Core i7-8557U vs Core i7-7920HQ

Core i7-8557U

4 Cores8 Thrd1 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2019

Core i7-7920HQ

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2017

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-8557U

4 / 8

7,309

0.0%

7,322

+0.2%

About PassMark

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 i7-8557U is positioned at rank 802 and the Core i7-7920HQ is on rank 980, so the Core i7-8557U 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 i7-8557U

#790

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1212%

#791

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1195%

#792

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1097%

#793

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1092%

#794

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1082%

#796

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1045%

#797

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1002%

#798

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1000%

#799

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

973%

#802

Core i7-8557U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#803

Core i7-1365UE

MSRP: $429|Avg: $429

100%

#805

3020e

MSRP: $100|Avg: $25

99%

#809

Athlon II M320

MSRP: $75|Avg: $15

99%

#810

Celeron B800

MSRP: $80|Avg: $5

99%

#811

Celeron B710

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

99%

#813

Athlon II Neo K345

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-7920HQ

#967

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1956%

#968

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1927%

#969

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1769%

#970

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1761%

#971

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1745%

#973

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1685%

#974

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1616%

#975

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1613%

#976

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1570%

#980

Core i7-7920HQ

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#981

Athlon II Neo K125

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

99%

#985

Pro A8-8600B

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

98%

#990

Pentium 8500

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

97%

#991

A6-8500P

MSRP: $100|Avg: $16

96%

#993

Core i7-4700EQ

MSRP: $378|Avg: $180

96%

#994

Core i3-8145UE

MSRP: $281|Avg: $50

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-8557U leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i7-7920HQ is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.2% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i7-8557U	Core i7-7920HQ
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Kaby Lake-H (2017) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-8557U	Core i7-7920HQ
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 i7-8557U Benchmark Check

Core i7-7920HQ Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-8557U and Core i7-7920HQ

Core i7-8557U

The Core i7-8557U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 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: 7,309 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-7920HQ

The Core i7-7920HQ 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 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 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: 7,322 points. Launch price was $378.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-8557U and Core i7-7920HQ share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-8557U versus 4.1 GHz on the Core i7-7920HQ — a 9.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-8557U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i7-8557U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-7920HQ uses Kaby Lake-H (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8557U scores 7,309 against the Core i7-7920HQ's 7,322 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-7920HQ. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Core i7-8557U vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-7920HQ.

Feature	Core i7-8557U	Core i7-7920HQ
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz+10%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	1.7 GHz	3.1 GHz+82%
L3 Cache	8 MB	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)	Kaby Lake-H (2017)
PassMark	7,309	7,322

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-8557U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-7920HQ uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.