8600K vs 7600k: Intel Core i5-7600K vs i5-8600K

Intel Core i5-7600K vs Intel Core i5-8600K: What is the difference?

53points

Intel Core i5-7600K

56points

Intel Core i5-8600K

Comparison winner

vs

66 facts in comparison

Intel Core i5-7600K

Intel Core i5-8600K

Why is Intel Core i5-7600K better than Intel Core i5-8600K?

  • Has an unlocked multiplier?
  • 2 higher clock multiplier?
    38vs36

Why is Intel Core i5-8600K better than Intel Core i5-7600K?

  • 42.11% faster CPU speed?
    6 x 3.6GHzvs4 x 3.8GHz
  • 266MHz higher ram speed?
    2666MHzvs2400MHz
  • 2 more CPU threads?
    6vs4
  • 0.5MB bigger L2 cache?
    1.5MBvs1MB
  • 38.56% higher PassMark result?
    12854vs9277
  • 3MB bigger L3 cache?
    9MBvs6MB
  • 128KB bigger L1 cache?
    384KBvs256KB
  • 4. 3GB/s more memory bandwidth?
    42.7GB/svs38.4GB/s

Which are the most popular comparisons?

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 7 1700

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

Intel Core i7-7700K

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

Intel Core i7-8700K

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 5 1600X

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

Intel Core i5-9600K

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

Intel Core i5-6600K

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 3 4300U

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

Intel Core i7-4790K

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

Intel Core i7-6700

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

Intel Core i7-4790K

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

Intel Core i7-7700K

Intel Core i5-7600K

vs

Intel Core i5-7400

Intel Core i5-8600K

vs

Intel Core i5-10400

Price comparison

User reviews

Performance

CPU speed

4 x 3. 8GHz

6 x 3.6GHz

The CPU speed indicates how many processing cycles per second can be executed by a CPU, considering all of its cores (processing units). It is calculated by adding the clock rates of each core or, in the case of multi-core processors employing different microarchitectures, of each group of cores.

CPU threads

More threads result in faster performance and better multitasking.

turbo clock speed

4.2GHz

4.3GHz

When the CPU is running below its limitations, it can boost to a higher clock speed in order to give increased performance.

Has an unlocked multiplier

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✖Intel Core i5-8600K

Some processors come with an unlocked multiplier which makes them easy to overclock, allowing you to gain increased performance in games and other apps.

L2 cache

A larger L2 cache results in faster CPU and system-wide performance.

L3 cache

A larger L3 cache results in faster CPU and system-wide performance.

L1 cache

A larger L1 cache results in faster CPU and system-wide performance.

L2 core

0.25MB/core

0.25MB/core

More data can be stored in the L2 cache for access by each core of the CPU.

L3 core

1.5MB/core

1.5MB/core

More data can be stored in the L3 cache for access by each core of the CPU.

Benchmarks

PassMark result

This benchmark measures the performance of the CPU using multiple threads.

PassMark result (single)

This benchmark measures the performance of the CPU using a single thread.

Geekbench 5 result (multi)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures a processor’s multi-core performance. (Source: Primate Labs, 2022)

Cinebench R20 (multi) result

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Cinebench R20 is a benchmark tool that measures a CPU’s multi-core performance by rendering a 3D scene.

Cinebench R20 (single) result

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Cinebench R20 is a benchmark tool that measures a CPU’s single-core performance by rendering a 3D scene.

Geekbench 5 result (single)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures a processor’s single-core performance. (Source: Primate Labs, 2022)

Blender (bmw27) result

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

The Blender (bmw27) benchmark measures the performance of a processor by rendering a 3D scene. More powerful processors can render the scene in less time.

Blender (classroom) result

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

The Blender (classroom) benchmark measures the performance of a processor by rendering a 3D scene. More powerful processors can render the scene in less time.

performance per watt

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

This means the CPU is more efficient, giving a greater amount of performance for each watt of power used.

Integrated graphics

GPU clock speed

350MHz

350MHz

The graphics processing unit (GPU) has a higher clock speed.

GPU turbo

1150MHz

1150MHz

When the GPU is running below its limitations, it can boost to a higher clock speed in order to give increased performance.

GPU execution units

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

A graphics processing unit (GPU) with a greater number of execution units can deliver better graphics.

supported displays

Using multiple displays you can create a larger workspace, making it easier to work across multiple apps.

DirectX version

DirectX is used in games, with newer versions supporting better graphics.

OpenGL version

OpenGL is used in games, with newer versions supporting better graphics.

