Intel Core i7-7700HQ vs Intel Core i7-8650U Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core i7-7700HQ wins 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core i7-8650U wins only 2. The 8650U takes the single-thread PassMark test in both its recorded forms (PassMark single thread and PassMark singlethread), with a score of 2103 versus 2045 for the 7700HQ, a delta of -2.8% from the 7700HQ's perspective.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-core rendering workloads?

A: The 7700HQ leads in every multi-core Cinebench test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 5852 versus 5253 for the 8650U, an 11.4% advantage. The gap is consistent across Cinebench R15 (589 vs 529, 11.3% ahead) and Cinebench R20 (2457 vs 2206, 11.4% ahead).

Q: Does the 8650U have any advantage in single-core performance?

A: In Cinebench single-core tests, no. The 7700HQ wins Cinebench R15 single-core (83 vs 74, 12.2% ahead), Cinebench R20 single-core (346 vs 311, 11.3% ahead), and Cinebench R23 single-core (826 vs 741, 11.5% ahead). The 8650U only wins the PassMark single-thread test, scoring 2103 versus 2045.

Q: What are the thermal design power ratings of these chips?

A: The 7700HQ has a TDP of 45 watts, while the 8650U has a TDP of 15 watts. This is a 30-watt difference, which explains why the 7700HQ is positioned for thicker, high-performance laptops and the 8650U for thin-and-light ultraportables.

Q: Are both processors based on the same architecture?

A: Yes, both use the Kaby Lake architecture on Intel's 14 nm process node. However, the 7700HQ uses the Kaby Lake-H codename, while the 8650U uses the Kaby Lake-R codename, and the 8650U is part of the Kaby Lake-U Refresh generation.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each CPU?

A: The 7700HQ has an average benchmark score of 9493, while the 8650U has an average of 8932. Both sit at the 65th percentile among all CPUs in the database. The 7700HQ's rivals in the database include the AMD EPYC 7402P (9529, -0.4%), Intel Atom x7835RE (9430, 0.7%), Intel Xeon Platinum 8180 (9406, 0.9%), and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX (9348, 1.5%). The 8650U's nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon Gold 6330 (8939, -0.1%), Intel Core i5-8350U (8998, -0.7%), Intel Core i5-1135G7 (9053, -1.3%), and Intel Xeon Gold 6346 (9155, -2.4%).

Architecture Differences

Both the Intel Core i7-7700HQ and the Intel Core i7-8650U are built on Intel's 14 nm process node and share the Kaby Lake architecture family. The similarities end there in several important ways. The 7700HQ uses the Kaby Lake-H codename and belongs to the Core i7 (Kaby Lake-H) generation. The 8650U uses the Kaby Lake-R codename and belongs to the Core i7 (Kaby Lake-U Refresh) generation. This is a refresh of the low-power U-series line, not a full microarchitecture change.

The most fundamental difference is thermal design power. The 7700HQ carries a 45 W TDP, which is triple the 15 W TDP of the 8650U. This power budget directly shapes every other specification. The 7700HQ has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The 8650U has a base clock of 1900.00 MHz (1.90 GHz) but a higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The 8650U can spike higher under short bursts, but its sustained all-core performance is constrained by the much lower power envelope.

Cache configuration also differs. Both chips have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the L3 cache differs: the 7700HQ has 6 MB shared L3, while the 8650U has 8 MB shared L3. That is a 2 MB advantage for the 8650U, which can help in workloads that benefit from larger pooled cache.

The memory support differs as well. The 7700HQ supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the 8650U supports DDR4 only. The 7700HQ uses a dual-channel memory bus, while the database does not record a memory bus configuration for the 8650U. The 7700HQ also has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the 8650U has no recorded PCIe configuration. The integrated graphics differ: the 7700HQ uses Intel HD Graphics 630, while the 8650U uses Intel UHD 620.

The sockets are different. The 7700HQ uses Intel BGA 1440, while the 8650U uses Intel BGA 1356. Die size is close: 126 mm² for the 7700HQ and 123 mm² for the 8650U. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not supported on either. The 7700HQ was released earlier, with a release date of 2017-01-02, while the 8650U came later on 2017-08-20. The 7700HQ is marked end-of-life in the database, while the 8650U is still listed as active production.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture for sustained, multi-threaded workloads: the Intel Core i7-7700HQ is the stronger performer. It wins every Cinebench test in both single-core and multi-core, with advantages ranging from 11.3% to 12.2%. In PassMark workloads, it wins 13 of the 15 recorded tests, with its biggest margins in data compression (97136 vs 78936, 23.1% ahead) and extended instructions (6218 vs 5042, 23.3% ahead). For rendering, encoding, compilation, and other workloads that scale across cores, the 7700HQ is the pick from the benchmark data.

