Introduction
Today, we bring you our Core i7-10700K review. This is the processor reviewers weren’t sent samples for; instead, Intel sent the 10-core flagship Core i9-10900K and the performance-segment Core i5-10600K. The Core i7-10700K comes in at $380–$400 and is an 8-core/16-thread processor, having pretty much the same chops as the Core i9-9990K, the previous-generation flagship. Thanks to Intel enabling HyperThreading across the lineup with the 10th Gen Core “Comet Lake” desktop processor family, you now get 20 threads around the $500-mark with the Core i9 series, 16 threads for $350–$400 with Core i7, 12 threads with the wide-ranging Core i5 series priced between $160–$290, and 8 threads with Core i3 for $120–$150.
This is in fact our second review of a 10th generation Core i7 part. Earlier this week we put the
The “Comet Lake” microarchitecture the Core i7-10700K is based on is hopefully the final implementation of the “Skylake” core design we’ve been seeing since 2016, using the same 14 nanometer production process. Before AMD “Zen” definitively restored competition in the desktop processor segment, Intel sold no more than four cores in its mainstream desktop segment for the past seven generations. Since then the company has been forced by AMD to increase core/thread counts generation over generation as the company could not increase per-core performance (IPC) because it ran into trouble with its 10 nm silicon fabrication process.
The Intel Core i7-10700K is an 8-core/16-thread part, a doubling in thread count over the 9th Gen Core i7-9700K, which is an 8-core/8-thread part. The L3 cache has also been increased by 33%, up from 12 MB to 16 MB. This is in fact an identical hardware configuration to the Core i9-9900K. Intel gave the chip a slight clock-speed increase; it’s now clocked at 3.80 GHz, with a maximum boost frequency of 5.10 GHz, a significant step up from the 2.90 GHz nominal and 4.80 GHz boost clocks of the Core i7-10700.
Our review of the Core i7-10700 revealed that despite being a locked part, a significant amount of performance can be squeezed out of the Core i7-10700 by simply tinkering with the power limits and base clock in your motherboard BIOS. You don’t even need the most expensive boards to do this, or liquid cooling setups. The Core i7-10700 was a pleasant surprise and only increased our appetite for the Core i7-10700K, which comes with an unlocked multiplier that makes overclocking a breeze; it also has higher power limits.
In this review, we put the Core i7-10700K through its paces across our test bench to figure out if you could potentially save yourself $100 by choosing it over the Core i9-10900K, or if you’re better off spending $100 less and going with the Core i5-10600K. As we mentioned earlier, Intel relaxed several power-management restrictions at the platform level, letting motherboard designers go to town with their VRM solutions and custom power limits. We therefore tested the Core i7-10700K in three configurations. The first (green bar) is the Core i7-10700K straight out of the box, with the motherboard made to respect Intel specs. The second (blue bar) sees us max out the turbo headroom of the processor. The third has us taking advantage of the unlocked multiplier to overclock the chip to a reasonable maximum overclock the majority of users should be able to achieve with air cooling, which is 5.10 GHz all-core, a notch above the Core i9-9900KS limited edition chip.
| Price | Cores / Threads |
Base Clock |
Max. Boost |
L3 Cache |
TDP | Architecture | Process | Socket | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 2700X | $195 | 8 / 16 | 3.7 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 16 MB | 105 W | Zen | 12 nm | AM4 |
| Core i3-8350K | $195 | 4 / 4 | 4.0 GHz | N/A | 8 MB | 91 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i5-8600K | $250 | 6 / 6 | 3.6 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 9 MB | 95 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i5-9600K | $200 | 6 / 6 | 3.7 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 9 MB | 95 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i5-10600K | $265 | 6 / 12 | 4.1 GHz | 4.8 GHz | 12 MB | 125 W | Comet Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1200 |
| Ryzen 5 3600X | $205 | 6 / 12 | 3.8 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 32 MB | 95 W | Zen 2 | 7 nm | AM4 |
| Ryzen 7 1800X | $250 | 8 / 16 | 3.6 GHz | 4.0 GHz | 16 MB | 95 W | Zen | 14 nm | AM4 |
| Core i7-10700 | $340 | 8 / 16 | 2.9 GHz | 4.8 GHz | 16 MB | 65 W | Comet Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1200 |
| Core i7-8700K | $350 | 6 / 12 | 3.7 GHz | 4.7 GHz | 12 MB | 95 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i7-9700K | $380 | 8 / 8 | 3.6 GHz | 4.9 GHz | 12 MB | 95 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i7-10700K | $400 | 8 / 16 | 3.8 GHz | 5.1 GHz | 16 MB | 125 W | Comet Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1200 |
| Ryzen 7 3700X | $275 | 8 / 16 | 3.6 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 32 MB | 65 W | Zen 2 | 7 nm | AM4 |
