Intel Core i7-11700B vs Intel Core i9-7900X Comparison

The Intel Core i7-11700B and the Intel Core i9-7900X represent two very different eras of Intel design, and the benchmark data reflects a clear generational shift. While the older i9-7900X offers more physical cores and a much higher TDP, the newer i7-11700B wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, albeit by a narrow margin. The i9-7900X does hold one advantage in platform capabilities, but for raw compute performance, the mobile-oriented i7-11700B is the consistent victor across all tested Cinebench workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data from the head-to-head comparison is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-11700B wins all six Cinebench tests. The margins are consistent, hovering around 2.5% in every single workload, which suggests a uniform architectural efficiency advantage rather than a workload-specific strength.

In the multi-core tests, the i7-11700B scores 1826 in Cinebench R15, beating the i9-7900X's 1782 by 2.5%. This pattern repeats in R20, where the i7-11700B hits 7609 versus 7425, and in R23, where it reaches 18119 against the i9-7900X's 17680. The fact that the i7-11700B achieves these wins with only 8 cores and 16 threads, compared to the i9-7900X's 10 cores and 20 threads, is the most telling statistic in this matchup. The newer Tiger Lake architecture is extracting more usable work from fewer physical resources.

The single-core results tell a similar story. The i7-11700B leads with 257 in Cinebench R15, 1074 in R20, and 2558 in R23. The i9-7900X trails at 251, 1048, and 2496 respectively, with the same 2.5% delta in each case. This consistency indicates that the i7-11700B's advantage isn't just about multi-threaded scaling; it has a fundamentally stronger single-thread performance foundation. The i9-7900X's higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz is not enough to overcome the architectural superiority of the i7-11700B's 4.80 GHz boost, suggesting that instructions-per-clock (IPC) improvements in the newer chip are doing the heavy lifting.

Looking at the broader benchmark picture, the i7-11700B has an average benchmark score of 5241, which places it in the 60th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival is the Intel Core i9-10850K, which scores 5240 with a 0% delta, indicating they are statistically identical performers. The i9-7900X, meanwhile, has an average score of 5120, also in the 60th percentile, but its nearest rival is the AMD EPYC 7262 at 5109, a 0.2% gap. This places the i9-7900X in a slightly lower performance tier despite having more cores, reinforcing that the i7-11700B is the overall faster processor.

FAQ

Q: Does the Intel Core i9-7900X win any benchmark tests?

A: No. In the head-to-head benchmark data, the i9-7900X wins zero tests. The i7-11700B wins all six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23, both single and multi-core), with winning margins of 2.4% to 2.5%.

Q: How does the core count difference affect performance?

A: The i9-7900X has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the i7-11700B has 8 cores and 16 threads. Despite having two fewer cores, the i7-11700B still outperforms the i9-7900X in all multi-core benchmarks, such as a 18119 vs 17680 score in Cinebench R23 multi-core. This indicates the i7-11700B's per-core efficiency more than compensates for the i9-7900X's additional physical cores.

Q: Which processor has a higher clock speed?

A: The i7-11700B has a higher boost clock at 4.80 GHz, compared to the i9-7900X's 4.50 GHz. However, the i9-7900X has a slightly higher base clock at 3.30 GHz versus the i7-11700B's 3.20 GHz.

Q: Are these processors comparable in terms of memory bandwidth?

A: No, they are quite different. The i9-7900X supports quad-channel DDR4 memory with a theoretical bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s. The i7-11700B supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The i9-7900X has a significant bandwidth advantage on paper, although this does not translate into a benchmark win in the tested Cinebench workloads.

Q: What is the production status of both chips?

A: Both the Intel Core i7-11700B and the Intel Core i9-7900X are listed as "End-of-life" in their production status, meaning neither is currently in active production.

Q: Which processor offers a larger L3 cache?

A: The i7-11700B has a larger shared L3 cache at 24 MB. The i9-7900X has a shared L3 cache of 14 MB. The i7-11700B also has a larger L2 cache per core at 1.25 MB, compared to 1 MB per core on the i9-7900X.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental divide between these two processors lies in their architectural generations and manufacturing processes. The Intel Core i7-11700B is built on the Tiger Lake architecture, specifically the Tiger Lake-H codename, using a 10 nm process node from Intel. This is a modern, efficiency-focused design intended for mobile platforms. In contrast, the Intel Core i9-7900X is based on the Skylake-X architecture from the 7th Gen X-Series, manufactured on a 14 nm process node. This is an older, high-power desktop design.

The cache hierarchy differs substantially. The i7-11700B offers 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and a 24 MB shared L3 cache. The i9-7900X has smaller per-core allocations with 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2, plus a much smaller 14 MB shared L3 cache. The i7-11700B's larger caches likely contribute to its superior single-thread performance, as more data can be held closer to the cores.

