Intel Core i7-7700K vs Intel Xeon Gold 6348 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The data splits this comparison cleanly along workload lines. The Intel Core i7-7700K wins nowhere in the recorded head-to-head benchmarks; the Intel Xeon Gold 6348 takes all six tests. That is not a close contest, it is a category difference.

The 7700K belongs on a desktop. Its 4 cores and 8 threads, paired with a 4.20 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost, make it a socket 1151 part aimed at everyday responsiveness and light threading. Its benchmark profile shows strength in bursty, single-threaded tasks, but even there it loses to the Xeon, which manages a higher single-core score despite a much lower 2.60 GHz base clock and 3.50 GHz boost. The 7700K's real role is as a legacy gaming or general-purpose desktop chip, one that still holds a 68th percentile ranking among all CPUs.

The Xeon Gold 6348 is a server and workstation processor. With 28 cores and 56 threads, it dominates every multi-threaded test by a wide margin. It also wins every single-threaded test, which is the surprising part of this matchup. The 6348's 67th percentile ranking is nearly identical to the 7700K's 68th, but that similarity masks the scale of the performance gap in absolute terms. The percentile is relative to the entire database, not to each other, so the two chips land in the same neighborhood overall because the Xeon's massive multi-core lead is balanced by its lower clocks in the aggregate score.

For users, the decision is about core count versus platform. The 7700K is for a socket 1151 build with DDR4, HD 630 integrated graphics, and no ECC. The 6348 requires a socket 4189 platform with eight-channel memory, ECC support, and PCIe Gen 4. If the workload is a few threads, the 7700K is the simpler, lower-power option. If the workload scales across many cores, the 6348 is the only real choice in this pair.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design families and different process nodes. The 7700K uses Kaby Lake on a 14 nm process, while the 6348 uses Ice Lake-SP on a 10 nm process. Both are built by Intel, but the node shrink gives the Xeon a density and efficiency advantage that shows up in its core count.

Cache layout differs substantially. The 7700K has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, with 8 MB of shared L3. The 6348 also has 64 KB of L1 per core, but doubles the L2 to 1 MB per core and jumps the shared L3 to 42 MB. That larger cache pool is critical for server workloads that reuse data sets across many threads.

Memory architecture is another major split. The 7700K runs dual-channel DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The 6348 runs eight-channel DDR4 with 204.8 GB/s. That is more than five times the memory bandwidth, which matters for database, virtualization, and scientific workloads. The 7700K does not support ECC memory; the 6348 does.

PCIe capabilities also diverge. The 7700K provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The 6348 provides PCIe Gen 4 with 64 lanes. The Xeon's lane count and newer standard support far more expansion, storage, and networking devices.

The 7700K includes integrated HD 630 graphics; the 6348 has no integrated graphics. The 7700K has an unlocked multiplier, the 6348 is locked. The 7700K's TDP is 91 W, the 6348 is 235 W. The 7700K launched in January 2017, the 6348 in April 2021. The 7700K's part number is SR33A, the 6348's is SRKHPCD8068904572204.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Every recorded benchmark in the head-to-head set goes to the Xeon Gold 6348. The deltas are consistent, hovering around 81.4% to 81.5% in favor of the Xeon across all six tests.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 7700K scores 825 and the 6348 scores 4441, a delta of 81.4%. The Xeon is roughly 5.4 times faster. That is the pattern for every multi-core test. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the 7700K manages 3439 against the 6348's 18507, again an 81.4% delta. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the 7700K scores 8189 and the 6348 scores 44066, the same 81.4% gap. The Xeon's 28 cores and 56 threads simply overwhelm the 7700K's 4 cores and 8 threads in any workload that can use them.

Single-threaded results are closer in percentage terms but still one-sided. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the 7700K scores 116 and the 6348 scores 626, an 81.5% delta. In R20 single-core, 485 versus 2612, an 81.4% delta. In R23 single-core, 1156 versus 6221, also 81.4%. The Xeon's higher IPC from the newer Ice Lake architecture and its larger L2 and L3 caches overcome the 7700K's higher clock speeds. The 7700K boosts to 4.50 GHz versus the Xeon's 3.50 GHz, yet the Xeon still wins single-threaded by the same margin as multi-threaded. That indicates a generational IPC improvement that clock speed cannot offset.

