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 i7-8700

2017

Why buy it

✅+31% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Core i7-9700E.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 42.1 vs 48.6 PassMark/$ ($303 MSRP vs $259 MSRP).

Core i7-9700E

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $44 less on MSRP ($259 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 48.6 vs 42.1 PassMark/$ ($259 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,172 vs 1,535).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,800 vs 7,969).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i7-8700.

Core i7-8700

2017

Core i7-9700E

2019

Why buy it

✅+31% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Core i7-9700E.

Why buy it

✅Costs $44 less on MSRP ($259 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 48.6 vs 42.1 PassMark/$ ($259 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 42.1 vs 48.6 PassMark/$ ($303 MSRP vs $259 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,172 vs 1,535).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,800 vs 7,969).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i7-8700.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-8700 better than Core i7-9700E?

Yes. Core i7-8700 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 17.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 1.4% higher PassMark, 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 0.9% more average FPS across 50 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 17.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i7-8700 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-9700E makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-8700 is 17.0% more expensive on MSRP at $303 MSRP versus $259 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700E is also 15.4% better value on MSRP (48.6 vs 42.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i7-9700E is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i7-8700 Benchmark Check

Core i7-9700E Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-8700	Core i7-9700E
1080p
low	183 FPS	171 FPS
medium	150 FPS	146 FPS
high	122 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	155 FPS	145 FPS
medium	125 FPS	122 FPS
high	101 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	79 FPS
medium	76 FPS	72 FPS
high	60 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i7-8700 Open Core i7-9700E

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-8700	Core i7-9700E
1080p
low	319 FPS	309 FPS
medium	319 FPS	267 FPS
high	311 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	270 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	319 FPS	278 FPS
medium	312 FPS	246 FPS
high	283 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	318 FPS	222 FPS
medium	264 FPS	200 FPS
high	240 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	165 FPS

Open Core i7-8700 Open Core i7-9700E

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-8700	Core i7-9700E
1080p
low	319 FPS	314 FPS
medium	319 FPS	314 FPS
high	319 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	314 FPS
1440p
low	319 FPS	314 FPS
medium	319 FPS	314 FPS
high	319 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	314 FPS
4K
low	319 FPS	314 FPS
medium	319 FPS	314 FPS
high	302 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	271 FPS

Open Core i7-8700 Open Core i7-9700E

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-8700	Core i7-9700E
1080p
low	319 FPS	314 FPS
medium	319 FPS	314 FPS
high	319 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	314 FPS
1440p
low	319 FPS	314 FPS
medium	319 FPS	314 FPS
high	319 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	314 FPS
4K
low	319 FPS	314 FPS
medium	319 FPS	314 FPS
high	319 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	314 FPS

Open Core i7-8700 Open Core i7-9700E

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-8700 and Core i7-9700E

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.

Core i7-9700E

The Core i7-9700E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 12,575 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-8700 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-9700E offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9700E has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i7-8700 versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i7-9700E — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-8700 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-8700 uses the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-9700E uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8700 scores 12,747 against the Core i7-9700E's 12,575 — a 1.4% lead for the Core i7-8700. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 7,969 vs 6,800 (15.8% advantage for the Core i7-8700). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,535 vs 1,172, a 26.8% lead for the Core i7-8700 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 6,200 vs 6,802 (9.3% advantage for the Core i7-9700E). L3 cache: 12288 kB on the Core i7-8700 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700E.

Feature	Core i7-8700	Core i7-9700E
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 8+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+23%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	12288 kB	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018)	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark	12,747+1%	12,575
Cinebench R23 Multi	7,969+17%	6,800
Geekbench 6 Single	1,535+31%	1,172
Geekbench 6 Multi	6,200	6,802+10%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1151 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: 300-series (Core i7-8700) and H310,B360,H370,Q370,Z370,Z390 (Core i7-9700E).

Feature	Core i7-8700	Core i7-9700E
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-8700) vs Yes (Core i7-9700E). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-8700) and UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700E) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-8700 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-8700 rivals Ryzen 5 2600.

Feature	Core i7-8700	Core i7-9700E
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	Yes
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-8700 launched at $303 MSRP, while the Core i7-9700E debuted at $259. On MSRP ($303 vs $259), the Core i7-9700E is $44 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-8700 delivers 42.1 pts/$ vs 48.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700E — making the Core i7-9700E the 14.3% better value option.