OpenCL version

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Some apps use OpenCL to apply the power of the graphics processing unit (GPU) for non-graphical computing. Newer versions introduce more functionality and better performance.

texture mapping units (TMUs)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

TMUs take textures and map them to the geometry of a 3D scene. More TMUs will typically mean that texture information is processed faster.

render output units (ROPs)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

The ROPs are responsible for some of the final steps of the rendering process, writing the final pixel data to memory and carrying out other tasks such as anti-aliasing to improve the look of graphics.

Memory

RAM speed

2400MHz

2666MHz

It can support faster memory, which will give quicker system performance.

maximum memory bandwidth

38.4GB/s

42.7GB/s

This is the maximum rate that data can be read from or stored into memory.

DDR memory version

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

DDR (Double Data Rate) memory is the most common type of RAM. Newer versions of DDR memory support higher maximum speeds and are more energy-efficient.

memory channels

More memory channels increases the speed of data transfer between the memory and the CPU.

maximum memory amount

The maximum amount of memory (RAM) supported.

bus transfer rate

The bus is responsible for transferring data between different components of a computer or device.

Supports ECC memory

✖Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

Error-correcting code memory can detect and correct data corruption. It is used when is it essential to avoid corruption, such as scientific computing or when running a server.

eMMC version

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

A higher version of eMMC allows faster memory interfaces, having a positive effect on the performance of a device. For example, when transferring files from your computer to the internal storage over USB.

bus speed

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

The bus is responsible for transferring data between different components of a computer or device.

Features

uses multithreading

✖Intel Core i5-7600K

✖Intel Core i5-8600K

Multithreading technology (such as Intel’s Hyperthreading or AMD’s Simultaneous Multithreading) provides increased performance by splitting each of the processor’s physical cores into virtual cores, also known as threads. This way, each core can run two instruction streams at once.

Has AES

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

AES is used to speed up encryption and decryption.

Has AVX

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

AVX is used to help speed up calculations in multimedia, scientific and financial apps, as well as improving Linux RAID software performance.

SSE version

SSE is used to speed up multimedia tasks such as editing an image or adjusting audio volume. Each new version contains new instructions and improvements.

Has F16C

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

F16C is used to speed up tasks such as adjusting the contrast of an image or adjusting volume.

bits executed at a time

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

NEON provides acceleration for media processing, such as listening to MP3s.

Has MMX

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

MMX is used to speed up tasks such as adjusting the contrast of an image or adjusting volume.

Has TrustZone

✖Intel Core i5-7600K

✖Intel Core i5-8600K

A technology integrated into the processor to secure the device for use with features such as mobile payments and streaming video using digital rights management (DRM).

front-end width

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

The CPU can decode more instructions per clock (IPC), meaning that the CPU performs better

Price comparison

Which are the best CPUs?

Intel Core i5-8600K vs Intel Core i5-7600K

Summary

  • Intel Core i5-8600K

    129%

  • Intel Core i5-7600K

    100%

Relative performance

  • Intel Core i5-8600K

    104%

  • Intel Core i5-7600K

    100%

Relative performance

  • Intel Core i5-8600K

    154%

  • Intel Core i5-7600K

    100%

Relative performance

Reasons to consider Intel Core i5-8600K
Much higher multi threaded performance (around 54% higher). This allows for higher performance in professional applications like encoding or heavy multitasking.
This is a newer product, it might have better application compatibility/performance (check features chart below).
Around 29% higher average synthetic performance.
Reasons to consider Intel Core i5-7600K
None

Gaming

HWBench recommends Intel Core i5-8600K

Based on game and synthetic benchmarks, and theoretical specifications.


Productivity

HWBench recommends Intel Core i5-8600K

Based on productivity benchmarks, overall multithreaded performance and theoretical specifications.

Features
Intel Core i5-8600K Intel Core i5-7600K
MMX
SSE
SSE2
SSE3
SSSE3
SSE4. 2
AVX
AVX2
EIST
Intel 64
XD bit
VT-x
VT-d
AES-NI
TSX
TXT
CLMUL
FMA3
F16C
BMI1
BMI2
Boost 2.0

Architecture
Intel Core i5-8600K Intel Core i5-7600K
Architecture Intel_Coffelake vs Intel_Kabylake
Market Desktop vs Desktop
Memory Support DDR4 vs DDR4
Codename Coffee Lake vs Kaby Lake
Release Date Jan 2018 vs Sep 2016

