Intel Core i7-8700 Review: Stock Cooler Falls Flat
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Tom’s Hardware Verdict
Intel’s Core i7-8700 is surprisingly similar to the company’s more expensive -8700K in our benchmarks. You do lose the ability to overclock, but save $50 dollars in the exchange. Unfortunately, Intel’s bundled cooler isn’t able to cope with the -8700’s thermal output, which means you need an aftermarket solution to realize the CPU’s peak performance.
Pros
- +
Small real-world performance difference compared to Core i7-8700K
- +
Lower price than the -8700K
Cons
- —
Bundled cooler is not sufficient
- —
Locked ratio multiplier
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The Core i7-8700 Review
Intel’s Core i7-8700 packs all of the Coffee Lake architecture’s goodness into a 65W envelope, including six Hyper-Threaded cores, the benefits of 14nm++ manufacturing, and higher Turbo Boost clock rates than previous-generation CPUs.
Although it’s handicapped somewhat by a locked ratio multiplier, stymieing enthusiasts looking for a 5 GHz+ overclock, Core i7-8700 does feature operating frequencies that come close to the flagship -8700K. As a result, its performance is often similar in real-world tasks. And yet, the vanilla -8700 costs $50 less. That’s a win if you weren’t planning to overclock anyway.
Great benchmark results and an attractive price also put Core i7-8700 up against AMD’s revamped Ryzen 7 line-up. Specifically, it’s forced to contend with Ryzen 7 2700’s eight cores, 16 threads, unlocked multiplier, affordable motherboard support, and capable cooler. Particularly on that last point, Intel’s solution is severely deficient.
You see, Intel’s thermal design power specification applies to the CPU’s base frequency. But its processors exceed that rating when they jump to higher Turbo Boost bins. We found that the Core i7-8700 can overwhelm Intel’s bundled heat sink and fan during certain heavily-threaded workloads, negatively affecting performance.
You’ll have to purchase a better thermal solution for any chance at realizing Core i7-8700’s highest Turbo Boost frequencies. Naturally, the CPU loses some of its luster as a result.
- AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (AMD Ryzen 7) at Newegg for $159.99
Intel Core i7-8700
Core i7-8700 may be destined to live in the -8700K’s shadow. But again, it does feature the same complement of six cores, 12MB of L3 cache, and DDR4-2666-capable memory controller. Like all of Intel’s Core i7, i5, and i3 models, the i7-8700 comes with an integrated UHD Graphics 630 engine that gives Intel a leg up over competing Ryzen 7 and 5 processors without any on-die graphics.
Unfortunately, due to Coffee Lake’s lack of backward compatibility, you do need a 300-series motherboard if you’re upgrading from an older platform.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Row 0 — Cell 0 | IntelCore i7-8700K | IntelCore i7-8700 | AMD Ryzen 7 2700X | AMD Ryzen 7 2700 | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | Intel Core i5-8600K | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i5-8400 |
| MSRP | $359 | $303 | $329 | $299 | $229 | $257 | $199 | $182 |
| Process | 14nm++ | 14nm++ | GloFo 12nm LP | GloFo 12nm LP | GloFo 12nm LP | 14nm++ | GloFo 12nm LP | 14nm++ |
| Cores/Threads | 6/12 | 6/12 | 8/16 | 8/16 | 6/12 | 6/6 | 6/12 | 6/6 |
| TDP | 95W | 65W | 105W | 65W | 95W | 95W | 65W | 65W |
Base Freq. (GHz) |
3.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 2.8 |
| Precision Boost Freq. (GHz) | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.0 |
| Cache (L3) | 12MB | 12MB | 16MB | 16MB | 16MB | 9MB | 16MB | 9MB |
| Unlocked Multiplier | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 630 (1200 MHz) | UHD Graphics 630 (1200 MHz) | No | No | No | UHD Graphics 630 (1150 MHz) | No | UHD Graphics 630 (1150 MHz) |
| Cooler | No | Intel Stock | 105W Wraith Prism (LED) | 95W Wraith Spire (LED) | 95W Wraith Spire | No | 65W Wraith Stealth | Intel Stock |
Intel is infamous for aggressively segmenting its portfolio, meaning it trims frequencies, only makes overclocking available on premium models, turns Hyper-Threading on and off, and disables cores to create lower-priced models.
