Core i7-8706G
VS
Core i5-8257U

Core i7-8706G vs Core i5-8257U

Intel

Core i7-8706G

4 Cores8 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2018
VS
Intel

Core i5-8257U

4 Cores8 Thrd1 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2019

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 i7-8706G is positioned at rank 916 and the Core i5-8257U is on rank 235, so the Core i5-8257U 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 i7-8706G

#904
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1589%
#905
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1566%
#906
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1438%
#907
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1431%
#908
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1418%
#910
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1369%
#911
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1313%
#912
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1311%
#913
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1276%
#916
Core i7-8706G
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#919
Core i5-8365UE
MSRP: $297|Avg: $297
99%
#921
A6 Pro-7050B
MSRP: $100|Avg: $15
99%
#923
Athlon II N370
MSRP: $60|Avg: $10
98%
#928
A8-6410
MSRP: $100|Avg: $40
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8257U

#64
Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
97%
#223
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
395%
#224
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
389%
#225
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
357%
#226
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
356%
#227
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
352%
#229
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
340%
#230
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
326%
#231
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
326%
#232
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
317%
#235
Core i5-8257U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-8706G leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-8257U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.6% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightCore i7-8706GCore i5-8257U
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Kaby Lake G (2018) / 14 nm)
✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i7-8706GCore i5-8257U
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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-8706G and Core i5-8257U

Intel

Core i7-8706G

The Core i7-8706G is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake G (2018) 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: FCBGA2270. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,383 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i5-8257U

The Core i5-8257U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 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 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 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: 7,427 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-8706G and Core i5-8257U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Core i7-8706G versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i5-8257U — a 5% clock advantage for the Core i7-8706G (base: 3.1 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Core i7-8706G uses the Kaby Lake G (2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-8257U uses Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8706G scores 7,383 against the Core i5-8257U's 7,427 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i5-8257U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-8706G vs 6 MB on the Core i5-8257U.

FeatureCore i7-8706GCore i5-8257U
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 8
Boost Clock
4.1 GHz+5%
3.9 GHz
Base Clock
3.1 GHz+121%
1.4 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)+33%
6 MB
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
1 MB+300%
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Kaby Lake G (2018)
Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark
7,383
7,427
Cinebench R23 Multi
4,017
Geekbench 6 Single
1,100
Geekbench 6 Multi
4,000
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-8706G uses the FCBGA2270 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-8257U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-8706GCore i5-8257U
Socket
FCBGA2270
FCBGA1528
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-8706G) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-8257U). The Core i5-8257U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645), while the Core i7-8706G requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-8257U targets Ultrabook.

FeatureCore i7-8706GCore i5-8257U
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Ultrabook