD Graphics 630 on the i5-7300HQ versus Intel HD 3000 on the i7-2700K.

Power consumption is a major differentiator. The i5-7300HQ has a TDP of 45 watts. The i7-2700K is rated at 95 watts. That is more than double the thermal envelope for the desktop chip. The i5-7300HQ was released in January 2017 with a launch MSRP of $250. The i7-2700K came out in October 2011 with a launch MSRP of $332. Both are end-of-life products.

The Verdict

Pick the Intel Core i7-2700K if your priority is Cinebench-style performance and you have the power budget and socket to accommodate a 95 watt desktop chip. It wins all six Cinebench tests, including multi-core tests where its 8 threads give it a structural advantage over the 4-thread i5-7300HQ. The consistent 10.7% lead in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests is a reliable indicator for rendering workloads. Its unlocked multiplier also means you can push it further if your cooling and motherboard allow.

Pick the Intel Core i5-7300HQ if you need Geekbench performance or if power efficiency is a hard requirement. The Geekbench wins are massive: 32.7% in multi-core and 56.5% in single-core. That is not a marginal edge, it is a category difference. The 45 watt TDP versus 95 watts also makes the i5-7300HQ far easier to cool in a mobile or compact system. It supports DDR4 memory and PCIe Gen 3, which are newer standards than the i7-2700K's DDR3 and PCIe Gen 2.

The data does not declare a single winner. The i7-2700K takes the crown in raw Cinebench throughput, while the i5-7300HQ dominates Geekbench. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the i5-7300HQ at 1448 and the i7-2700K at 1419. The percentile rankings confirm the closeness: 38th versus 37th. For a builder choosing between these two today, the decision hinges entirely on which benchmark suite matches your actual workload.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-7300HQ has an average benchmark score of 1448, while the Intel Core i7-2700K scores 1419. The i5-7300HQ also ranks at the 38th percentile of all CPUs, one point above the i7-2700K's 37th percentile.

Q: Why does the i7-2700K win Cinebench tests?

A: The i7-2700K has 8 threads versus 4 threads on the i5-7300HQ, and it runs at higher clock speeds: 3.50 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost versus 2.50 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost. It also has 8 MB of shared L3 cache versus 6 MB. These factors contribute to its consistent Cinebench wins.

Q: How large is the Geekbench single-core advantage for the i5-7300HQ?

A: The i5-7300HQ scores 1052 in Geekbench single-core, which is 56.5% higher than the i7-2700K's score of 672. This is the largest performance gap recorded in the head-to-head benchmarks.

Q: Can the i7-2700K be overclocked?

A: Yes. The i7-2700K has an unlocked multiplier, and its multiplierUnlocked field is set to true. The i5-7300HQ has a locked multiplier and cannot be overclocked.

Q: What memory types does each CPU support?

A: The i5-7300HQ supports both DDR3 and DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration. The i7-2700K supports only DDR3, also dual-channel, with a recorded bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s.

Q: Are these CPUs still in production?

A: No. Both are marked as end-of-life. The i5-7300HQ was released in January 2017, and the i7-2700K was released in October 2011.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are uniform in favor of the i7-2700K. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-2700K scores 486 against 434 for the i5-7300HQ, a 10.7% difference. The single-core R15 test shows 68 versus 61, a 10.3% gap. Cinebench R20 multi-core repeats the pattern: 2029 versus 1812, again 10.7%. R20 single-core comes in at 286 versus 255, a 10.8% difference. Cinebench R23 multi-core gives 4833 versus 4316, 10.7%, and R23 single-core gives 682 versus 609, also 10.7%. The consistency is remarkable. Every Cinebench test lands within a narrow band of 10.3% to 10.8% in favor of the i7-2700K.

The Geekbench results flip the script entirely. Geekbench multi-core shows the i5-7300HQ at 3044 versus 2294 for the i7-2700K. That is a 32.7% lead for the mobile chip. Geekbench single-core is even more one-sided: 1052 versus 672, a 56.5% advantage. These are the largest deltas in the entire head-to-head set, and they both favor the i5-7300HQ.

What does this mean in practice? If you are running Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7-2700K will finish roughly 10.7% faster than the i5-7300HQ. If you are running Geekbench single-core, the i5-7300HQ will finish more than half again as fast as the i7-2700K. The workloads matter enormously. A rendering task that scales with Cinebench will prefer the i7-2700K. A general-purpose task that mirrors Geekbench's mixed integer and floating-point tests will strongly prefer the i5-7300HQ.

The overall win count is 6 for the i7-2700K and 2 for the i5-7300HQ. But the average scores are close, 1448 versus 1419, because the i5-7300HQ's Geekbench wins are so large that they offset the i7-2700K's narrower Cinebench victories. The database records show two processors that are roughly equal in overall capability but profoundly different in their strengths.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in nearly every major specification category. The i5-7300HQ has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-2700K has 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz versus 3.50 GHz, and boost clocks are 3.50 GHz versus 3.90 GHz. TDP is 45 watts for the i5-7300HQ and 95 watts for the i7-2700K.

The sockets are incompatible: Intel BGA 1440 for the mobile chip, Intel Socket 1155 for the desktop chip. Architecture generation differs, with Kaby Lake-H on a 14 nm process versus Sandy Bridge on a 32 nm process. The i7-2700K uses 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die, while the i5-7300HQ uses a smaller 126 mm² die.

L3 cache is 6 MB shared on the i5-7300HQ and 8 MB shared on the i7-2700K. L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB and 256 KB per core respectively. Memory support favors the i5-7300HQ with DDR3 and DDR4 support, while the i7-2700K is limited to DDR3. The i7-2700K has a listed memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s, while the i5-7300HQ has no bandwidth figure recorded.

PCIe lanes are Gen 3 on the i5-7300HQ and Gen 2 on the i7-2700K, both with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics differ: Intel HD Graphics 630 on the mobile chip versus Intel HD 3000 on the desktop chip. The multiplier is unlocked on the i7-2700K but locked on the i5-7300HQ. Release dates are January 2017 for the i5-7300HQ and October 2011 for the i7-2700K. Launch MSRP was $250 for the i5-7300HQ and $332 for the i7-2700K. Both are end-of-life products without ECC memory support.