Intel Core i5-8500 vs Intel Core i7-7700K Comparison

The Intel Core i7-7700K and Intel Core i5-8500 are two desktop processors from different architectural generations, yet they land within 1.1% of each other in average benchmark score. The i7-7700K averages 13291 points, while the i5-8500 averages 13142 points. Both sit at the 68th percentile among all CPUs, placing them in the same performance tier. The head-to-head data reveals a more complex picture than the overall averages suggest, with the older Kaby Lake part winning 16 of the 19 benchmark comparisons, while the newer Coffee Lake chip claims decisive victories in specific compute workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided results favor the i7-7700K in Geekbench testing. The i7-7700K scores 5395 in Geekbench multi-core, which is 13.5% ahead of the i5-8500’s 4752. Single-core Geekbench shows an even larger gap: the i7-7700K’s 1547 beats the i5-8500’s 1342 by 15.3%. These are the two largest percentage wins for either processor in the entire comparison, indicating the i7-7700K’s higher clock speeds provide a substantial advantage in this particular benchmark suite.

The i7-7700K also dominates integer math and data encryption workloads. In PassMark integer math, the i7-7700K scores 30553 versus 26551 for the i5-8500, a 15.1% advantage. PassMark data encryption shows a 10.4% lead for the i7-7700K (3343 vs 3027). Single-thread performance follows the same pattern, with the i7-7700K scoring 2708 in PassMark single-thread versus 2441 for the i5-8500, a 10.9% margin. These results consistently point to the i7-7700K’s superior per-core execution capabilities.

The i5-8500 fights back in floating-point and extended instruction workloads. Its PassMark floating-point math score of 22489 surpasses the i7-7700K’s 18741 by 16.7%, the largest margin of victory for either chip. PassMark extended instructions shows an even more dramatic relative difference: the i5-8500’s 11480 beats the i7-7700K’s 8943 by 22.1%. The i5-8500 also wins PassMark find prime numbers (36 vs 31, a 13.9% edge). These wins indicate that the i5-8500’s extra physical cores provide tangible benefits in workloads that scale with core count and vectorized instruction execution.

Cinebench results are remarkably close across all versions. The i7-7700K wins Cinebench R15 multi-core (825 vs 814, 1.4%), R15 single-core (116 vs 114, 1.8%), R20 multi-core (3439 vs 3393, 1.4%), R20 single-core (485 vs 478, 1.5%), R23 multi-core (8189 vs 8079, 1.4%), and R23 single-core (1156 vs 1140, 1.4%). These margins are statistically small, showing that in rendering workloads the two processors perform nearly identically despite their architectural differences.

Other PassMark tests show moderate i7-7700K wins. Data compression goes to the i7-7700K by 1.6% (136852 vs 134673). Multi-thread performance favors the i7-7700K by 1% (9627 vs 9532). Physics testing shows a 4.3% i7-7700K edge (655 vs 628), and random string sorting favors the i7-7700K by 5.6% (17208 vs 16294). The i7-7700K wins 16 of 19 head-to-head benchmarks, but the i5-8500’s three wins are among the largest individual deltas in the entire dataset.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel architectures. The i7-7700K uses Kaby Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node, while the i5-8500 uses Coffee Lake architecture, also on 14 nm. The i7-7700K belongs to the Core i7 (Kaby Lake) generation, whereas the i5-8500 belongs to the Core i5 (Coffee Lake) generation. Both use the Intel Socket 1151 platform and are manufactured by Intel.

Core and thread counts represent the fundamental architectural divergence. The i7-7700K has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-8500 has 6 cores and 6 threads. This means the i7-7700K relies on Hyper-Threading to reach 8 threads, while the i5-8500 has two additional physical cores but no multithreading. The i5-8500’s die size is 154 mm², while the i7-7700K’s die size is not specified in the available data.

Clock speeds differ substantially. The i7-7700K runs at a 4.20 GHz base clock and boosts to 4.50 GHz. The i5-8500 has a 3.00 GHz base clock and a 4.10 GHz boost clock. The i7-7700K’s higher clocks explain its single-thread and integer math advantages, while the i5-8500’s additional cores help in floating-point and extended instruction workloads.