Cores
Intel Core i5-8600K Intel Core i5-7600K
Cores 6 vs 4
Threads 6 vs 4
SMPs 1 vs 1
Integrated Graphics Intel UHD 630 vs Intel HD Graphics 630

Cache
Intel Core i5-8600K Intel Core i5-7600K
L1 Cache 64 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 Cache 256 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)
L3 Cache 9216 KB (shared) vs 6144 KB (shared)

Physical
Intel Core i5-8600K Intel Core i5-7600K
Socket Intel Socket 1151 vs Intel Socket 1151
Max Case Temp 72°C vs 72°C
Package FC-LGA1151 vs
Die Size 151mm² vs unknown
Process 14 nm vs 14 nm

Performance
Intel Core i5-8600K Intel Core i5-7600K
Cpu Frequency 3600 MHz vs 3800 MHz
Turbo Clock 4300 MHz vs 4000 MHz
Base Clock 100 MHz vs 100 MHz
Voltage unknown vs unknown
TDP 95 W vs 95 W
  • Intel Core i5-8600K

    5160 points

  • Intel Core i5-7600K

    4800 points

Points — higher is better

  • Intel Core i5-8600K

    25920 points

  • Intel Core i5-7600K

    18240 points

Points — higher is better

  • Intel Core i5-8600K

    1038

  • Intel Core i5-7600K

    674

points — higher is better

  • Intel Core i5-8600K

    187

  • Intel Core i5-7600K

    179. 5

points — higher is better

Intel Core i5-7600K vs Intel Core i5-8600K: What is the difference?

53 BALLLA

Intel Core i5-7600k

56 Ballla

Intel Core i5-8600K

Winter when comparing

VS

66 Facts compared to

9000 3,0003

INTH Why is Intel Core i5-7600K better than Intel Core i5-8600K?

  • Has an unlocked multiplier?
  • 2 higher hour multiplier?
    38 vs 36

Why is Intel Core i5-8600K better than Intel Core i5-7600K?

  • 42.11% higher CPU speed?
    6 x 3.6GHz vs 4 x 3.8GHz
  • 266MHz higher RAM speed?
    2666MHz vs 2400MHz
  • 2 more CPU threads?
    6 vs 4
  • 0.5MB more L2 cache?
    1.5MB vs 1MB
  • 38.56% higher PassMark score?
    12854 vs 9277
  • 3MB more L3 cache?
    9MB vs 6MB
  • 128KB more L1 cache?
    384KB vs 256KB
  • 4. 3GB/s more memory bandwidth?
    42.7GB/s vs 38.4GB/s

Which comparisons are the most popular?

AMD Ryzen 5 5500U

vs

Intel Core i5-1135G7

AMD RYZEN 3 5300U

VS

Intel Core i3-1115g4

AMD Ryzen 5 5600x

AMD Ryzen 7 5700x

9000 ITEL CORE INTEL INTL Ryzen 7 5700G

VS

AMD Ryzen 7 5700x

AMD Ryzen 7 5800h

VS

Intel Core i7-11800H

Intel Core I3-1115G4

VS

Intel Core I5-1135G 5600G

VS

AMD Ryzen 5 5600x

AMD Ryzen 7 5700u

VS

Intel Core i7-1165G7

AMD Ryzen 5 5500u

9000 900g4 9000 9000 9000 9000

Performance

CPU speed

4 x 3.8GHz

6 x 3.6GHz

CPU speed indicates how many processing cycles per second a processor can perform, considering all its cores (processors). It is calculated by adding the clock speeds of each core or, in the case of multi-core processors, each group of cores.

processor thread

More threads result in better performance and better multitasking.

turbo clock speed

4.2GHz

4.3GHz

When the processor is running below its limits, it can jump to a higher clock speed to increase performance.

Has unlocked multiplier

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✖Intel Core i5-8600K

Some processors come with an unlocked multiplier and are easier to overclock, allowing for better performance in games and other applications.

L2 Cache

More L2 scratchpad memory results in faster results in CPU and system performance tuning.

L3 cache

More L3 scratchpad memory results in faster results in CPU and system performance tuning.

L1 cache

More L1 cache results in faster results in CPU and system performance tuning.

L2 core

0.25MB/core

0.25MB/core

More data can be stored in the L2 scratchpad for access by each processor core.

L3 core

1.5MB/core

1.5MB/core

More data can be stored in L3 scratchpad for access by each processor core.

Geotagging

PassMark result

This benchmark measures CPU performance using multithreading.

