Intel Core i7-7700 vs Intel Core i7-6700K

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   If you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i7-7700 vs Intel Core i7-6700K and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, streaming, programming, rendering. Here is all information from different benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as MATLAB, Handbrake, Blender, WPrime, SuperPi, Gears 5, PassMark, UserBenchmark, AIDA64, PCMark 10, VeraCrypt, Furmark, 3DMark, RealBench, 7zip, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Prime95, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), GeekBench 6, 5.2.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-6700K 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 i7-6700K

52%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-7700

53%

Core i7-6700K

53%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	94.1	93.6
Valorant	106.9	106.4
Cyberpunk 2077	59.9	59.6
Apex Legends	100.5	100.0
Call of Duty Warzone	80.2	79.8
Overwatch	86.6	86.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.8	73.4
DOOM Eternal	53.5	53.2
Warzone	83.4	83.0
Assassin's Creed	89.8	89.4
Valheim	88.7	88.3

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 tested computers not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i7-7700

59%

Core i7-6700K

45%

To make a final resolution 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 i7-6700K since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 95W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is 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 the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has. 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 work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i7-7700	Intel Core i7-6700K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	186	180
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	901	888
Cinbench 20 Single-core	414	421
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2138	2059
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1115	1124
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	4329	5640

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

	Intel Core i7-7700	Intel Core i7-6700K
Single-Core	2460	2556
Multi-Core	8664	8984

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

	Intel Core i7-7700	Intel Core i7-6700K
Single-Core	1162	1308
Multi-Core	5965	5516

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. 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. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-7700	Intel Core i7-6700K
Announcement date	October 01, 2016	April 01, 2015
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1151
Core name	Kaby Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	7	6
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	4.2 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	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	1750 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	95 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 i7-6700K is 9% better than Core i7-7700 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: 19
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-6700K is better: 8
However, it should be realized that all the number that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i7-7700 and Intel Core i7-6700K before making a choice which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i7-7700 specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-6700K specs and review.