There are no benchmark wins for the 7700K in the head-to-head data. The wins tally is 0 for the 7700K and 6 for the Xeon Gold 6348.

Specification Differences

The two chips differ on nearly every specification that matters.

• Cores: 4 on the 7700K, 28 on the 6348
• Threads: 8 on the 7700K, 56 on the 6348
• Base clock: 4.20 GHz on the 7700K, 2.60 GHz on the 6348
• Boost clock: 4.50 GHz on the 7700K, 3.50 GHz on the 6348
• TDP: 91 W on the 7700K, 235 W on the 6348
• Socket: Intel Socket 1151 on the 7700K, Intel Socket 4189 on the 6348
• Architecture: Kaby Lake on the 7700K, Ice Lake on the 6348
• Process node: 14 nm on the 7700K, 10 nm on the 6348
• L2 cache: 256 KB per core on the 7700K, 1 MB per core on the 6348
• L3 cache: 8 MB shared on the 7700K, 42 MB shared on the 6348
• Memory bus: Dual-channel on the 7700K, Eight-channel on the 6348
• Memory bandwidth: 38.4 GB/s on the 7700K, 204.8 GB/s on the 6348
• ECC memory: Not supported on the 7700K, supported on the 6348
• PCIe: Gen 3 with 16 lanes on the 7700K, Gen 4 with 64 lanes on the 6348
• Integrated graphics: HD 630 on the 7700K, none on the 6348
• Market segment: Desktop on the 7700K, Server/Workstation on the 6348
• Multiplier: Unlocked on the 7700K, locked on the 6348
• Release date: 2017-01-02 on the 7700K, 2021-04-05 on the 6348

Both support DDR4 memory. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core. Both are manufactured by Intel. Neither has a recorded launch MSRP in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in single-threaded workloads?

A: The Xeon Gold 6348 wins every single-threaded benchmark in the head-to-head data, despite the 7700K's higher base and boost clocks. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the 6348 scores 6221 against the 7700K's 1156, an 81.4% delta.

Q: Can the 7700K compete in multi-threaded tasks?

A: No. The 7700K scores 8189 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the 6348 scores 44066. The Xeon wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests by an 81.4% margin.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: No. The 7700K does not support ECC memory. The 6348 supports ECC memory.

Q: Which CPU has more PCIe lanes?

A: The 6348 has 64 PCIe Gen 4 lanes from the CPU. The 7700K has 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU.

Q: Is the 7700K's integrated graphics available on the 6348?

A: No. The 7700K includes HD 630 integrated graphics. The 6348 has no integrated graphics.

Q: Are these CPUs from the same generation?

A: No. The 7700K is Kaby Lake, released in January 2017, on a 14 nm process. The 6348 is Ice Lake-SP, released in April 2021, on a 10 nm process.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i7-7700K and Intel Xeon Gold 6348 are not competitors in any practical sense. They serve different sockets, different memory architectures, and different market segments. The 7700K is a desktop part with an unlocked multiplier and integrated graphics. The 6348 is a server/workstation part with ECC support and eight-channel memory.

The benchmark data is unambiguous. The 6348 wins all six head-to-head tests, with every result showing an 81.4% to 81.5% delta in its favor. That includes single-threaded tests, where the 7700K's higher clocks do not help. The newer Ice Lake architecture and larger caches give the Xeon a per-core advantage that overcomes the clock deficit.

Choose the 7700K if you need a simple desktop platform with integrated graphics, an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, and no requirement for ECC or massive core counts. It draws 91 W and fits a socket 1151 board with dual-channel DDR4.

Choose the 6348 if your workload scales across many threads, needs more than 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth, or requires ECC reliability. It offers 28 cores, 56 threads, 204.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and 64 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, but it demands a socket 4189 platform and a 235 W power envelope.

The percentile rankings are nearly identical, 68th for the 7700K and 67th for the 6348, but that is a quirk of the database's all-CPU distribution. In a direct comparison, the Xeon Gold 6348 is the faster processor in every recorded test.