PassMark result (single)

This benchmark measures processor performance using a thread of execution.

Geekbench 5 result (multi-core)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures the performance of a multi-core processor. (Source: Primate Labs, 2022)

Cinebench R20 result (multi-core)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Cinebench R20 is a test that measures the performance of a multi-core processor by rendering a 3D scene.

Cinebench R20 result (single core)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Cinebench R20 is a test to evaluate the performance of a single core processor when rendering a 3D scene.

Geekbench 5 result (single core)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures the single-core performance of a processor. (Source: Primate Labs, 2022)

Blender test result (bmw27)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Blender benchmark (bmw27) measures CPU performance by rendering a 3D scene. More powerful processors can render a scene in a shorter time.

Blender result (classroom)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

The Blender (classroom) benchmark measures CPU performance by rendering a 3D scene. More powerful processors can render a scene in a shorter time.

performance per watt

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

This means that the processor is more efficient, resulting in more performance per watt of power used.

Integrated graphics

GPU clock speed

350MHz

350MHz

The graphics processing unit (GPU) has a higher clock speed.

turbo GPU

1150MHz

1150MHz

When the GPU is running below its limits, it can jump to a higher clock speed to increase performance.

GPU Executors

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

A graphics processing unit (GPU) with more execution units can provide better graphics.

monitor support

By using multiple displays, you can increase your workspace, making it easier to work across multiple applications.

version of DirectX

DirectX is used in games with a new version that supports better graphics.

OpenGL version

The newer the OpenGL version, the better graphics quality in games.

OpenCL version

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

Some applications use OpenCL to use the power of the graphics processing unit (GPU) for non-graphical computing. Newer versions are more functional and better quality.

texture units (TMUs)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

TMUs take texture units and map them to the geometric layout of the 3D scene. More TMUs generally means texture information is processed faster.

imaging units ROPs

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

ROPs are responsible for some of the final steps of the rendering process, such as writing the final pixel data to memory and for performing other tasks such as anti-aliasing to improve the appearance of graphics.

Memory

RAM speed

2400MHz

2666MHz

Can support faster memory which speeds up system performance.

maximum memory bandwidth

38. 4GB/s

42.7GB/s

This is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored in memory.

DDR memory version

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

DDR (Dynamic Dynamic Random Access Memory Double Data Rate) is the most common type of RAM. New versions of DDR memory support higher maximum speeds and are more energy efficient.

memory channels

More memory channels increase the speed of data transfer between memory and processor.

maximum memory

Maximum memory (RAM).

bus baud rate

A bus is responsible for transferring data between various components of a computer or device.

Supports memory troubleshooting code

✖Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

Memory troubleshooting code can detect and repair data corruption. It is used when necessary to avoid distortion, such as in scientific computing or when starting a server.

eMMC version

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

The newer version of eMMC — built-in flash memory card — speeds up the memory interface, has a positive effect on device performance, for example, when transferring files from a computer to internal memory via USB.

bus frequency

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

The bus is responsible for transferring data between various components of a computer or device

, Intel’s Hyperthreading or AMD’s Simultaneous Multithreading) delivers faster performance by dividing each physical processor core into logical cores, also known as threads. Thus, each core can run two instruction streams at the same time.

Has AES

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

AES is used to speed up encryption and decryption.

Has AVX

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

AVX is used to help speed up calculations in multimedia, scientific and financial applications, and to improve the performance of the Linux RAID program.

version of SSE

SSE is used to speed up multimedia tasks such as editing images or adjusting audio volume. Each new version contains new instructions and improvements.

Has F16C

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

F16C is used to speed up tasks such as adjusting image contrast or adjusting volume.

bits transmitted at the same time

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

NEON provides faster media processing such as MP3 listening.

Has MMX

✔Intel Core i5-7600K

✔Intel Core i5-8600K

MMX is used to speed up tasks such as adjusting image contrast or adjusting volume.

Has TrustZone

✖Intel Core i5-7600K

✖Intel Core i5-8600K

Technology is integrated into the processor to ensure device security when using features such as mobile payments and digital rights management (DRM) video streaming .

interface width

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-7600K)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Intel Core i5-8600K)

The processor can decode more instructions per clock (IPC), which means that the processor performs better

Price comparison

Which CPUs are better?

Intel Core i5-8600K Overview — CPUAgent

The Core i5-8600K is one of the Intel mid-range Desktop processors. it was released in 2017 with 6 cores and 6 threads. with a base frequency of 3.6 GHz, a maximum speed of 4.3 GHz and a power rating of 95 W. The Core i5-8600K is based on the Coffee Lake family, 14nm and is part of the Core i5 series.

