Intel Core i5-10500 vs Intel Core i7-8700

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i5-10500 vs Intel Core i7-8700 tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for programming, streaming, machine learning, rendering, video editing. Here is useful information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests such as MATLAB, SuperPi, Furmark, UserBenchmark, 7zip, Blender, RealBench, GeekBench 6, 5.2, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, 3DMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PCMark 10, PassMark, VeraCrypt, Prime95, AIDA64, Gears 5, Handbrake, WPrime, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Dolphin Emulator.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

Grand Theft Auto V
Halo Infinite
Fortnite
Last Man Standing
Apex Legends
Overwatch
Cyberpunk 2077
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Fallout 76
Borderlands 3
Rainbow Six Siege
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
DOOM: Eternal
Watch Dogs Legion
Death Stranding
Valorant
Red Dead Redemption 2
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Valheim

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-8700 or Intel Core i5-10500.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-10500

54%

Core i7-8700

53%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-10500 is 1% better than Core i7-8700. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-10500

54%

Core i7-8700

53%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, NBA 2K20, Battlefield V, Horizon Zero Dawn, Half-Life: Alyx, Monster Hunter World, League of Legends (LOL), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner, DOTA 2A, Control, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Hitman 3, Metro Exodus, Forza Horizon 4, Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	95.4	94.8
Valorant	108.4	107.7
Cyberpunk 2077	60.7	60.3
Apex Legends	101.9	101.2
Call of Duty Warzone	81.3	80.8
Overwatch	87.8	87.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	74.8	74.3
DOOM Eternal	54.2	53.8
Warzone	84.5	84.0
Assassin's Creed	91.0	90.4
Valheim	90.0	89.4

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-10500

61%

Core i7-8700

64%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-8700 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-10500 as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit of multi-core mode are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-10500	Intel Core i7-8700
Cinbench 15 Single-core	201	203
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1491	1434
Cinbench 20 Single-core	467	481
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3392	3547
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1082	1146
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	8209	7969

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-10500	Intel Core i7-8700
Single-Core	2743	2706
Multi-Core	13414	13125

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-10500	Intel Core i7-8700
Single-Core	1196	1260
Multi-Core	7233	6618

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-10500	Intel Core i7-8700
Announcement date	April 01, 2020	October 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1200	FCLGA1151-2
Core name	Comet Lake	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	10	8
Turbo Frequency	4.5 MHz	4.6 MHz
Frequency	3.1 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	6	6
Threads	12	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	4800 millions	3200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	12 MB	12 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i7-8700 is 3% better than Core i5-10500 in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-10500 is better: 19
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-8700 is better: 7
However, it should be realized that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i5-10500 and Intel Core i7-8700 before deciding which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-10500 specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-8700 specs and review.