Intel Core i5-7600T vs Intel Core i7-3770K Comparison

The Intel Core i7-3770K and Intel Core i5-7600T represent two very different design philosophies from Intel, separated by nearly five years of architectural evolution. The data reveals a fascinating split: the older i7-3770K dominates in Cinebench rendering workloads, while the newer i5-7600T takes a decisive lead in Geekbench testing. With the i7-3770K winning 6 of the 8 head-to-head benchmarks and the i5-7600T winning 2, the overall average benchmark scores land nearly identical—1688 for the i7-3770K versus 1664 for the i5-7600T. Both processors sit at the 40th percentile among all CPUs, placing them in the same performance tier despite their generational gap and contrasting feature sets.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite paints a consistent picture of i7-3770K superiority, with the older chip winning all six Cinebench tests by an identical 11.6% margin. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-3770K scores 558 against the i5-7600T's 500, a gap that holds steady across every Cinebench iteration. The R20 multicore test shows 2327 versus 2086, and R23 multicore shows 5542 versus 4968. Single-core Cinebench results tell the same story: R15 scores 78 versus 70, R20 scores 328 versus 294, and R23 scores 782 versus 701. The consistency of the 11.6% delta across all six tests suggests a fundamental throughput advantage rather than workload-specific optimization.

The i5-7600T strikes back hard in Geekbench, where its architectural advantages become apparent. In Geekbench multicore, the i5-7600T posts 3447 against the i7-3770K's 3027, a 12.2% lead. The single-core Geekbench gap is even more pronounced: 1246 versus 860, a massive 31% advantage for the i5-7600T. This dramatic swing indicates that the newer Kaby Lake architecture delivers substantially better per-clock performance in Geekbench's workload mix, while the i7-3770K's extra threads carry it through the heavily parallelized Cinebench tests.

Looking at the nearest rivals for each chip provides additional context. The i7-3770K sits at parity with the Intel Core i7-5850HQ (0% delta) and trails the AMD Ryzen 7 3750H by just 0.1%. The i5-7600T's nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-6700TE at a 0.1% deficit, and it leads the Intel Core i5-4670K by 0.5%. These tight margins confirm that both chips occupy a crowded mid-pack performance zone where benchmark methodology determines the winner.

Architecture Differences

The i7-3770K is built on Intel's 22 nm Ivy Bridge architecture, featuring 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die. The i5-7600T uses the newer 14 nm Kaby Lake process, which enables its dramatically lower power envelope. While the i7-3770K carries a 77 W TDP, the i5-7600T sips power at just 35 W—a 42 W difference that reflects both process improvements and the i5's more conservative clock strategy.

Core and thread configurations differ significantly. Both chips have 4 physical cores, but the i7-3770K supports Hyper-Threading with 8 threads total, while the i5-7600T is limited to 4 threads. This explains the i7's multicore dominance in Cinebench. Clock speeds tell a nuanced story: the i7-3770K runs at a 3.50 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost, while the i5-7600T runs at 2.80 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost. The i7's higher clocks plus double the thread count should crush the i5 in threaded workloads, yet Geekbench shows the opposite outcome—highlighting the substantial IPC improvements in Kaby Lake.

Cache hierarchies differ in the shared L3 pool. The i7-3770K offers 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-7600T has 6 MB. Both chips maintain identical per-core L1 caches at 64 KB and L2 caches at 256 KB. Memory support shows a generational leap: the i7-3770K uses DDR3 with dual-channel 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5-7600T supports DDR4 with dual-channel 38.4 GB/s bandwidth—a 50% increase in theoretical memory throughput.

The integrated graphics also differ, with the i7-3770K featuring Intel HD 4000 and the i5-7600T featuring HD 630. Socket compatibility diverges completely: the i7-3770K uses Intel Socket 1155, while the i5-7600T uses Intel Socket 1151, meaning no motherboard interchangeability. The i7-3770K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, whereas the i5-7600T is locked. Production status also differs, with the i7-3770K marked end-of-life and the i5-7600T still active.

The Verdict

The benchmark data supports a clear verdict: choose the i7-3770K for heavily threaded rendering workloads, and choose the i5-7600T for single-threaded responsiveness and memory bandwidth. The i7-3770K's 8 threads deliver a consistent 11.6% advantage across every Cinebench test, making it the superior choice for video rendering, 3D modeling, and other tasks that scale with thread count. The i5-7600T's 31% single-core Geekbench lead and 12.2% multicore Geekbench lead indicate superior per-core efficiency that benefits general productivity, web browsing, and lightly threaded applications.

The i7-3770K also offers overclocking headroom with its unlocked multiplier, potentially extending its lead further in threaded workloads. However, the i5-7600T counters with 50% higher memory bandwidth (38.4 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s), which can benefit memory-intensive applications. The i5-7600T's 35 W TDP versus the i7-3770K's 77 W TDP makes it the clear choice for power-constrained builds or small-form-factor systems where thermal output matters.

For users prioritizing raw multi-threaded compute, the i7-3770K is the data-backed winner. For users prioritizing per-core performance and memory throughput, the i5-7600T holds the advantage. Neither chip dominates universally, and the average benchmark scores (1688 versus 1664) reflect near-parity overall performance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-3770K has 8 threads via Hyper-Threading on its 4 cores, while the Intel Core i5-7600T has 4 threads on its 4 cores.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The largest margin is in Geekbench single-core, where the i5-7600T leads by 31%, scoring 1246 against the i7-3770K's 860.

Q: Do both processors use the same socket?

A: No, the i7-3770K uses Intel Socket 1155, while the i5-7600T uses Intel Socket 1151, making them incompatible with each other's motherboards.

Q: Which chip supports overclocking?

A: The i7-3770K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, while the i5-7600T has a locked multiplier.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The i5-7600T offers 38.4 GB/s of DDR4 dual-channel bandwidth, while the i7-3770K offers 25.6 GB/s of DDR3 dual-channel bandwidth.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-3770K averages 1688, while the i5-7600T averages 1664, a difference of only 1.4% in favor of the i7-3770K.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-3770K wins every Cinebench test by exactly 11.6%, spanning R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multicore variants. This makes it the definitive choice for Cinebench-style rendering workloads that reward additional threads and higher clock speeds. The 8-thread configuration and 3.90 GHz boost clock provide the throughput needed for video encoding, 3D rendering, and batch processing tasks.

The i5-7600T wins both Geekbench tests, with a 12.2% multicore lead and a 31% single-core lead. This indicates superior performance in Geekbench's diverse workload mix, which includes compression, cryptography, and memory operations. The 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth and Kaby Lake architecture give it an edge in memory-sensitive and latency-sensitive applications. Its 35 W TDP also makes it the winner for low-power builds, though the data shows this efficiency comes at the cost of raw threaded performance.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-3770K | Intel Core i5-7600T |

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

| Threads | 8 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.50 GHz | 2.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.90 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| TDP | 77 W | 35 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1155 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Ivy Bridge | Kaby Lake |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 14 nm |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | Not listed |

| Die Size | 160 mm² | Not listed |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR3 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 25.6 GB/s | 38.4 GB/s |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 4000 | HD 630 |

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

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Launch MSRP | $313 | Not listed |