Core i7-880 vs Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-880 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-9700K offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.73 GHz on the Core i7-880 versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K — a 27.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.06 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i7-880 uses the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-9700K uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-880 scores 3,429 against the Core i7-9700K's 14,397 — a 123.1% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-880 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K.

The Core i7-880 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-9700K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Core i7-880 versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K — the Core i7-9700K supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-9700K supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: P55,H55,H57,Q57 (Core i7-880) and Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K).

Virtualization support: Yes (Core i7-880) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i7-880 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

The Core i7-880 launched at $583 MSRP, while the Core i7-9700K debuted at $385. At current prices ($40 vs $200), the Core i7-880 is $160 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-880 delivers 85.7 pts/$ vs 72.0 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700K — making the Core i7-880 the 17.4% better value option.