Intel Core i7-8700T vs Intel Core i7-9700T Comparison

The benchmark data presents a clear split verdict: the Intel Core i7-8700T dominates the Cinebench suite across every single-core and multi-core iteration, while the Intel Core i7-9700T takes the lead in Geekbench. However, the magnitude of these wins is not symmetrical. The 8700T’s victories are consistent but narrow, ranging from 4.1% to 4.3% ahead in Cinebench tests. The 9700T’s wins in Geekbench are more pronounced, with a 6.5% advantage in multi-core and a 3.6% edge in single-core. This suggests that the 8700T offers a more reliable, albeit modest, performance uplift in rendering workloads, while the 9700T pulls ahead in the broader, more varied Geekbench scenarios.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head data is the 8700T’s near-sweep of the Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 8700T scores 876 against the 9700T’s 839, a 4.2% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a similar gap, with the 8700T at 123 and the 9700T at 118, representing a 4.1% lead. This consistency carries into the R20 and R23 versions. For Cinebench R20 multi-core, the 8700T posts 3653 versus 3496 for the 9700T, a 4.3% delta. The R20 single-core test repeats the pattern: 515 for the 8700T and 493 for the 9700T, again a 4.3% difference. The R23 multi-core test mirrors this precisely, with the 8700T scoring 8698 and the 9700T scoring 8325, a 4.3% gap. The R23 single-core result is 1228 for the 8700T and 1175 for the 9700T, maintaining the 4.3% delta. This uniformity across all six Cinebench tests is notable — the 8700T is consistently about 4% faster in both threaded and single-threaded rendering.

The 9700T’s response comes in the Geekbench suite, where it flips the script. In Geekbench multi-core, the 9700T scores 5503, while the 8700T scores 5168. That is a 6.5% advantage for the 9700T, which is the largest single delta in the entire comparison. The Geekbench single-core test also favors the 9700T, with a score of 1392 against 1343 for the 8700T, a 3.6% lead. These are not minor differences. The 6.5% multi-core win in Geekbench is roughly 50% larger than the 8700T’s biggest Cinebench win. This indicates that the 9700T’s architectural efficiency, with its 8 cores and 8 threads, translates better into Geekbench’s workload profile, which often rewards raw core count in ways that Cinebench does not.

Looking at the overall average benchmark score, the 8700T holds a slight edge. The 8700T’s average is 2701, while the 9700T sits at 2668. This is a difference of about 1.2%, which aligns with the 8700T’s broader but shallower dominance across the eight tests. The 9700T’s average is pulled down by its losses in the six Cinebench tests, despite its two decisive Geekbench wins. The percentile rankings for both are identical at 50, placing them in the middle of all CPUs tracked. Neither processor breaks out of the pack, but their internal dynamics are starkly different.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward conclusion: the Intel Core i7-8700T is the better choice for Cinebench-centric workloads, such as 3D rendering or any task that heavily utilizes the Cinebench engine. Its consistent 4.3% lead in multi-core R20, R23, and R15 tests is not massive, but it is reliable and reproducible. For users whose primary benchmark is Cinebench, the 8700T is the winner.

The Intel Core i7-9700T, however, is the pick for Geekbench-focused scenarios. Its 6.5% multi-core and 3.6% single-core wins are the largest margins in the entire comparison. If the target application suite aligns more closely with Geekbench’s mixed integer, floating-point, and memory tests, the 9700T’s 8-core, 8-thread configuration provides a tangible benefit that the 8700T cannot match.

In a tiebreaker scenario, consider the win counts: the 8700T wins 6 out of 8 tests. Even though its margins are smaller, the sheer number of victories suggests it is the more versatile performer for standardized multi-threaded rendering. The 9700T’s two wins are significant, but they are confined to a single benchmark family. Therefore, for a general-purpose recommendation based strictly on benchmark scores, the 8700T edges out the 9700T. For Geekbench-specific tasks, the 9700T is clearly superior.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher score in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-8700T scores 8698 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 4.3% higher than the Intel Core i7-9700T’s score of 8325.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two CPUs in any benchmark?

A: The largest gap is in Geekbench multi-core, where the Intel Core i7-9700T leads the Intel Core i7-8700T by 6.5%, with scores of 5503 versus 5168.

Q: How many benchmarks does each CPU win?

A: The Intel Core i7-8700T wins 6 out of the 8 head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-9700T wins the remaining 2 benchmarks, both in the Geekbench suite.

Q: Are the single-core performance differences consistent across Cinebench versions?

