Intel Core i7-8700K
The 8th-gen Coffee Lake chip that put Intel gaming back on the map in 2017, now a used-market relic on the long-dead LGA1151 platform.
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Why we rate it
- Six cores with HyperThreading
- Strong overclocking history
- Cheap LGA1151 ecosystem
- Proven platform stability
- Six cores showing their age
- LGA1151 is completely dead
Where the Intel Core i7-8700K wins and loses
Watch it in action
Intel Core i7-8700K vs Intel Intel Core i5-9600K
| IntelIntel Core i7-8700KThis page | IntelIntel Core i5-9600K | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 75 /100 | 75 /100 |
| Core count | — | 6 |
| Thread count | — | 6 |
| Base clock | — | 3.7 GHz |
| L3 cache | — | 9 MB |
Is the Intel Core i7-8700K right for you?
If you have a Z370 or Z390 board and want the best chip it supports without buying new hardware, the 8700K at a very low used price rounds out a capable system.
Don't pair the 8700K with new hardware. At any budget where you're spending on a new board or memory, a current-gen platform delivers significantly better value and performance.
Before you buy
Only at a very low used price on an existing LGA1151 board. For any fresh build, used Zen 3 chips like the Ryzen 5 5600X deliver better gaming and more threads at similar prices.
LGA1151 Z370 or Z390 boards for overclocking. B360, H370, and H310 boards lock the multiplier. The 8700K is a great OC chip but only on Z-series boards.
With manual OC to 5 GHz or beyond on quality cooling, it delivers competitive results for its core count. But modern chips with higher IPC and more cores outperform it at any clock speed.
Yes for light gaming and everyday tasks. Performance is noticeably behind current alternatives, but it runs Windows, handles games, and completes everyday tasks without issue on LGA1151.
Alternatives & similar cpus