Of course, the company did this with its seventh-gen Core CPUs, too. The Core i7-7700 was multiplier-locked, while the -7700K catered to enthusiasts. But Intel capped the -7700’s top Turbo Boost bin at a mere 4.2 GHz. Core i7-8700 isn’t as constrained. Its four-core ceiling is 4.4 GHz, while six active cores reach up to 4.3 GHz, just like Core i7-8700K. In most workloads, the 500 MHz base frequency difference between Core i7-8700 and -8700K quickly disappears as Turbo Boost kicks in.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Frequencies | Base | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Intel Core i7-8700K | 3.7 GHz | 4.7 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 4. 4 GHz |
4.3 GHz |
| Intel Core i7-8700 | 3.2 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 4.5 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 4.3 GHz |
| Intel Core i7-7700K | 4.2 GHz | 4.5 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 4.4 GHz | — |
| Intel Core i7-7700 | 3.6 GHz | 4.2 GHz | 4.1 GHz | 4.0 GHz | — |
MORE: Best CPUs
MORE: Intel & AMD Processor Hierarchy
MORE: All CPUs Content
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The Core i7-8700 Review
Next Page The Stock Cooler Dilemma & Test Setup
Paul Alcorn is the Deputy Managing Editor for Tom’s Hardware US.
He writes news and reviews on CPUs, storage and enterprise hardware.
Tom’s Hardware is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site .
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Intel Core i7-8700 Review & Benchmarks
TLDR: Intel has created a real monster with the i7-8700. While the rated 65W TDP shouldn’t be taken seriously, the CPU is a beast for gaming and productivity. However, if you can afford it the 8700K is the better buy.
80
Overall
Score
EFFICIENCY70
PERFORMANCE90
VALUE80
WHERE TO BUY
Intel Core i7-7800From $329.99
Buy Here
Intel has been at the forefront of CPU development for many years now. When they launched their newest line of 6-core desktop Coffee Lake CPU’s I was intrigued by the Core i7-8700. A 6-core 12-thread 4.3GHz CPU that is rated for a 65W TDP. Lets take a look at the performance.
Packaging and Cooler
In the box you will find the CPU, stock Intel cooler, and manual. The included cooler used to make sense up to the 4-core i7-7700. Now that we have moved to 6 cores it is practically useless. It won’t be able to handle to the heat output of the 8700 at anything close to load, so make sure you have a beefier cooler ready to go.
i7-8700 CPU Specifications
| Process | 14nm |
| Socket | LGA 1151 |
| Max Memory | 64GB DDR4 |
| Graphics | Intel 630 |
| Base Clock | 3.2GHz |
| Boost Clock (all cores) | 4.3GHz |
| Single Core Boost | 4.6GHz |
| Cache | 12MB |
| TDP | 65W |
i7-8700 Benchmarks
| Cinebench | 1419 |
| CPU-Z | 3888. 5 multi core510.3 single core |
| Geekbench | 25507 multi core 5614 single core |
| Passmark: CPU Test | 16527 |
| 3D Mark: CPU Test | 7761 |
i7-8700 Power Draw
One of the most attractive things about non K, non overclock-able CPU’s is lower power draw. The 8700 has a TDP of 65W. The CPU doesn’t really come anywhere close to that under load however. Below you will find average power draw numbers for the CPU when at various states.
| IDLE | 35W |
| GAMING | 71W |
| RENDERING | 113W |
| Prime 95 | 117W |
While the power draw is nowhere near its rated number under load conditions. When gaming or doing normal tasks it sits at around 71W or below. This falls in line with what I was expecting.
To be honest I was expecting the 8700 to pull more watts at load.
Cooling Performance
Cooling performance is probably the biggest letdown with this CPU. In the past, the non K version of Intel’s top tier desktop CPU’s could be cooled with a variety of low profile coolers. This is not the case for the i7-8700.