A: Yes, the single-core deltas are very consistent. In Cinebench R15, the 8700T leads by 4.1%; in R20, R23, and the single-core R23, the lead is 4.3% each time.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-9700T outperform the 8700T in any multi-core test?

A: Yes, in Geekbench multi-core, the 9700T scores 5503, which is 6.5% higher than the 8700T’s 5168.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-8700T has an average benchmark score of 2701, while the Intel Core i7-9700T has an average of 2668.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs share a fundamental platform: both are Intel parts on the LGA 1151 socket, using the Coffee Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process, with dual-channel DDR4 memory support and a 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth. They both feature the UHD Graphics 630 integrated GPU and lack ECC memory support. The PCIe configuration is identical as well, with Gen 3 and 16 lanes from the CPU.

The clear differentiator is the core and thread configuration. The Intel Core i7-9700T has 8 cores and 8 threads. In contrast, the Intel Core i7-8700T has 6 cores and 12 threads. This means the 9700T relies on more physical cores, while the 8700T uses hyper-threading to reach 12 threads from 6 cores. Clock speeds also differ. The 9700T has a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost clock of 4300 MHz. The 8700T starts higher at 2400 MHz base but boosts to a lower 4000 MHz. The TDP for both is 35 watts.

The die size differs, with the 9700T measuring 180.3 mm² and the 8700T at 154 mm². The L3 cache is the same at 12 MB, and L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB and 256 KB per core, respectively. The release dates place the 9700T later, launching on 2019-04-22, while the 8700T came out on 2018-04-01. The 9700T has a launch MSRP of $323, while the 8700T has no listed launch MSRP. Both are end-of-life products with locked multipliers. The 9700T is part of the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, while the 8700T is from the original Coffee Lake generation.

Architecture Differences

Architecturally, both CPUs are built on the Coffee Lake design and use the same 14 nm node from Intel. The key architectural divergence lies in the core topology. The 9700T is a Coffee Lake Refresh part, which in this specific configuration provides 8 physical cores without hyper-threading, resulting in 8 threads. The 8700T, from the original Coffee Lake generation, implements 6 physical cores with hyper-threading, yielding 12 threads. This is a fundamental difference in how they handle multi-threaded workloads: the 9700T uses brute-force core count, while the 8700T uses thread duplication.

The cache hierarchy is largely the same, with the shared 12 MB L3 cache being a point of parity. The per-core L1 and L2 caches are also identical. The process node is the same 14 nm, and the foundry is Intel for both. The integrated graphics are the same UHD Graphics 630. The memory support is also identical, with dual-channel DDR4 and the same 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. The PCIe implementation is identical as well, with Gen 3 and 16 lanes from the CPU.

The generation naming highlights the refresh status of the 9700T. It is listed as "Core i7 (Coffee Lake Refresh)", while the 8700T is "Core i7 (Coffee Lake)". This refresh status does not change the fundamental architecture but does come with the die size increase to 180.3 mm² from 154 mm², reflecting the additional two physical cores. The base clock is lower on the 9700T (2000 MHz vs 2400 MHz), but the boost clock is higher (4300 MHz vs 4000 MHz). This suggests the 9700T is designed to reach higher peak performance when needed, while the 8700T maintains a higher idle or low-load speed.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-8700T is the clear winner in Cinebench-based workloads. Across all three versions of Cinebench (R15, R20, R23), the 8700T takes both single-core and multi-core tests. The margins are consistent, hovering around 4.2% to 4.3%. This makes the 8700T a better fit for tasks that rely on the Cinebench engine, such as 3D rendering in Cinema 4D or similar software that uses that specific rendering path. The 8700T’s 12 threads, driven by hyper-threading, appear to provide a more efficient scheduling advantage in these tests compared to the 9700T’s 8 physical cores.

The Intel Core i7-9700T wins exclusively in the Geekbench suite. Its multi-core win is the most decisive of any benchmark, with a 6.5% lead. The single-core win is also notable at 3.6%. Geekbench’s workload is more diverse, testing things like image processing, machine learning, and cryptographic tasks. The 9700T’s 8 physical cores seem to excel here, suggesting that for general-purpose computing benchmarks and applications that mimic Geekbench’s mixed workload, the 9700T is the superior processor.

In summary, the 8700T is the pick for rendering and Cinebench-style tasks, while the 9700T is the pick for Geekbench-style general compute. The 8700T offers a broader set of wins (6 out of 8), but the 9700T’s wins are larger in magnitude. For a user who values consistency across a wide range of standardized tests, the 8700T is the safer bet. For a user who specifically cares about Geekbench scores, the 9700T is the clear choice.