Intel Core i7-8086K vs Intel Core i7-9700KF Comparison

The Intel Core i7-8086K and Intel Core i7-9700KF are both end-of-life desktop processors on the Intel Socket 1151 platform, built on the same 14 nm process and Coffee Lake architecture. Despite their shared lineage and identical 95 W TDP, benchmark results show a clear split: the 9700KF dominates the Cinebench suite, while the 8086K takes the Geekbench tests. The data reveals a processor generation that traded simultaneous multithreading for additional physical cores, with measurable consequences across different workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison shows the Intel Core i7-9700KF winning six of the eight benchmark tests, with the Intel Core i7-8086K taking the remaining two. The margins are narrow in most cases, but the pattern is consistent across the Cinebench suite.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the 9700KF scores 1219 against the 8086K’s 1206, a 1.1% advantage. The single-core R15 result follows the same trend, with the 9700KF at 172 and the 8086K at 170, a 1.2% lead. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multicore scores are 5082 for the 9700KF and 5029 for the 8086K, again a 1% gap. The R20 single-core test shows 717 versus 709, a 1.1% difference. Cinebench R23 multicore produces 12100 for the 9700KF and 11975 for the 8086K, a 1% lead, while the R23 single-core test shows 1708 against 1690, a 1.1% margin.

The direction reverses in Geekbench. The 8086K posts a multicore score of 7920, beating the 9700KF’s 7620 by a substantial 3.9%. In Geekbench single-core, the 8086K leads with 1697 versus 1681, a 1% advantage. These two wins for the 8086K are notable because the multicore Geekbench margin is the largest of any test in the comparison, more than triple the size of the 9700KF’s typical Cinebench advantages.

The average benchmark scores reflect this near-tie overall. The 8086K has an average score of 3800, while the 9700KF sits at 3787, a 0.3% difference. The nearest rival data places the two processors within 0.3% of each other, with the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H at 3820 (-0.5% from the 8086K) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 2700 at 3777 (0.6% from the 8086K) flanking them. Both processors share the 56th percentile among all CPUs, indicating they land in the same performance tier despite their architectural differences.

The practical interpretation is that the 9700KF offers a small but repeatable advantage in rendering workloads represented by Cinebench, while the 8086K shows a stronger result in the broader Geekbench multicore test. The 3.9% Geekbench multicore win for the 8086K is the standout outlier, suggesting that its 12 threads provide a tangible benefit in that specific benchmark environment.

Architecture Differences

The most significant architectural difference between these two processors is the core and thread configuration. The Intel Core i7-8086K features 6 cores and 12 threads, enabling simultaneous multithreading, while the Intel Core i7-9700KF has 8 cores and 8 threads, with no hyper-threading. This means the 9700KF gains two additional physical cores but loses four logical threads compared to the 8086K.

Clock speeds favor the 8086K. Its base clock is 4.00 GHz with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the 9700KF runs at 3.60 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost. The 8086K holds a 400 MHz base clock advantage and a 100 MHz boost advantage. These higher clocks likely explain why the 8086K manages to stay competitive in single-core tests despite having fewer cores.

Both chips share the same cache hierarchy: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The L3 allocation is notable — the 9700KF splits its 12 MB across 8 cores, giving each core 1.5 MB, while the 8086K gives each of its 6 cores 2 MB of shared cache. Memory support is identical, with both supporting DDR4 over a dual-channel bus at 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, and neither supports ECC memory.

The 8086K includes integrated UHD Graphics 630, while the 9700KF has no integrated graphics at all — the "F" suffix denotes this omission. Both processors provide PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, and both have unlocked multipliers for overclocking. The process node is 14 nm for both, with the 9700KF listing a die size of 180.3 mm² while the 8086K does not report a die size.

