Intel Core i7-8700

Intel Core i7-8700 is a desktop processor from Intel built on the Coffee Lake architecture and manufactured on a 14 nm process. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The chip fits Intel Socket 1151, carries a 65 W TDP, integrates UHD Graphics 630, and uses a 154 mm² die. Cache is organized as 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. It supports dual-channel DDR4 with 42.7 GB/s of memory bandwidth, exposes PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, and does not support ECC memory. The part number is SR3QS, the launch MSRP was $303, and the release date was 2017-10-04. Production status is end-of-life, and the multiplier is locked. The average benchmark score is 19894, placing it at the 78th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Benchmark Performance

The composite average benchmark score of 19894 places the Core i7-8700 at the 78th percentile of all CPUs tracked in this database. The nearest rivals show a remarkably tight grouping around that number. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX averages 19928, a delta of -0.2% from the i7-8700. The Intel Core i7-11600H averages 19949, a delta of -0.3%. The Intel Core i5-12400 averages 19850, a delta of +0.2%. The Intel Core i7-9700 averages 19831, a delta of +0.3%. All four deltas are 0.3% or smaller, which means the composite score alone does not strongly separate this processor from any of its closest neighbors.

The individual Cinebench results provide more granular detail. In Cinebench R15, the i7-8700 scores 1092 in multi-core and 154 in single-core. In Cinebench R20, the scores are 4553 and 642. In Cinebench R23, the scores are 10841 and 1530. The Passmark results follow the same shape: multithread score 12756 and single-thread score 2629. These values form the workload-specific backbone of the aggregate score.

The Passmark sub-tests in the database cover a broad range of instruction behavior. Data compression reaches 187009, while integer math scores 44881. Floating-point math is 27839, and random string sorting is 23963. Extended instructions score 12432, and data encryption scores 4488. The physics test records 732, and the prime-number search test records 35. That wide spread is important: the i7-8700's aggregate standing is a blend of many very different workload types, and its usefulness for any particular task depends on which sub-score is most relevant.

Power and Thermals

The Core i7-8700 operates in the 65 W TDP class. That TDP places it in the mainstream desktop thermal envelope rather than in the high-core-count extreme segment. A cooling solution designed for the 65 W class is the implied requirement, and the chip does not demand exotic cooling hardware. The 14 nm process and 154 mm² die are the physical context for that thermal target.

The locked multiplier is relevant to thermals because it limits user-controlled clock multiplier changes. The processor's thermal behavior is tied to its stock operating points rather than overclocking headroom. The integrated UHD Graphics 630 is also present on the package, so systems that use integrated graphics still have that capability inside the same component.

The dual-channel DDR4 memory interface runs at 42.7 GB/s, and the CPU provides 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. Those specifications are platform-level considerations, but they do not alter the CPU's thermal classification. For system designers, the headline thermal fact from the data is the 65 W TDP and the mainstream cooling tier that it implies.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The single-thread and multi-thread scores show a clear performance split. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 10841 while the single-core score is 1530. The same relationship appears in Cinebench R20, with 4553 multi-core versus 642 single-core, and in Cinebench R15, with 1092 multi-core versus 154 single-core. The multi-core scores are substantially higher than the single-core scores in every version of the test.

Passmark tells a similar story at a broader level. The multithread score is 12756, while the single-thread score is 2629. Within the Passmark sub-tests, integer math scores 44881 and floating-point math scores 27839. Data compression scores 187009, and random string sorting scores 23963. Extended instructions score 12432, while data encryption scores 4488. Physics scores 732, and the prime-number search test scores 35.

The consistent gap between single-thread and multi-thread results indicates that the i7-8700 is best used in workloads that can address more than one thread at a time. For applications that load all available threads, the multi-core and multithread scores are the relevant references. For latency-sensitive tasks where only a single thread matters, the single-core scores—1530 in Cinebench R23 and 2629 in Passmark—are the better predictor of behavior.

The sub-test spread also shows that not every workload benefits equally from the 12 threads. The very low prime-number search score of 35 and the physics score of 732 sit far below the integer and floating-point math scores. The benchmark results therefore indicate a processor with strong multi-thread throughput in some code paths but less compelling results in other specific instruction patterns.

Who Should Consider It

The i7-8700 is suited to desktop workloads that can use its 6 cores and 12 threads. Multi-threaded creation and batch-oriented tasks are the clearest match, given the R23 multi-core score of 10841 and the Passmark multithread score of 12756. Users who run rendering, encoding, or similar parallel workloads will find the multi-core data more relevant than the single-thread data.

For gaming, the single-thread results are the stronger reference. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1530 and the Passmark single-thread score of 2629 indicate solid performance for lightly threaded game workloads. The 6-core/12-thread configuration also offers headroom for background tasks running alongside gaming, though the locked multiplier means enthusiasts cannot push clocks manually.

Office and general desktop use is also well covered. The integrated UHD Graphics 630 removes the need for a discrete graphics card in systems that can operate on integrated graphics, and the dual-channel DDR4 interface at 42.7 GB/s provides the memory bandwidth for everyday workloads. The PCIe Gen 3, 16-lane CPU interface supports expansion options.

The chip is not a match for all scenarios. It does not support ECC memory, so ECC-dependent workstation or server configurations are excluded. The end-of-life production status means it is a legacy part in this database, and the Socket 1151 requirement constrains motherboard compatibility. The locked multiplier also means it is not aimed at overclocking-focused builders.

How It Compares

Against the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX, the Core i7-8700 records an average score of 19894 versus 19928, a delta of -0.2%. The Threadripper PRO holds a slightly higher composite score in this database, but the gap is minimal and the two parts sit in the same performance band by this metric.

Against the Intel Core i5-12400, the Core i7-8700 records an average score of 19894 versus 19850, a delta of +0.2%. The i7-8700 is the higher-scoring part in this pairing, though again by a very narrow margin.

Against the Intel Core i7-11600H, the Core i7-8700 records an average score of 19894 versus 19949, a delta of -0.3%. This is the largest negative delta among the nearest rivals, but it still places the two processors essentially alongside each other in aggregate performance.

Against the Intel Core i7-9700, the Core i7-8700 records an average score of 19894 versus 19831, a delta of +0.3%. This is the largest positive delta in the nearest-rival group, and it makes the i7-8700 the faster part in this particular comparison.