Core i7-8700K vs Xeon Silver 4215
Core i7-8700K
Xeon Silver 4215
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-8700K
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Silver 4215
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-8700K | Xeon Silver 4215 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($160) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-8700K | Xeon Silver 4215 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($160) | ✅ 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 i7-8700K and Xeon Silver 4215
Core i7-8700K
The Core i7-8700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 October 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 12288 kB. L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,572 points. Launch price was $359.
Xeon Silver 4215
The Xeon Silver 4215 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 11 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 85 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 13,728 points. Launch price was $794.
Processing Power
The Core i7-8700K packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon Silver 4215 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon Silver 4215 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-8700K versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Silver 4215 — a 29.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-8700K (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i7-8700K uses the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Silver 4215 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8700K scores 13,572 against the Xeon Silver 4215's 13,728 — a 1.1% lead for the Xeon Silver 4215. L3 cache: 12288 kB on the Core i7-8700K vs 11 MB on the Xeon Silver 4215.
| Feature | Core i7-8700K | Xeon Silver 4215 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 8 / 16+33% |
| Boost Clock | 4.7 GHz+34% | 3.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.7 GHz+48% | 2.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12288 kB+9% | 11 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 8 MB+3100% |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) | Cascade Lake (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 13,572 | 13,728+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-8700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Silver 4215 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-8700K | Xeon Silver 4215 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | LGA3647 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
The Core i7-8700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon Silver 4215 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i7-8700K | Xeon Silver 4215 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel UHD Graphics 630 | — |
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