Intel Core i7-8700K vs Intel Core Ultra 5 226V Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V and the Intel Core i7-8700K represent two distinct eras of Intel design, separated by process technology and architectural philosophy. The data reveals a clear generational shift: the Lunar Lake mobile chip wins 15 of 19 head-to-head benchmarks, yet the aging Coffee Lake desktop processor retains decisive victories in specific workloads. Their overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical at 19368 for the Ultra 5 226V and 19238 for the i7-8700K, placing both at the 73rd percentile among all CPUs.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking margin in this comparison belongs to the Ultra 5 226V in PassMark’s find prime numbers test, where it scores 166 against the i7-8700K’s 39 — a 325.6% advantage. This result highlights the Lunar Lake architecture’s efficiency in integer-heavy, latency-sensitive loops. Similarly, data encryption shows a 166.1% delta (12710 vs 4776), indicating the newer processor’s cryptographic instruction throughput is vastly superior.

Single-threaded performance is consistently dominated by the Ultra 5 226V. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it posts 267 versus 163 for the i7-8700K, a 63.8% lead. The gap narrows in Cinebench R23 single-core, but the Ultra 5 still wins by 7.2% (1744 vs 1627). PassMark single-thread results reinforce this trend with a 38% advantage (3754 vs 2720). Geekbench single-core shows a 22.5% lead (1930 vs 1575), confirming that the newer core design is fundamentally faster per thread.

Multi-threaded results are more complex. The Ultra 5 226V wins Cinebench R15 multicore by 29.3% (1501 vs 1161) and Cinebench R20 multicore by 31.8% (6381 vs 4841). Geekbench multicore also favors the Ultra 5 by 20.4% (8598 vs 7140). However, the i7-8700K strikes back in Cinebench R23 multicore, scoring 11527 against the Ultra 5’s 9848 — a 14.6% victory. This anomaly suggests that the R23 workload scales particularly well with the i7-8700K’s 12 threads, even though the Ultra 5 has 8 threads.

PassMark’s integer math test also goes to the i7-8700K, with 45892 versus 38647, a 15.8% margin. Data compression and random string sorting follow suit, with the i7-8700K winning by 14.2% (198951 vs 170687) and 17.6% (25270 vs 20813), respectively. These three workloads represent the i7-8700K’s only other victories, all involving memory bandwidth or highly parallel integer operations.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental divergence lies in process node and foundry. The Ultra 5 226V is built on a 3 nm process at TSMC, while the i7-8700K uses Intel’s 14 nm process. This node difference explains the massive efficiency gap: the Ultra 5 226V has a TDP of 17 watts, whereas the i7-8700K consumes 95 watts. Despite this, the Ultra 5 226V delivers higher performance in most tests, underscoring the architectural leap.

Core counts differ significantly. The Ultra 5 226V has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the i7-8700K has 6 cores and 12 threads. The i7-8700K relies on Hyper-Threading to reach 12 threads, whereas the Ultra 5 226V operates with a 1:1 core-to-thread ratio. Cache hierarchies also diverge: the Ultra 5 226V provides 192 KB L1 and 2.5 MB L2 per core, plus 8 MB shared L3. The i7-8700K offers 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, but a larger 12 MB shared L3. The larger L3 on the i7-8700K likely contributes to its wins in data compression and string sorting.

Memory support differs as well. The Ultra 5 226V’s memory support is listed as dependent on the motherboard, while the i7-8700K explicitly supports DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. Both use dual-channel memory buses. PCIe connectivity shows the newer part’s advantage: the Ultra 5 226V supports PCIe Gen 5 with 4 CPU lanes, while the i7-8700K uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics are another generational marker. The Ultra 5 226V features Arc 130V graphics, while the i7-8700K includes UHD Graphics 630. The market segments reflect their intended use: the Ultra 5 226V is a mobile part on Intel BGA 2833, and the i7-8700K is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1151. The i7-8700K has an unlocked multiplier and is end-of-life, whereas the Ultra 5 226V is active and locked.

Where Each One Wins

The Ultra 5 226V is the clear winner for single-threaded responsiveness and most compute-heavy tasks. Its 63.8% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core and 38% lead in PassMark single-thread make it ideal for applications that are latency-bound or lightly threaded. The 83.2% advantage in floating-point math (52270 vs 28538) positions it strongly for scientific computing, simulation, and any workload relying on FPU throughput. The 78.7% win in physics calculations (1449 vs 811) further supports this, indicating superior performance in physics simulation engines.

Encryption is another domain where the Ultra 5 226V excels. The 166.1% margin in data encryption (12710 vs 4776) suggests hardware-accelerated cryptographic instructions that the i7-8700K lacks. For users handling VPN traffic, full-disk encryption, or secure communications, this difference is substantial. The extended instructions test also favors the Ultra 5 226V by 9% (14724 vs 13514), confirming broader SIMD and instruction set advantages.

The i7-8700K retains relevance in specific memory-intensive and parallel integer workloads. Its 15.8% win in integer math (45892 vs 38647) indicates that the older chip’s 12 threads can outperform the newer 8-thread design when the workload is heavily integer-based and scales across threads. Data compression (14.2% advantage) and random string sorting (17.6% advantage) both rely on memory access patterns and the i7-8700K’s larger 12 MB L3 cache likely plays a role. The R23 multicore victory (14.6%) rounds out the i7-8700K’s case, showing that in sustained multi-threaded rendering, the extra threads can overcome the architectural deficit.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core score in Geekbench?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V scores 1930 in Geekbench single-core, which is 22.5% higher than the i7-8700K’s 1575.

Q: Does the i7-8700K beat the Ultra 5 226V in any Cinebench test?

A: Yes, the i7-8700K wins Cinebench R23 multicore with a score of 11527, which is 14.6% higher than the Ultra 5 226V’s 9848.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark’s find prime numbers test, where the Ultra 5 226V scores 166 versus the i7-8700K’s 39, a 325.6% advantage for the Ultra 5 226V.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Ultra 5 226V has an average benchmark score of 19368, while the i7-8700K scores 19238. The Ultra 5 226V is 0.7% higher, and both are at the 73rd percentile.

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The i7-8700K has 12 threads from 6 cores, while the Ultra 5 226V has 8 threads from 8 cores.

Q: Does the Ultra 5 226V win in data compression?

A: No, the i7-8700K wins PassMark data compression with 198951 points, which is 14.2% higher than the Ultra 5 226V’s 170687.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core Ultra 5 226V | Intel Core i7-8700K |

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

| Cores | 8 | 6 |

| Threads | 8 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.50 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 17 W | 95 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2833 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Lunar Lake | Coffee Lake |

| Process Node | 3 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| L1 Cache | 192 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2.5 MB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | Depends on motherboard | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not specified | 42.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 4 Lanes | Gen 3, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Arc 130V | UHD Graphics 630 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2024-09-23 | 2017-10-04 |

| Launch MSRP | Not available | $359 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |