Core i7-8700K

The Core i7-8700K is a 6-core / 12-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process node. It reaches a maximum boost clock of 4.7 GHz from a base frequency of 3.7 GHz— higher boost clocks directly translate to better single-threaded performance and responsiveness in gaming. With a massive 12288 kB L3 cache (3D V-Cache technology), this processor has a significant gaming advantage — the large cache drastically reduces memory latency in game engines., plus 256K (per core) of L2 cache and 64K (per core) of L1 cache per core. In the PassMark benchmark (a comprehensive multi-threaded test), it scores 13,572, placing it in the Budget performance tier as a Legacy generation product.

The Core i7-8700K fits into the LGA1151 socket and supports PCIe 3.0 with 16 total PCIe lanes for expansion cards and storage. It supports DDR3, DDR4 memory at speeds up to DDR4-2666 (faster RAM improves bandwidth-sensitive workloads), with a maximum capacity of 128 GB across 2 channels (dual-channel doubles bandwidth). Integrated graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630 — allows display output without a dedicated GPU, useful for troubleshooting and light tasks.

The Core i7-8700K has a rated TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 95 Watt — this indicates the amount of heat generated under sustained load and determines what cooling solution is needed.

At an average price of $160 (MSRP: $359), the Core i7-8700K delivers 85 PassMark points per dollar. Performance ranking position: #1099 out of all indexed processors.