Intel Core i7-10700 vs Intel Core i7-10700F Comparison

The Intel Core i7-10700F and Intel Core i7-10700 are near-identical twins on paper, sharing the same Comet Lake architecture, 8 cores, 16 threads, and clock speeds. The only specification difference between them is the presence of integrated graphics on the standard i7-10700, which the F-series part lacks. However, benchmark results tell a more complex story, with the i7-10700F showing a significant advantage in several key tests while the i7-10700 edges ahead in a handful of others.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head data is the massive divergence in Cinebench and Geekbench scores, where the i7-10700F consistently outperforms the i7-10700 by roughly 25% or more. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the i7-10700F scores 13,689 versus 10,910 for the i7-10700, a delta of 25.5%. The single-core R23 test shows the same 25.5% gap, with scores of 1,932 and 1,540 respectively. This consistency extends across all Cinebench versions: R15 multicore shows 1,379 against 1,099 (25.5% delta), R20 multicore shows 5,749 versus 4,582 (25.5%), and even the single-core variants in R15 and R20 maintain exactly 25.2% and 25.5% deltas respectively.

Geekbench results amplify this gap even further. The multicore test shows the i7-10700F at 7,867 versus 5,092 for the i7-10700, a massive 54.5% delta — the largest single advantage in the entire dataset. Single-core Geekbench also favors the F-series part, with 1,555 against 1,275, a 22% delta. These are not marginal differences; they represent a fundamental performance split between two processors with identical specifications.

The 3DMark suite paints a more moderate picture. In the 16-thread test, the i7-10700F scores 6,476 versus 6,465, a slim 0.2% edge. The 4-thread and 8-thread tests show slightly larger advantages for the F part: 3,022 versus 2,996 (0.9%) and 5,039 versus 4,945 (1.9%) respectively. Interestingly, the max-thread test reverses direction, with the i7-10700 winning at 6,719 against 6,679, a 0.6% delta. The 2-thread and single-thread 3DMark tests are dead even, both scoring 1,565 and 793 respectively.

PassMark results are largely close, with the i7-10700F winning most tests but by small margins. Data compression shows 253,358 versus 252,113 (0.5%), extended instructions show 16,389 versus 16,160 (1.4%), and multithread shows 16,227 versus 16,161 (0.4%). The i7-10700, however, wins several PassMark tests: floating point math (38,823 versus 38,578), integer math (62,988 versus 62,579), and single-thread tests (2,891 versus 2,875), each by 0.6% deltas. Data encryption and find prime numbers are effectively tied at 5,379 versus 5,378 and 47 versus 47 respectively. The overall win count favors the i7-10700F at 19 wins versus 6 for the i7-10700.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-10700F dominates in rendering and productivity workloads. All Cinebench tests — across R15, R20, and R23, both single and multi-core — go to the F-series part by approximately 25%. This suggests that for CPU-bound rendering tasks, video encoding, and 3D modeling workloads, the i7-10700F delivers substantially better performance. The Geekbench results reinforce this, with the F part leading by 22% in single-core and an enormous 54.5% in multi-core, indicating a strong advantage in general-purpose computing and multitasking scenarios.

The i7-10700F also wins in mixed-thread gaming and simulation tests. The 3DMark 8-thread test, which often correlates with gaming performance, shows a 1.9% lead for the F part. PassMark physics, another gaming-relevant metric, goes to the i7-10700F at 803 versus 794, a 1.1% edge. For users building a system primarily for gaming with some content creation, the i7-10700F appears to be the stronger choice.

The i7-10700 wins in a narrow set of floating-point and integer math workloads, plus single-thread PassMark tests. Its 0.6% advantages in PassMark floating point math, integer math, and single-thread tests are small but consistent. These wins suggest that in certain scientific computing or financial modeling scenarios that rely heavily on arithmetic operations, the i7-10700 might hold a marginal edge. However, the magnitude of these wins is trivial compared to the 25%+ gaps favoring the i7-10700F in Cinebench and Geekbench.

The i7-10700 also wins the 3DMark max-thread test, scoring 6,719 versus 6,679. This is the only 3DMark test where the standard i7-10700 leads, and the 0.6% delta is within normal run-to-run variance. The i7-10700’s integrated UHD Graphics 630 could be the deciding factor for users who need a display output without a discrete GPU, though this does not show up in CPU benchmark scores.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-10700F has an average benchmark score of 19,499, while the Intel Core i7-10700 averages 19,145. Both parts sit at the 73rd percentile among all CPUs.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The i7-10700F scores 13,689 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the i7-10700 scores 10,910. This represents a 25.5% delta in favor of the i7-10700F.

Q: Is the i7-10700 faster in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the i7-10700 wins 6 benchmarks, including PassMark floating point math (38,823 versus 38,578), PassMark integer math (62,988 versus 62,579), PassMark single-thread (2,891 versus 2,875), and 3DMark max-thread (6,719 versus 6,679). However, these wins are all by margins of 0.6% or less.

Q: What is the difference in single-core Geekbench performance?

A: The i7-10700F scores 1,555 in Geekbench single-core, while the i7-10700 scores 1,275. This is a 22% advantage for the i7-10700F.

Q: Do the two processors have the same clock speeds and core configuration?

A: Yes, both have 8 cores, 16 threads, a base clock of 2.90 GHz, a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, and a TDP of 65 watts. The part numbers are SRH70 for the i7-10700F and SRH6Y for the i7-10700.

Q: How do these processors compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The i7-10700F is 0.5% faster than the Intel Core i5-1345U and 0.7% faster than the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V, while being 0.5% slower than the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and 0.6% slower than the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430. The i7-10700 is 0.5% faster than the Intel Core 3 201E and AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, and 0.6% faster than the Intel Core i5-12400F, while being 0.5% slower than the Intel Core i7-8700K.

Specification Differences

The only specification difference between the two processors is the integrated graphics. The Intel Core i7-10700 includes UHD Graphics 630, while the Intel Core i7-10700F has no integrated graphics (listed as null in the data). This affects the part number, with the i7-10700F being SRH70 and the i7-10700 being SRH6Y.

All other specifications are identical. Both processors feature 8 cores and 16 threads, a base clock of 2.90 GHz, a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, and a 65-watt TDP. They use the Intel Socket 1200, support dual-channel DDR4 memory with 46.9 GB/s bandwidth, and have PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have a locked multiplier. The release date is the same for both: 2020-04-29. Both processors are currently listed as Active in production status, and neither has a launch MSRP in the data.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on the same Comet Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel's 14 nm process node. They share the identical cache hierarchy: 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The generation is listed as "Core i7 (Comet Lake)" for both.

The memory support, bus width, and bandwidth are identical — dual-channel DDR4 with 46.9 GB/s peak bandwidth. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes and support a dual-channel memory bus. The integrated graphics on the i7-10700, UHD Graphics 630, is the sole architectural differentiator. This means the i7-10700 can output video without a discrete graphics card, while the i7-10700F requires a dedicated GPU for display. The i7-10700F’s lack of integrated graphics is the likely reason for its performance advantage in many tests, as the silicon area and power allocation typically reserved for the graphics unit can be directed toward CPU compute. However, the benchmark data does not explicitly confirm this mechanism.

Nearest rival comparisons place the i7-10700F in a slightly different competitive context than the i7-10700. The F part's closest competitor by average score is the Intel Core i5-1345U at 19,411 (0.5% delta), while the i7-10700's nearest rival is the Intel Core 3 201E at 19,056 (0.5% delta). Both processors sit at the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating they are in the same overall performance tier despite the benchmark deltas between them.