The Core i5-8600K is also the successor to Intel’s latest generation Core i5-7600K processor, which was based on the Kaby Lake-S process and 14nm and was released in 2017.

In our opinion, the best processors are those that provide outstanding performance at a reasonable price. and Core i5-8600K is fully consistent with this concept.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t quite mean high single-core performance, even if Intel is closer than ever to AMD’s core-to-core mapping. in our geekbench and cinebench single-core tests, the Core i5-8600K scored 4561 and 183, respectively. it’s definitely a huge jump over the Core i5-7600K, but it’s slower than the Ryzen 5 2600X, which scored 4823 and 176 on the same tests. but it’s still a small difference, so the multi-core gain usually outweighs them.

it’s something Core i5-8600K. Intel is spinning the tdp dial up to 95w on this 6-core 6-thread chip making it a high performance counterpart to the 65w Core i5-8500 which is essentially the same 14nm chip built with Coffee Lake microarchitecture but with a lower tdp rating. this chip comes from our first look at the Editors’ Choice Coffee Lake series, came close to AMD’s Ryzen 5 2600X, so it’s fair to say we have high hopes for a more capable model. Intel still hasn’t provided a printable sample of the chip, so we bought it at retail and put it under a microscope.

but we also found that after a simple push-button overclocking, the Core i5-8500 offers the same performance as the Core i5-8600K even when also overclocked. but $70 less. The Core i5-8600K is an impressive chip and without a doubt offers a better combination of performance than AMD’s Ryzen 5 2400G, but in this case, job seekers can opt for its less expensive sibling.

like the more expensive version of the Core i5-8500, the Core i5-8600K has higher base and boost frequencies of 3. 6 and 4.3 GHz, respectively. it’s an increase in base frequency and an increase in clock frequency, but the real benefit should be a higher packet power tracking (ppt) envelope, which is a measure of the maximum amount of power delivered to a socket. The maximum output of the Core i5-8500 is 65W, while the motherboard can pump up to 142W to the Core i5-8600K at maximum performance. This opens up much more aggressive acceleration behavior on both single and multiple cores, which could widen the performance gap beyond what we see in the spec.

The Intel Core i5-8600K was released on Oct 2017 for $257, which places it in the same general price range as the latest generation Core i5-7600K. This means that, at least, we do not see significant price jumps from generation to generation.

The Intel Core i5-8600K is another impressive release from Intel and its Generation 8 Core i5. with it you get 6 cores and 6 threads clocked at 4.3 GHz. It may not be the strongest contender ever made on paper, but when you see and feel the real performance boost it offers, you’ll definitely get a lot of money for your $257.

However, be aware that if you already have something like the Core i5-7600K, this generation doesn’t offer much of a performance boost. you may want to wait another year or so before dropping a few hundred dollars, or even want to splurge on a more expensive but more expensive chip.

so what should you buy? let’s get this out of the way. before this comparison review, we updated our best processor feature and said you should go with the Ryzen 5 2600X as it comes with a better stock cooler, it can be overclocked and the AM4 platform offers a much better way to upgrade.

for general computing, the Ryzen 5 2600X can take advantage of multi-threading and be significantly faster than the Core i5-8600K in heavy application workloads. remember that the Core i5-8600K is only slightly faster than the Core i5-7600K, so you can safely use the old model as a measuring stick. for rendering and encoding workloads, the Ryzen 5 2600X can be up to 33% faster.

beyond gaming, this is an easy win for the Ryzen 5 2600X. Ryzen 5 upgrade path on A320, B350, B450, X370, X470, X570 motherboards, all support the new Zen+ processors. So if you buy a nice A320, B350, B450, X370, X470, X570 board now with a Ryzen 5 2600X, you can install a Coffee Lake processor later this year or whenever you feel like it.

for a 6-core processor, Intel’s $257 flagship Core i5-8600K processor seems downright cheap. on paper, the cost of those 0 extra cores is almost minor when compared to its direct competitor, the $229 229 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 2600X.

if advanced overclocking and overclocking are trivial for you, Intel also offers the Core i5-8500 for $202. it still features 6 cores and 6 threads, but runs at a slower 3 GHz frequency and only peaks at 4.1 GHz.

Now the biggest question is: Can an Intel Core i5 processor play games? The answer is simply yes, as it achieved a respectable gaming score of 88% in our tests.