I tested the chip with the Noctua NH-L9i, Thermolab LP53, and Noctua NH-L65. These represent some of the best compact coolers on the market.
| NH-L9i | LP53 | NH-L65 | |
| Idle | 32C | 31C | 31C |
| Gaming | 63C | 62C | 59C |
| 90-100% Load – Rendering | 100C | 100C | 100C |
| 100% Load – Prime 95 | 100C | 100C | 100C |
As you see in the results, under heavy load none of these coolers were able to keep the i7-8700 from hitting it’s TJ Max temperature.
This is really unfortunate, if you are a small form factor builder this is a punch in the gut.
To properly cool the CPU I had to go with a larger Noctua NH-L12S air cooler, and the Corsair Hydro H55 liquid cooler.
| NH-L12S | H55 | |
| Idle | 30C | 30C |
| Gaming | 55C | 58C |
| 90-100% Load – Rendering | 77C | 83C |
| 100% Load – Prime 95 | 82C | 86C |
Conclusion
The Intel Core i7-8700 is an interesting CPU. At its current price of $329.99 it offers really strong performance. However for and additional $30 you can grab an i7-8700K which offers even more performance.
With the inability to cool this CPU via low profile coolers, it is really hard to recommend over an 8700K. Unless you need to save every penny, I would aim for he overclock-able version.
Our review of the Core i7 8700 processor — is it worth buying?
In this note, we will leave a real review of the Intel Core i7 8700 processor. Traditionally, we look at product reviews before buying on the wizemart.ru website, which actually collects reviews from many price aggregators and online computer equipment stores. It should be noted that most of the reviews provide information only about this processor and do not provide a comparative presentation when considering it with a competitor. The main competitor of the Intel Core i7 8700 processor is the AMD Ryzen 1700 processor, which costs the same as the OEM version of the Intel Core i7 8700 processor. In this article, we will make a brief comparison with this processor and give objective arguments that allowed us to make choice in favor of the Intel Core i7 8700.
So, this is a new processor on the old 14nm process. The processor belongs to the Coffee Lake processor family and has a claimed heat dissipation level of 65 watts.
In fact, this is far from the case. If you turn off all additional power-saving technologies at full CPU load, you will easily go beyond 85 watts. This must be taken into account when buying a cooling system for it. To work without resetting frequencies due to overheating, a heat pipe cooling system with a 120 mm fan is quite enough, there are a great many of them on the market at a price of 30-40 US dollars. If you still overheat, then you need to check the set operating frequency of the VCORE processor. Normally, it is equal to 1.2 volts. Tried to play with the decline. At 1.1 volts, the start is successful, but some tests report an error. It is reported that many specimens work fine at a voltage of 1.15-1.75 volts. But this is no longer essential, so we did not play with this parameter.
The heat transfer problem with the processor is due to poor thermal paste under the processor cover, so at a maximum operating temperature of 100 degrees, you will see 80-85 degrees at maximum loads.
You should not be afraid — this is a variant of the norm for this processor.
About performance. The Intel Core i7 8700 at the time of writing costs almost the same as the AMD Ryzen 7 1700. Yes, the latter has a free multiplier, eight cores and excellent thermal conductivity to the processor cover, but buying it at almost the same price you do not get the following. First, there will be no integrated graphics. Secondly, AMD Ryzen 7 1700 is faster than Intel Core i7 8700 only when all cores are 100% loaded, and this speed is about 2% due to the presence of two additional cores. At the same time, with performance per core, the AMD Ryzen 7 1700 is inferior to the Intel Core i7 8700 by all 31%, as can be seen in the summary testing in CPU-Z.
At the same time, AMD Ryzen 7 1700 performance is highly dependent on the frequency of RAM, so you will have to pay extra for high-frequency modules. And the Intel Core i7 8700 has an excellent RAM controller, so all the tests obtained in the screenshot above were obtained on the cheapest DDR4 2400 Mhz RAM from Crucial without any overclocking.