Another major difference is the integrated graphics. The i7-11700B includes UHD Graphics based on the Xe-LP architecture, making it a complete system-on-chip solution. The i9-7900X has no integrated graphics at all, requiring a discrete GPU for any display output. The i7-11700B also uses a different socket (Intel BGA 1787, indicating a soldered mobile chip) compared to the i9-7900X's desktop Intel Socket 2066.

The PCIe support also sets them apart. The i7-11700B provides Gen 4 connectivity with 20 lanes, while the i9-7900X offers Gen 3 with 44 lanes. While the i9-7900X has more lanes for expansion, the i7-11700B's Gen 4 standard offers double the bandwidth per lane. The memory controllers differ as well: the i7-11700B uses a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the i9-7900X uses a quad-channel bus with 85.3 GB/s bandwidth. The i9-7900X also features an unlocked multiplier, while the i7-11700B is locked.

The Verdict

The data is clear: the Intel Core i7-11700B is the superior processor for raw computational performance. It wins every benchmark in the comparison, and it does so with a lower TDP (65W vs 140W), fewer cores, and a smaller physical footprint. If you are choosing between these two purely on benchmark results, the i7-11700B is the better choice. It offers newer architecture, better single-thread performance, and a more efficient design.

The Intel Core i9-7900X, however, is not without its merits. It offers a quad-channel memory controller with significantly higher theoretical bandwidth (85.3 GB/s vs 51.2 GB/s), which could be beneficial in memory-intensive workloads that are not represented in the Cinebench suite. It also has more PCIe Gen 3 lanes (44 vs 20) for expansion. However, in the benchmarks that are available, these advantages do not translate into a performance win. The i7-11700B's average benchmark score of 5241 is higher than the i9-7900X's 5120, and its 60th percentile ranking matches the i9-7900X, but with a higher absolute score.

The i9-7900X's launch MSRP was $999, but this price is historical and does not reflect current market conditions. The i7-11700B has no listed launch MSRP. Ultimately, the i7-11700B offers better performance in all tested scenarios, and its architectural advantages are too substantial to ignore. The i9-7900X is a relic of a bygone era that cannot keep up with the newer chip.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every core specification. Here is the direct comparison of the fields where they diverge:

• Cores: 8 (i7-11700B) vs 10 (i9-7900X)
• Threads: 16 (i7-11700B) vs 20 (i9-7900X)
• Base Clock: 3.20 GHz (i7-11700B) vs 3.30 GHz (i9-7900X)
• Boost Clock: 4.80 GHz (i7-11700B) vs 4.50 GHz (i9-7900X)
• TDP: 65 W (i7-11700B) vs 140 W (i9-7900X)
• Socket: Intel BGA 1787 (i7-11700B) vs Intel Socket 2066 (i9-7900X)
• Architecture: Tiger Lake (i7-11700B) vs Skylake (i9-7900X)
• Process Node: 10 nm (i7-11700B) vs 14 nm (i9-7900X)
• Die Size: 190 mm² (i7-11700B) vs null (i9-7900X)
• L1 Cache: 80 KB per core (i7-11700B) vs 64 KB per core (i9-7900X)
• L2 Cache: 1.25 MB per core (i7-11700B) vs 1 MB per core (i9-7900X)
• L3 Cache: 24 MB shared (i7-11700B) vs 14 MB shared (i9-7900X)
• Memory Bus: Dual-channel (i7-11700B) vs Quad-channel (i9-7900X)
• Memory Bandwidth: 51.2 GB/s (i7-11700B) vs 85.3 GB/s (i9-7900X)
• PCIe: Gen 4, 20 Lanes (i7-11700B) vs Gen 3, 44 Lanes (i9-7900X)
• Integrated Graphics: UHD Graphics (Xe-LP) (i7-11700B) vs None (i9-7900X)
• Market Segment: Mobile (i7-11700B) vs Desktop (i9-7900X)
• Multiplier Unlocked: No (i7-11700B) vs Yes (i9-7900X)
• Part Number: SRKU5 (i7-11700B) vs SR3L2 (i9-7900X)

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-11700B wins in every performance category measured by the Cinebench benchmarks. It is the clear winner for single-threaded tasks, scoring 2558 vs 2496 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which makes it better suited for applications that rely on high per-core performance, such as older games or lightly-threaded productivity software. It also wins in multi-threaded workloads, like video encoding or 3D rendering, as evidenced by its 18119 score in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Its lower TDP of 65W makes it the more power-efficient choice, and its integrated graphics provide a fallback display option without a discrete GPU.

The Intel Core i9-7900X, while losing all benchmark tests, wins on platform features. Its quad-channel memory bus provides a theoretical bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s, which is 67% higher than the i7-11700B's 51.2 GB/s. This could make it a better choice for memory-bandwidth-sensitive workloads like large data analytics or certain scientific simulations. Its 44 PCIe Gen 3 lanes offer more expansion capability for multiple GPUs or high-speed storage cards. The i9-7900X also has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking, which could potentially close the performance gap in the hands of a skilled enthusiast. However, based strictly on the benchmark data, the i7-11700B is the superior processor for actual compute tasks.