Core i5-8260U vs Core i7-7820HK

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-8260U is positioned at rank 239 and the Core i7-7820HK is on rank 892, so the Core i5-8260U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8260U

#64

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

98%

#227

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

401%

#228

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

395%

#229

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

363%

#230

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

361%

#231

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

358%

#233

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

346%

#234

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

331%

#235

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

331%

#236

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

322%

#239

Core i5-8260U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-7820HK

#880

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1499%

#881

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1477%

#882

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1356%

#883

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1350%

#884

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1338%

#886

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1292%

#887

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1239%

#888

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1237%

#889

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1203%

#892

Core i7-7820HK

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

100%

#895

Pentium B940

MSRP: $134|Avg: $11

100%

#896

Core i5-8305G

MSRP: $350|Avg: $350

99%

#897

Celeron 6305

MSRP: $107|Avg: $80

99%

#900

Core i7-8705G

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

97%

#902

Pentium Dual Core T2410

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

97%

#903

FX-8800P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $45

97%

#904

Core i7-8809G

MSRP: $450|Avg: $450

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Analysis: Based on specifications, the Core i7-7820HK shows stronger theoretical performance metrics.

Insight	Core i5-8260U	Core i7-7820HK
Gaming	Balanced gaming performance	Balanced gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($378)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Kaby Lake-H (2017) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-8260U	Core i7-7820HK
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($378)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-8260U Benchmark Check

Core i7-7820HK Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-8260U and Core i7-7820HK

Core i5-8260U

The Core i5-8260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,316 points. Launch price was $297.

Core i7-7820HK

The Core i7-7820HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-H (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,397 points. Launch price was $378.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-8260U and Core i7-7820HK share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i5-8260U versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i7-7820HK — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i5-8260U uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-7820HK uses Kaby Lake-H (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8260U scores 7,316 against the Core i7-7820HK's 7,397 — a 1.1% lead for the Core i7-7820HK. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i5-8260U vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-7820HK.

Feature	Core i5-8260U	Core i7-7820HK
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	2.9 GHz+81%
L3 Cache	6 MB	8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Kaby Lake-H (2017)
PassMark	7,316	7,397+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8260U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-7820HK uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.