Core i7-8706G vs Core i5-8260U

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 i5-8260U is on rank 239, so the Core i5-8260U 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 i5-8260U

#64

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

98%

#227

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

401%

#228

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

395%

#229

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

363%

#230

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

361%

#231

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

358%

#233

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

346%

#234

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

331%

#235

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

331%

#236

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

322%

#239

Core i5-8260U

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 Leadership: The Core i7-8706G delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-8260U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.9% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-8706G	Core i5-8260U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Kaby Lake G (2018) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-8706G	Core i5-8260U
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 i7-8706G Benchmark Check

Core i5-8260U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-8706G and Core i5-8260U

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.

Core i5-8260U

The Core i5-8260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 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: 7,316 points. Launch price was $297.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-8706G and Core i5-8260U 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 i5-8260U — a 5% clock advantage for the Core i7-8706G (base: 3.1 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Core i7-8706G uses the Kaby Lake G (2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-8260U uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-8706G scores 7,383 against the Core i5-8260U's 7,316 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i7-8706G. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-8706G vs 6 MB on the Core i5-8260U.

Feature	Core i7-8706G	Core i5-8260U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.1 GHz+5%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+94%	1.6 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 (2017−2019)
PassMark	7,383	7,316

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-8706G uses the FCBGA2270 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-8260U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.