Intel Core i7 11700 8-core LGA 1200

The Intel Core i7-11700 is an 8-core, 16-thread desktop CPU with strong single-thread performance and solid multi-thread chops for gaming and productivity. It runs hot and pulls more power than the 65W TDP suggests, so budget for a better cooler. At the low end of its price range it's a good buy, especially as an LGA 1200 upgrade.

The 11700 posts a PassMark multi-thread score of 20,600 and a single-thread score of 3,257. In our database, that single-thread number is a standout, and the multi-thread result is strong for an 8-core part at this price point. In practice, that means snappy everyday use, fast game loads, and enough headroom for 1080p and 1440p gaming when paired with a real GPU. The integrated UHD 750 graphics are fine for desktop work and older titles, but nobody should buy this chip expecting to game without a discrete card.

Power behavior is the catch. The 65W TDP is more of a suggestion once turbo kicks in. With power limits removed on many motherboards, this chip can pull well past 125W and get toasty. Our efficiency score of 81.5 out of 100 reflects that trade-off: good performance, but you'll feel it in thermals and your power bill if you run it hard. The included boxed cooler keeps it functional at stock settings, but sustained all-core loads will push temperatures up fast.

Against the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the 11700 gets outclassed in gaming and efficiency, but that's also a much newer and pricier chip on a different platform. The 9800X3D is in a different league for cache-heavy games. The 11700's real competition is older Ryzen 7 parts like the 5800X, where the Intel chip holds its own in single-thread but falls behind in multi-thread efficiency and thermals. Compared to something like a Core i5-11400, the 11700 gives you two extra cores and higher clocks, which matters for productivity and streaming. But if you're mostly gaming, the i5-11400 delivers most of the experience for less money and with similar thermal quirks.

If you already have an LGA 1200 board, the 11700 is a reasonable drop-in upgrade from a 10th Gen i5 or i7. If you're building fresh, think hard about whether you want to invest in a dead-end socket. AM4 and LGA 1700 both offer more future flexibility.

Pricing for the Core i7-11700 is all over the place right now. In the US, we're seeing listings from USD 264 to USD 539 across just two vendors. That's a USD 275 spread, which is wild for the same chip. If you're shopping in the US, the lower end of that range is where this CPU makes sense. In Canada, prices run from CAD 337 to CAD 509, a CAD 172 gap. The cheapest CAD listing is the one to target. At the low end, the 11700 is a genuinely good deal for an 8-core chip with this level of single-thread punch. At the high end, you're better off looking at newer platforms or a Ryzen 5000 series part.

The Intel Core i7-11700 is an 8-core, 16-thread desktop processor from Intel's 11th Gen Rocket Lake lineup. It sits in that mid-to-upper tier for LGA 1200 builds, with a 2.5GHz base clock, 4.9GHz boost, 16MB of L3 cache, and a 65W TDP that stretches to 125W under turbo. You get Intel UHD Graphics 750 on the die, PCIe 4.0 support, and a boxed cooler in the package. It's aimed at everyday desktop users who want solid gaming and productivity without jumping to a K-series chip or a whole new platform.

Is the Core i7-11700 good for gaming? For most people, yes. The single-thread performance lands in the 84th percentile of our database, which means it handles games that lean on one or two cores really well. The multi-thread score of 20,600 in PassMark puts it well above average too, so streaming, video editing, and multitasking won't choke it. Just don't expect it to hang with newer 12th or 13th Gen chips in heavy all-core workloads.

One thing to know up front: this is still a 14nm part. Intel squeezed a lot out of that node, but it runs warm when you let it stretch its legs. The stock cooler works, barely. If you plan to push sustained loads, budget for a decent aftermarket cooler.

Skip the Core i7-11700 if you're building a brand new system and don't already own an LGA 1200 motherboard. The platform is end of life, so there's no meaningful CPU upgrade path. If you mostly game and don't need 8 cores, a Core i5-11400 or a Ryzen 5 5600 will save you money and run cooler. And if you're seeing prices near the top of the USD 264 to USD 539 range, walk away. At that point you're paying new-platform money for old-platform silicon.

Should you buy the Intel Core i7-11700? If you can grab it near the low end of the price range and you already own a compatible 400 or 500 series motherboard, it's a solid yes. The single-thread performance is genuinely good, the 8 cores give you room to grow, and it's stable and easy to install. Buyers consistently rate it well, with a 4.7 out of 5 across 599 reviews.

But if you're building a new system from scratch, or you're seeing prices near the top of that USD 264 to USD 539 range, pump the brakes. The thermals are a real annoyance, the stock cooler is weak, and the LGA 1200 platform is a dead end. A Ryzen 7 5800X or even a 12th Gen i5-12600K will often give you better long-term value.