Cache configurations also differ. Both share the same 64 KB L1 cache per core and 256 KB L2 cache per core. The L3 cache differs: the i7-7700K has 8 MB shared, while the i5-8500 has 9 MB shared. The i5-8500’s larger L3 cache provides more shared memory for its six cores.

Memory bandwidth favors the i5-8500. The i7-7700K supports dual-channel DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5-8500 supports dual-channel DDR4 with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. Neither processor supports ECC memory. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU only.

Integrated graphics differ by model. The i7-7700K includes HD 630 graphics, while the i5-8500 includes UHD Graphics 630. The i7-7700K has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable, while the i5-8500’s multiplier is locked. The production status also differs: the i7-7700K is listed as Active, while the i5-8500 is End-of-life.

The Verdict

The data shows a clear overall winner in benchmark count: the i7-7700K takes 16 of 19 comparisons. Its advantages are largest in Geekbench multi-core (13.5%), Geekbench single-core (15.3%), PassMark integer math (15.1%), and PassMark single-thread (10.9%). For users running applications that emphasize integer arithmetic, encryption, and general single-thread responsiveness, the i7-7700K is the stronger choice based on these results.

The i5-8500 wins decisively in three specific areas: PassMark extended instructions (22.1% ahead), PassMark floating-point math (16.7% ahead), and PassMark find prime numbers (13.9% ahead). These are substantial margins. Workloads that rely heavily on floating-point calculations, SIMD-style extended instructions, or prime-number generation would see measurable benefits from the i5-8500’s six physical cores, despite its lower clock speeds.

For rendering workloads, the choice is nearly immaterial. All six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23, both multi-core and single-core variants) show the i7-7700K ahead by between 1.4% and 1.8%. These differences are within typical run-to-run variance. Users focused on Cinebench-style rendering should consider other factors like the i5-8500’s lower TDP of 65 watts versus the i7-7700K’s 91 watts.

The i7-7700K offers an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking, while the i5-8500 does not. The i5-8500 has a larger L3 cache (9 MB vs 8 MB) and higher memory bandwidth (42.7 GB/s vs 38.4 GB/s). The i7-7700K remains in Active production status, while the i5-8500 is End-of-life. The i5-8500 has a launch MSRP of $192, stated once here for reference.

Pick the i7-7700K if your priority is single-thread performance, integer-heavy workloads, or encryption tasks. Pick the i5-8500 if your workloads involve floating-point math, extended instruction sets, or prime-number computation, where its six physical cores provide a 13.9% to 22.1% advantage.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-7700K | Intel Core i5-8500 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 6 |

| Threads | 8 | 6 |

| Base Clock | 4.20 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.50 GHz | 4.10 GHz |

| TDP | 91 W | 65 W |

| Architecture | Kaby Lake | Coffee Lake |

| Generation | Core i7 (Kaby Lake) | Core i5 (Coffee Lake) |

| Die Size | Not specified | 154 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 9 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 42.7 GB/s |

| Integrated Graphics | HD 630 | UHD Graphics 630 |

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

| Release Date | 2017-01-02 | 2018-02-13 |

| Launch MSRP | Not specified | $192 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part Number | SR33A | SR3XE |

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-7700K wins 16 of 19 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core i5-8500 wins 3.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin for the i7-7700K?

A: The i7-7700K’s largest win is in Geekbench single-core, where it scores 1547 versus 1342 for the i5-8500, a 15.3% advantage.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin for the i5-8500?

A: The i5-8500’s largest win is in PassMark extended instructions, scoring 11480 versus 8943 for the i7-7700K, a 22.1% advantage.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The i7-7700K scores 8189 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, compared to 8079 for the i5-8500, a 1.4% difference in favor of the i7-7700K.

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The i5-8500 has 6 physical cores, while the i7-7700K has 4 physical cores. However, the i7-7700K supports 8 threads via Hyper-Threading, while the i5-8500 has 6 threads.

Q: Are both processors overclockable?

A: No. The i7-7700K has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable. The i5-8500’s multiplier is locked, preventing overclocking.