Therefore, Intel Core i7 8700 is worth buying, but you need to get a good cooler. Enthusiasts can overpay for the Intel Core i7 8700K, but here you can’t do without replacing the thermal interface with liquid metal with your own handles — with any overclocking, you will run into the maximum temperature. At the same time, it should be understood that when calculating per 1 watt of power consumption, the Intel Core i7 8700 is more productive and to unlock its potential, you do not need to purchase more expensive motherboards that the Intel Core i7 8700K requires.
Intel Core i7-8700? — 31 secret facts, review, features, reviews.
Top specifications and features
- PassMark CPU score
- Heat dissipation (TDP)
- Technological process
- CPU base clock
- Number of threads
PassMark CPU score
Intel Core i7-8700?:
14649.713
Best score:
89379
Test results
Intel Core i7-8700?:
114734
Best score:
Performance
Intel Core i7-8700?:
3590
Best score:
Memory Specification
Intel Core i7-8700?:
1625
Best score:
Interfaces and communications
Intel Core i7-8700?:
179
Best score:
Description
Intel Core i7-8700 processor? operates at a frequency of 2.
4 Hz. At the same time, the maximum frequency in Boost mode reaches 4.6 Hz. The L1 cache is 384 KB, L2 1.5 MB and L3 12 MB. Power consumption at peak times can reach 65 watts.
What is the maximum number of threads an Intel Core i7-8700 can handle? – 12.
Intel Core i7-8700? works on 14 nm architecture.
Regarding memory specification. Processor Intel Core i7-8700? supports DDR4. The frequency of RAM is 2666. The maximum supported volume is 64 MB. The maximum memory bandwidth is 42.7. The number of memory channels supported is 2. The base frequency of the graphics system is 350 MHz. And the maximum frequency of the graphics system can reach 1.2 MHz.
Now about the tests of the Intel Core i7-8700?. According to PassMark, the processor scored 14649.713 of the possible points. Based on the analysis of more than 4000 processors, Intel Core i7-8700? took 309th place in the ranking of the best.
Why Intel Core i7-8700? better than others
- PassMark CPU score 14649.
713 . This parameter is higher than that of 47% of goods - Thermal Dissipation (TDP) 65 W. This parameter is lower than 46% of
- Technological process 14 nm. This parameter is lower than that of 87% of goods
- Number of threads 12 . This parameter is higher than that of 62% of goods
- L1 cache size 384 KB. This parameter is higher than that of 43% of goods
products
- The base clock frequency of the processor is 2.4 GHz. This parameter is lower than that of 44% of products
- L2 cache size 1.5 MB. This parameter is lower than 34% of products
- L3 cache size 12 MB. This parameter is lower than that of 17% of goods
Intel Core i7-8700 review?
Test results
Performance
Memory specification
Interfaces and communications
Main characteristics
Intel Core i7-8700 Review?: Highlights
PassMark CPU score
The PassMark benchmark considers read speed, write speed, and seek time when testing SSD performance.
Show all
14649.713
max 89379
Average: 6033.5
89379
Number of threads
The more threads, the higher the performance of the processor, and it will be able to perform several tasks at the same time.
Show all
12
max 256
Average: 10.7
256
L1 cache size
Large amount of L1 memory speeds up results in CPU and system performance settings
Show all
384KB
max 4608
Average: 299.3 KB
4608KB
L2 Cache Size
L2 cache with large scratchpad memory to increase processor speed and overall system performance.
Show all
1.5MB
max 512
Average: 4.5 MB
512MB
L3 cache size
Large amount of L3 memory accelerates results in CPU and system performance settings
Show all
12MB
max 768
Average: 16.3 MB
768MB
Maximum Turbo Clock Speed
When the processor’s speed drops below its limit, it can jump to a higher clock speed to improve performance.
Show all
4.6GHz
max 5.5
Average: 3.2 GHz
5.5GHz
Processor base clock speed
2.4GHz
max 4.7
Average: 2.
5 GHz
4.7GHz
Unlocked CPU multiplier
Some processors have an unlocked multiplier, which makes them faster and better in games and other applications.