The 9700KF is labeled as part of the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, while the 8086K is listed under the original Coffee Lake generation. Both are marked as end-of-life production status. The 8086K’s 5.00 GHz boost clock stands out as its defining feature, reflecting its status as a special edition part, while the 9700KF’s design prioritizes raw core count over thread count.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core i7-9700KF as the better choice for users whose workloads align with Cinebench-style rendering. It wins all six Cinebench tests, including both multicore and single-core variants, by margins of 1% to 1.2%. The consistency of these wins is notable — even in single-core tests where the 8086K has higher clock speeds, the 9700KF manages to edge ahead, likely due to its newer Coffee Lake Refresh design.

The Intel Core i7-8086K, however, demonstrates clear superiority in Geekbench multicore performance, winning by 3.9%. This is a significant margin that suggests its 12 threads provide a real advantage in workloads that scale with thread count. The 8086K also wins Geekbench single-core by 1%, though this is a smaller margin.

For a user prioritizing multi-threaded rendering performance, the 9700KF is the data-supported pick. It delivers higher scores across every Cinebench iteration, from R15 to R23, and does so with two additional physical cores. For workloads that resemble Geekbench’s multicore test, the 8086K’s hyper-threading appears to matter more than the 9700KF’s extra cores.

The 8086K also holds the clock speed advantage, with a 4.00 GHz base and 5.00 GHz boost versus the 9700KF’s 3.60 GHz and 4.90 GHz. This makes the 8086K the better option for lightly threaded applications where raw clock speed dominates, despite the 9700KF’s narrow single-core Cinebench wins.

The presence of integrated graphics on the 8086K is a practical differentiator. Users who require a display output without a discrete GPU can rely on the 8086K’s UHD Graphics 630, while the 9700KF requires a separate graphics card. The 9700KF’s larger die size of 180.3 mm² suggests a more complex physical layout, but this has no direct benchmark implication.

Both processors occupy the 56th percentile among all CPUs and have average benchmark scores within 0.3% of each other. The choice ultimately comes down to workload type: the 9700KF for Cinebench-style rendering, the 8086K for Geekbench multicore and integrated graphics needs.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-8086K | Intel Core i7-9700KF |

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

| Cores | 6 | 8 |

| Threads | 12 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 4.00 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| Die Size | Not reported | 180.3 mm² |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 630 | None |

| Generation | Core i7 40th (Coffee Lake) | Core i7 (Coffee Lake Refresh) |

| Release Date | 2018-06-04 | 2019-01-07 |

| Launch MSRP | $425 | $374 |

| Part Number | SR3QQBX80684I78086K | SRG16SRFAC |

| Cinebench R15 Multicore | 1206 | 1219 |

| Cinebench R15 Singlecore | 170 | 172 |

| Cinebench R20 Multicore | 5029 | 5082 |

| Cinebench R20 Singlecore | 709 | 717 |

| Cinebench R23 Multicore | 11975 | 12100 |

| Cinebench R23 Singlecore | 1690 | 1708 |

| Geekbench Multicore | 7920 | 7620 |

| Geekbench Singlecore | 1697 | 1681 |

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher clock speeds?

A: The Intel Core i7-8086K has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, compared to the Intel Core i7-9700KF’s 3.60 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost.

Q: What is the core and thread count difference?

A: The 8086K has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the 9700KF has 8 cores and 8 threads. The 8086K supports simultaneous multithreading, while the 9700KF does not.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench tests?

A: The 9700KF wins all six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23, each in multicore and single-core) by margins of 1% to 1.2%.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench tests?

A: The 8086K wins both Geekbench tests, with a 3.9% multicore advantage (7920 vs 7620) and a 1% single-core advantage (1697 vs 1681).

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: No. The 8086K includes UHD Graphics 630, while the 9700KF has no integrated graphics, as indicated by the "F" suffix in its name.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?

A: The 8086K has an average benchmark score of 3800, and the 9700KF has 3787, a 0.3% difference. Both rank at the 56th percentile among all CPUs.