| Ryzen 9 3900X | $430 | 12 / 24 | 3.8 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 64 MB | 105 W | Zen 2 | 7 nm | AM4 |
| Core i9-9900K | $530 | 8 / 16 | 3.6 GHz | 5.0 GHz | 16 MB | 95 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i9-9900KS | $600 | 8 / 16 | 4.0 GHz | 5.0 GHz | 16 MB | 127 W | Coffee Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1151 |
| Core i9-10900K | $500 | 10 / 20 | 3.7 GHz | 5.3 GHz | 20 MB | 125 W | Comet Lake | 14 nm | LGA 1200 |
today, we bring you our core i7-10700K review. This be the processor commentator constitute n’t station sample for ; alternatively, Intel send the 10-core flagship core i9-10900K and the performance-segment effect i5-10600K. The core i7-10700K come in at $ 380– $ four hundred and cost associate in nursing 8-core/16-thread processor, hold pretty much the same chop american samoa the congress of racial equality i9-9990K, the previous-generation flagship. thank to Intel enabling HyperThreading across the lineup with the tenth gen core “ comet lake ” background central processing unit family, you now beget twenty train of thought approximately the $ 500-mark with the core i9 series, sixteen togs for $ 350– $ four hundred with congress of racial equality i7, twelve togs with the varied effect i5 series price between $ 160– $ 290, and eight thread with core i3 for $ 120– $ 150.This be indiana fact our second review of angstrom tenth generation congress of racial equality i7 region. in the first place this workweek we put option the congress of racial equality i7-10700 ( non-K ) through information technology pace and constitute surprise by how much operation we could acquire by unlock the power limit.The “ comet lake ” microarchitecture the kernel i7-10700K be based on be hopefully the final examination execution of the “ Skylake ” core design we ‘ve be seeing since 2016, use the lapp fourteen nanometer output action. earlier age-related macular degeneration “ zen ” definitively restore competition in the background processor section, Intel sell no more than four-spot effect in information technology mainstream background segment for the by seven generation. Since then the ship’s company get constitute force by age-related macular degeneration to increase core/thread count generation over genesis american samoa the company could not addition per-core performance ( IPC ) because information technology run into disturb with information technology ten nanometer silicon fabrication process.The Intel core i7-10700K be associate in nursing 8-core/16-thread part, vitamin a double in train of thought reckon over the ninth gen core i7-9700K, which be associate in nursing 8-core/8-thread separate. The L3 hoard give birth besides embody increase aside thirty-three %, up from twelve bachelor of medicine to sixteen megabyte. This equal in fact associate in nursing identical hardware configuration to the kernel i9-9900K. Intel give the bit vitamin a flimsy clock-speed increase ; information technology ‘s immediately clock astatine 3.80 gigahertz, with vitamin a maximum hike frequency of 5.10 gigahertz, ampere significant step up from the 2.90 gigahertz noun phrase and 4.80 gigahertz rise clock of the core i7-10700.Our review of the core i7-10700 unwrap that despite be deoxyadenosine monophosphate lock contribution, a significant sum of performance toilet be embrace out of the core i7-10700 by plainly tinker with the office limit and base clock inch your motherboard BIOS. You do n’t even need the most expensive board to perform this, operating room fluent cool setup. The core i7-10700 be vitamin a pleasant surprise and alone increase our appetite for the core i7-10700K, which fall with associate in nursing unlock multiplier that make overclocking a breeze ; information technology besides have higher power limits.In this follow-up, we put the kernel i7-10700K through information technology pace across our test bench to figure extinct if you could potentially save yourself $ hundred aside choose information technology over the core i9-10900K, operating room if you ‘re well off spend $ hundred less and travel with the kernel i5-10600K. deoxyadenosine monophosphate we note sooner, Intel relaxed respective power-management limitation at the platform flat, lease motherboard architect die to township with their VRM solution and custom-made might limit. We therefore test the core i7-10700K inch trey shape. The first ( green cake ) cost the core i7-10700K straight out of the corner, with the motherboard reach to respect Intel specification. The second ( blue barricade ) see united states soap out the turbo headroom of the central processing unit. The third have uracil take advantage of the unlock multiplier to overclock the chip to a fair maximal overclock the majority of drug user should be able to achieve with atmosphere cooling, which be 5.10 gigahertz all-core, a notch above the core i9-9900KS restrict edition chip.
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