Show all
Yes
Turbo Boost technology
Turbo Boost is a technology that allows the processor to operate at a frequency higher than the maximum. This increases its productivity (including when performing complex tasks)
Show all
2
Mean: 1.9
2
Max. graphics system frequency
1.2GHz
max 1.55
Average: 1.1 GHz
1.55GHz
Number of PCI-Express lanes
16
DDR version
4
Mean: 3.
5
5
Max. memory bandwidth
This is the speed at which the device stores or reads information.
42.7GB/s
max 352
Average: 41.4 GB/s
352GB/s
Memory frequency
RAM can be faster to improve system performance.
Show all
2666MHz
max 4800
Average: 2106.2 MHz
4800MHz
Max. number of memory channels
The greater their number, the higher the data transfer rate from memory to processor
2
max 16
Mean: 2.9
16
Max.
memory size
The largest amount of RAM memory.
64 GB
max 6000
Average: 404.4 GB
6000GB
System bus frequency
Data between computer components and other devices is transferred via the bus.
Show all
8 GT/s
max 1600
Average: 156.1 GT/s
1600 GT/s
Intel® AES-NI Commands
AES is required to speed up encryption and decryption.
Yes
OpenGL
Used by some applications to enable GPU power for non-graphical calculations. The newer the version, the more functional it will be
Show all
4.5
max 4.
6
Mean: 4.4
4.6
AVX
AVX allows you to increase the speed of calculations in multimedia, financial and scientific applications, it also improves the performance of Linux RAID.
Full text
Yes
Version sse
Allows you to speed up multimedia tasks (such as adjusting the sound intensity). Each subsequent version has a number of improvements
Show all
4.2
max 4.2
Average: 4.1
4.2
Process technology
The small size of the semiconductor means it is a new generation chip.
14 nm
Average: 36.8 nm
5nm
Thermal Dissipation (TDP)
Thermal Dissipation Requirements (TDP) is the maximum amount of energy that can be dissipated by the cooling system.
The lower the TDP, the less power will be consumed.
Show in full
65W
Average: 67.6W
0.025W
PCI Express Revision
3
Mean: 2.9
5
GPU base clock
The graphics processing unit (GPU) has a high clock speed.
350MHz
max 2400
Average: 535.8 MHz
2400MHz
Supports 64-bit system
A 64-bit system, unlike a 32-bit system, can support more than 4 GB of RAM. This increases productivity. It also allows you to run 64-bit applications.
Full text
Yes
DirectX
Used in demanding games providing enhanced graphics
12
max 12.
1
Average: 12
12.1
Maximum processor temperature
If the maximum temperature at which the processor operates is exceeded, a reset may occur.
Show all
100°C
max 110
Average value: 96 °C
110°C
OpenGL
Used by some applications to enable GPU power for non-graphical calculations. The newer the version, the more functional it will be
Show all
4.5
max 4.6
Mean: 4.4
4.6
Turbo GPU
If the speed of the GPU drops below its limit, then to improve performance, it can go to a high clock speed.
Show all
1200MHz
max 2100
Average: 1091 MHz
2100MHz
Monitor support
Multiple monitors can be connected to the device, which makes it easier to work by increasing the working space.
Show all
3
Mean: 2.9
4
Maximum temperature Tcase
72°C
max 105
Average: 75.1 °C
105°C
FAQ
How much RAM does the Intel Core i7-8700 support??
Intel Core i7-8700? supports 64 GB.
How fast is the Intel Core i7-8700 5600X??
The processor runs at 2.4 GHz.
Is the multiplier unlocked on the Intel Core i7-8700??
Yes
How does the Intel Core i7-8700 perform? in benchmarks?
According to PassMark Intel Core i7-8700? scored 14649.713 points.
What is the frequency of the Intel Core i7-8700 processor??
Processor Intel Core i7-8700? operates at a frequency of 2.4 Hz.
What is the maximum frequency of the Intel Core i7-8700??
In this case, the maximum frequency in Boost mode reaches 4.