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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-7800X

2017

Why buy it

✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,114 vs 1,535).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,897 vs 7,969).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8.3 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 33.8 vs 42.1 PassMark/$ ($383 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.

Core i7-8700

2017

Why buy it

✅+37.8% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+45.5% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8.3 MB).
✅Costs $80 less on MSRP ($303 MSRP vs $383 MSRP).
✅Delivers 24.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 42.1 vs 33.8 PassMark/$ ($303 MSRP vs $383 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-7800X

2017

Core i7-8700

2017

Why buy it

✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+37.8% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+45.5% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8.3 MB).
✅Costs $80 less on MSRP ($303 MSRP vs $383 MSRP).
✅Delivers 24.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 42.1 vs 33.8 PassMark/$ ($303 MSRP vs $383 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,114 vs 1,535).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,897 vs 7,969).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8.3 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 33.8 vs 42.1 PassMark/$ ($383 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-8700 better than Core i7-7800X?

Yes. Core i7-8700 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 15.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-8700 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.7% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-8700 is the better fit. You are getting 15.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 45.5% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8.3 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i7-8700 is the smarter buy today. Core i7-8700 is $80 cheaper on MSRP at $303 MSRP versus $383 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 24.3% better value on MSRP (42.1 vs 33.8 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i7-8700 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 45.5% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8.3 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

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 i7-7800X Benchmark Check

Core i7-8700 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-7800X	Core i7-8700
1080p
low	182 FPS	183 FPS
medium	143 FPS	150 FPS
high	114 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	151 FPS	155 FPS
medium	117 FPS	125 FPS
high	92 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	87 FPS
medium	58 FPS	76 FPS
high	46 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i7-7800X Open Core i7-8700

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-7800X	Core i7-8700
1080p
low	236 FPS	319 FPS
medium	199 FPS	319 FPS
high	179 FPS	311 FPS
ultra	142 FPS	270 FPS
1440p
low	208 FPS	319 FPS
medium	175 FPS	312 FPS
high	158 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	130 FPS	245 FPS
4K
low	180 FPS	318 FPS
medium	156 FPS	264 FPS
high	137 FPS	240 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	200 FPS

Open Core i7-7800X Open Core i7-8700

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-7800X	Core i7-8700
1080p
low	324 FPS	319 FPS
medium	324 FPS	319 FPS
high	324 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	319 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	319 FPS
medium	324 FPS	319 FPS
high	324 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	319 FPS
4K
low	324 FPS	319 FPS
medium	324 FPS	319 FPS
high	310 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	240 FPS

Open Core i7-7800X Open Core i7-8700

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-7800X	Core i7-8700
1080p
low	324 FPS	319 FPS
medium	324 FPS	319 FPS
high	324 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	319 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	319 FPS
medium	324 FPS	319 FPS
high	324 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	319 FPS
4K
low	324 FPS	319 FPS
medium	324 FPS	319 FPS
high	324 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	319 FPS

Open Core i7-7800X Open Core i7-8700

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-7800X and Core i7-8700

Core i7-7800X

The Core i7-7800X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 12,963 points. Launch price was $383.

Core i7-8700

The Core i7-8700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12288 kB. L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 12,747 points. Launch price was $303.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-7800X and Core i7-8700 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-7800X versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i7-8700 — a 14% clock advantage for the Core i7-8700 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i7-7800X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-8700 uses Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-7800X scores 12,963 against the Core i7-8700's 12,747 — a 1.7% lead for the Core i7-7800X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 6,897 vs 7,969 (14.4% advantage for the Core i7-8700). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,114 vs 1,535, a 31.8% lead for the Core i7-8700 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 6,951 vs 6,200 (11.4% advantage for the Core i7-7800X). L3 cache: 8.25 MB (total) on the Core i7-7800X vs 12288 kB on the Core i7-8700.

Feature	Core i7-7800X	Core i7-8700
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.6 GHz+15%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	8.25 MB (total)	12288 kB+45%
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+300%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018)
PassMark	12,963+2%	12,747
Cinebench R23 Multi	6,897	7,969+16%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,114	1,535+38%
Geekbench 6 Multi	6,951+12%	6,200

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-7800X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-8700 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 4 (Core i7-7800X) vs 2 (Core i7-8700). PCIe lanes: 28 (Core i7-7800X) vs 16 (Core i7-8700) — the Core i7-7800X offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i7-7800X) and 300-series (Core i7-8700).

Feature	Core i7-7800X	Core i7-8700
Socket	LGA2066	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	28+75%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-7800X supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: Yes (Core i7-7800X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-8700). The Core i7-8700 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i7-7800X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-8700 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-8700 rivals Ryzen 5 2600.

Feature	Core i7-7800X	Core i7-8700
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	Yes	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-7800X launched at $383 MSRP, while the Core i7-8700 debuted at $303. On MSRP ($383 vs $303), the Core i7-8700 is $80 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-7800X delivers 33.8 pts/$ vs 42.1 pts/$ for the Core i7-8700 — making the Core i7-8700 the 21.7% better value option.