Intel Core i5-8265U vs Intel Core i7-7700K

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i5-8265U vs Intel Core i7-7700K and decide which is better for games or normal use for rendering, video editing, machine learning, programming, streaming. Here you can find all information from different benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A careful analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests like VeraCrypt, DaVinci Resolve Studio, SuperPi, Furmark, Blender, Handbrake, Gears 5, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Dolphin Emulator, PCMark 10, 7zip, UserBenchmark, AIDA64, MATLAB, RealBench, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender, WPrime, Prime95, PassMark, 3DMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-7700K or Intel Core i5-8265U.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-8265U

51%

Core i7-7700K

52%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i7-7700K is 1% better than Core i5-8265U. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-8265U

51%

Core i7-7700K

53%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a little game result, just 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: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, Battlefield V, League of Legends (LOL), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, Control, NBA 2K20, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.4	93.7
Valorant	103.8	106.5
Cyberpunk 2077	58.1	59.7
Apex Legends	97.6	100.1
Call of Duty Warzone	77.9	79.9
Overwatch	84.1	86.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.6	73.5
DOOM Eternal	51.9	53.3
Warzone	81.0	83.1
Assassin's Creed	87.2	89.5
Valheim	86.2	88.4

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 comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. 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 i5-8265U

201%

Core i7-7700K

49%

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 i5-8265U is more energy efficient than the Core i7-7700K as it consumes less power: 15W vs. 95W. 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

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, machine learning, programming, video editing or video rendering, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, 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 i5-8265U	Intel Core i7-7700K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	171	200
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	549	995
Cinbench 20 Single-core	401	466
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1135	2257
Cinbench 23 Single-core	606	1216
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	1674	6055

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

	Intel Core i5-8265U	Intel Core i7-7700K
Single-Core	2175	2791
Multi-Core	6181	9750

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

	Intel Core i5-8265U	Intel Core i7-7700K
Single-Core	907	1412
Multi-Core	3312	5637

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, 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, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-8265U	Intel Core i7-7700K
Announcement date	April 01, 2018	October 01, 2016
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1528	LGA 1151
Core name	Whiskey Lake	Kaby Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	8	7
Turbo Frequency	3.9 MHz	4.5 MHz
Frequency	1.6 MHz	4.2 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	8
Bus rate	4 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	1900 millions	1760 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	95 W
Memory type	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133	DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V
Max. Memory	64 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	8 MB
Overclocking	No	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 i7-7700K is 61% better than Core i5-8265U 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 i5-8265U is better: 5
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-7700K is better: 26
Although it should be understood that all the data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-8265U and Intel Core i7-7700K before making a selection which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-8265U specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-7700K specs and review.