The Intel Core i7-8650U is the better choice when power efficiency is the priority. Its 15 W TDP versus 45 W for the 7700HQ makes it suitable for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermals matter more than raw throughput. It also wins the PassMark single-thread test (2103 vs 2045, 2.8% ahead), so it is slightly faster in that specific lightweight single-threaded metric. Its larger 8 MB L3 cache, versus 6 MB on the 7700HQ, may help in cache-sensitive scenarios.

Users who need a mobile workstation or a gaming laptop CPU should look at the 7700HQ. Users who prioritize portability, fan noise, and battery life should look at the 8650U. The 7700HQ is end-of-life, while the 8650U remains in active production, which may matter for long-term availability. Both chips sit at the 65th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they are comparable in overall standing despite their different design goals.

Specification Differences

The database records the following differences between the two processors. Core and thread counts are identical: both have 4 cores and 8 threads. Both use the 14 nm process node and are made by Intel. Neither supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

• Base clock: 2.80 GHz (7700HQ) vs 1900.00 MHz (8650U)
• Boost clock: 3.80 GHz (7700HQ) vs 4.20 GHz (8650U)
• TDP: 45 W (7700HQ) vs 15 W (8650U)
• Socket: Intel BGA 1440 (7700HQ) vs Intel BGA 1356 (8650U)
• Codename: Kaby Lake-H (7700HQ) vs Kaby Lake-R (8650U)
• Generation: Core i7 (Kaby Lake-H) (7700HQ) vs Core i7 (Kaby Lake-U Refresh) (8650U)
• Die size: 126 mm² (7700HQ) vs 123 mm² (8650U)
• L3 cache: 6 MB shared (7700HQ) vs 8 MB shared (8650U)
• Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 (7700HQ) vs DDR4 (8650U)
• Memory bus: Dual-channel (7700HQ) vs not recorded (8650U)
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) (7700HQ) vs not recorded (8650U)
• Integrated graphics: Intel HD Graphics 630 (7700HQ) vs Intel UHD 620 (8650U)
• Production status: End-of-life (7700HQ) vs Active (8650U)
• Release date: 2017-01-02 (7700HQ) vs 2017-08-20 (8650U)
• Launch MSRP: $378 (7700HQ) vs none recorded (8650U)
• Part number: SR32Q (7700HQ) vs SR3L8 (8650U)

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data shows a dominant performance from the 7700HQ, but with a few nuances worth unpacking.

Starting with Cinebench, the 7700HQ wins all six recorded tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 589 against 529, an 11.3% lead. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 83 against 74, a 12.2% lead, which is the largest Cinebench margin in either direction. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 2457 vs 2206, an 11.4% lead, and Cinebench R20 single-core shows 346 vs 311, also 11.3%. Cinebench R23 multi-core continues the trend at 5852 vs 5253, an 11.4% lead, and Cinebench R23 single-core lands at 826 vs 741, an 11.5% lead. The consistency of the 11% to 12% margins across all three Cinebench versions indicates a stable architectural performance advantage for the 7700HQ, not a workload-specific fluke.

The PassMark suite offers a broader view. The 7700HQ wins data compression by a wide margin: 97136 vs 78936, a 23.1% lead. It also wins extended instructions at 6218 vs 5042, a 23.3% lead, which is the largest delta in the entire head-to-head set. Random string sorting goes to the 7700HQ at 12512 vs 10485, a 19.3% lead. Data encryption favors the 7700HQ at 2366 vs 2067, a 14.5% lead. PassMark multi-thread shows 6881 vs 6193, an 11.1% lead, closely matching the Cinebench multi-core margins.

Some PassMark tests are much closer. Floating point math is nearly even: 13678 vs 13299, just 2.8% in favor of the 7700HQ. Integer math is even tighter at 22143 vs 22007, a 0.6% lead. Physics is a modest 489 vs 472, a 3.6% lead. The find prime numbers test results in a tie: both score 22, with a delta of 0%.

The 8650U's only victories come in the PassMark single-thread tests, which appear twice in the database with identical values. It scores 2103 versus 2045 for the 7700HQ, a 2.8% advantage. This is a notable result because it shows that despite the 7700HQ's wins in Cinebench single-core, the 8650U's higher 4.20 GHz boost clock can deliver a faster result in this particular single-threaded PassMark workload.

The overall benchmark average tells a similar story. The 7700HQ has an average benchmark score of 9493, about 5.9% ahead of the 8650U's 8932. The 7700HQ's nearest rival in the database is the AMD EPYC 7402P at 9529, just 0.4% higher, and the Intel Atom x7835RE at 9430, 0.7% lower. The 8650U's nearest rival is the Intel Xeon Gold 6330 at 8939, 0.1% higher, and the Intel Core i5-8350U at 8998, 0.7% higher. Both chips sit at the 65th percentile among all CPUs, so despite the 7700HQ's clear head-to-head win, the database ranks them as peers in overall CPU performance distribution.