Core i7-8700 vs Ryzen 5 5500U
Core i7-8700
Ryzen 5 5500U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 i7-8700 is positioned at rank 483 and the Ryzen 5 5500U is on rank 73, so the Ryzen 5 5500U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-8700
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 5500U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-8700 | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($110) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) / 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-8700 | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($110) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-8700 and Ryzen 5 5500U
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.
Ryzen 5 5500U
The Ryzen 5 5500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 12,736 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Core i7-8700 and Ryzen 5 5500U share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i7-8700 versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500U — a 14% clock advantage for the Core i7-8700 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-8700 uses the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5500U uses Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8700 scores 12,747 against the Ryzen 5 5500U's 12,736 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-8700. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 7,969 vs 6,900 (14.4% advantage for the Core i7-8700). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,535 vs 1,100, a 33% lead for the Core i7-8700 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 6,200 vs 5,200 (17.5% advantage for the Core i7-8700). L3 cache: 12288 kB on the Core i7-8700 vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5500U.
| Feature | Core i7-8700 | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 4.6 GHz+15% | 4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+52% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12288 kB+50% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512K (per core)+100% |
| Process | 14 nm | 7 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) | Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) |
| PassMark | 12,747 | 12,736 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 7,969+15% | 6,900 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,535+40% | 1,100 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 6,200+19% | 5,200 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-8700 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 5500U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-8700 versus DDR4 3200 MHz on the Ryzen 5 5500U — the Ryzen 5 5500U supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-8700 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-8700) vs 12 (Ryzen 5 5500U) — the Core i7-8700 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 300-series (Core i7-8700) and FP6 (Ryzen 5 5500U).
| Feature | Core i7-8700 | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | FP6 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | DDR4 3200 MHz |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB+100% | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+33% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-8700) vs true (Ryzen 5 5500U). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-8700) and AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega 7) (Ryzen 5 5500U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-8700 targets Gaming, Ryzen 5 5500U targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i7-8700 rivals Ryzen 5 2600.
| Feature | Core i7-8700 | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics 630 | AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega 7) |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | true |
| Target Use | Gaming | Mobile |
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