Intel Core i7-7700 vs Intel Core i7-6700

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   For example you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i7-7700 vs Intel Core i7-6700 tests and see which is better for games or normal use for rendering, machine learning, video editing, streaming, programming. Here is 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 made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like Prime95, RealBench, Blender, PCMark 10, Blender, Gears 5, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), GeekBench 6, 5.2, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator, AIDA64, WPrime, 7zip, Handbrake, SuperPi, Furmark, MATLAB, PassMark, 3DMark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, VeraCrypt, DaVinci Resolve Studio.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-6700 or Intel Core i7-7700.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-7700

52%

Core i7-6700

52%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-7700

53%

Core i7-6700

52%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	94.1	92.4
Valorant	106.9	105.0
Cyberpunk 2077	59.9	58.8
Apex Legends	100.5	98.7
Call of Duty Warzone	80.2	78.8
Overwatch	86.6	85.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.8	72.5
DOOM Eternal	53.5	52.5
Warzone	83.4	81.9
Assassin's Creed	89.8	88.2
Valheim	88.7	87.2

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 that were in the comparisons not only did they have 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. To be sure exactly how much performance 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 i7-7700

59%

Core i7-6700

56%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-7700 is more energy efficient than the Core i7-6700 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

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will find out 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. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the advantages 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 i7-7700	Intel Core i7-6700
Cinbench 15 Single-core	186	171
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	901	816
Cinbench 20 Single-core	414	406
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2138	1774
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1115	1071
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	4329	4921

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

	Intel Core i7-7700	Intel Core i7-6700
Single-Core	2460	2325
Multi-Core	8664	8025

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

	Intel Core i7-7700	Intel Core i7-6700
Single-Core	1162	1095
Multi-Core	5965	4353

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 in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in new games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i7-7700	Intel Core i7-6700
Announcement date	October 01, 2016	April 01, 2015
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	LGA1151	LGA 1151
Core name	Kaby Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	7	6
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	4 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	3.4 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	8
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	2800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V	DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V
Max. Memory	64 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth		34.1 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	8 MB	8 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 i7-7700 is 5% better than Core i7-6700 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 i7-7700 is better: 24
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-6700 is better: 3
However, it should be understood that the summary data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i7-7700 and Intel Core i7-6700 before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i7-7700 specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-6700 specs and review.