Intel Core i7 8700K 6-core LGA1151

The i7-8700K posts a single-core PassMark score of 2,715, which still lands in the top quarter of our database and keeps it relevant for gaming. Owners consistently report hitting 5GHz overclocks with a decent cooler, and at USD 109 on the low end, it's a solid value. But the LGA 1151 platform is dead, there's no stock cooler, and you'll need a 300-series board to run it.

The single-core score of 2,715 lands in the top quarter of all processors we track. That's the number that matters most for gaming, and it explains why this chip still holds up in 2025. The multi-core score of 13,567 is solid, about average for modern six-core chips, but the real story is overclocking. With the unlocked multiplier and a good cooler, users in our database report stable 5GHz all-core overclocks. That pushes single-core performance into territory that competes with much newer hardware.

The 4.7GHz boost clock is already respectable out of the box, and the 3.7GHz base keeps idle power draw in check. The 95W TDP is manageable, though it climbs fast once you start pushing voltage for overclocks. The integrated UHD Graphics 630 is fine for basic display output, but nobody's buying this chip for the iGPU. If you're gaming, you're pairing this with a discrete GPU, period.

Against the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, the 8700K gets absolutely demolished in multi-core workloads. The 7800X3D is a modern eight-core chip with 3D V-Cache that's in a completely different performance class. But it also costs several times more. The Dell Xeon E5-2637 V2 is an interesting comparison, it's a server chip with lower clock speeds and worse single-core performance, which is why the 8700K beats it handily for gaming despite being older. The MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi isn't even a CPU, it's a motherboard, so that comparison is moot. The real takeaway: the 8700K's single-core score of 2,715 keeps it relevant for gaming, but its multi-core score of 13,567 shows its age against modern eight-core and twelve-core chips. If you're building new, a modern Ryzen 5 or Core i5 will beat it in most tasks. If you're upgrading an existing Coffee Lake system, this is still a meaningful step up from an i5-8400 or i3-8100.

Pricing is all over the place depending on where you shop. In the US, we're seeing listings from USD 109 to USD 169 across six different vendors. That's a USD 60 spread for the same chip, so shop around. The lower end of that range is genuinely good value for a six-core, twelve-thread unlocked processor that still games well. The higher end starts to feel less compelling when you factor in the cost of a Z370 or Z390 board and a decent cooler. In Europe, the spread is even wider, EUR 211 to EUR 423 across eight listings. At EUR 211 this is a solid budget pick. At EUR 423 you're paying too much for a chip that's seven years old. The sweet spot is finding one of those lower-priced listings and pairing it with a used motherboard.

The i7-8700K posts a PassMark multi-core score of 13,567 and a single-core score of 2,715. Those numbers put it in the top third of our database for both categories, which is impressive for a chip that's been around since 2017. Six cores, twelve threads, and a 4.7GHz boost clock mean this thing still handles modern games and everyday multitasking without breaking a sweat. The 12MB of L3 cache helps too, especially in workloads that bounce between applications.

But here's the thing: this is an old platform. You're locked into LGA 1151 with 300-series motherboards only, and DDR4 memory. That's not a dealbreaker if you're building a budget gaming rig or upgrading an existing Coffee Lake system, but it does cap your upgrade path. The 95W TDP is reasonable, and the unlocked multiplier is the real star here. Owners in our database consistently report hitting 5GHz with a decent cooler, which transforms this chip into something that punches way above its price class.

Skip this if you're building a new system from scratch. The platform is end-of-life, DDR4 only, and you'll be paying for a motherboard that has zero upgrade path. The multi-core score of 13,567 is middle of the pack by modern standards, so productivity users doing heavy rendering or video editing will feel the age. Also skip it if you're not willing to buy an aftermarket cooler, there's no stock cooler in the box, and the 95W TDP plus overclocking headroom means you'll need something better than a basic heatsink. If you're paying anywhere near the high end of the price range, USD 169 or EUR 423, you're overpaying for seven-year-old silicon.

The i7-8700K is a weird mix of aging platform and still-relevant performance. The single-core score of 2,715 is genuinely good, and the overclocking headroom is the best part of this chip. Owners in our database consistently hit 5GHz, and that transforms gaming performance. But you're buying into a dead platform. No upgrade path, DDR4 only, and you need a 300-series board. If you can find one at the low end of the price range, around USD 109, and you already have a compatible motherboard, this is a no-brainer upgrade. If you're building from scratch, you're probably better off putting that money toward a modern budget platform. The 4.8-star customer rating across 5,349 reviews tells you that people who bought this chip are happy with it. Just know what you're getting into.