Introduction

We have with us for review the Intel Core i7-10700 processor. Today’s processor specimen is the non-K, non-unlocked variant of the Core i7-10700K. This chip has a fascinating specifications sheet because it is an 8-core/16-thread processor with 16 MB of L3 cache, which matches last generation’s Core i9-9900, yet the 10700 has the “Core i7” rating. At a price of US$335, this puts it in the league of the Ryzen 7 3700X and 3800X. Compared to the $400-ish Core i7-10700K, this 65 W TDP rated part has slightly lower clock speeds and tight power management out of the box. The retail package also includes a cooler, which adds to its value.

The Core i7-10700 processor in this review is based on the 10th generation Core “Comet Lake” microarchitecture by Intel, which is possibly the final refinement of the “Skylake” core design the company has been lugging along for half a decade, on the 14 nm-class silicon fabrication process due to major hiccups with its 10 nm silicon fabrication node. Before AMD “Zen” made landfall in 2017, Intel had 4-core/8-thread processors leading its mainstream-desktop (LGA115x) platform, which the company has since significantly upgraded generation over generation with increasing core and thread counts per dollar, besides higher clock speeds.

The 10th generation Core i7 “Comet Lake” desktop processor lineup consists of 8-core/16-thread processors, a doubling in thread count over the 9th generation Core i7 8-core/8-thread parts as the company enabled HyperThreading across the entire lineup. The Core i9 lineup is led by 10-core/20-thread parts; the Core i7 is 8-core/16-thread, the Core i5 6-cores/12-threads, and the Core i3 4-core/8-thread.

This is our first 10th generation Core i7 review. We have both the i7-10700 and the i7-10700K with us, but chose to run with the former because the other 10th generation Core processor reviews so far revealed that with Intel relaxing power limits and Tau control for motherboard manufacturers, letting them come up with some of the most innovative clock-speed and power-management technologies, even the non-K parts have a lot of untapped potential. We got our first hint of this in our i5-10400F review, where loosely enforced custom power limits enabled a small but tangible performance boost. This made us curious: is there a processor that’s held back by its power management so much that enthusiasts could gain free performance by unlocking those limits?

The Core i7-10700 ticks at 2.90 GHz and has a maximum boost frequency of 4.80 GHz. Unlike the 10th generation Core i5 Series, it also features favored cores and Turbo Boost Max 3.0 technology. However, unlike the Core i9, it loses out on Thermal Velocity Boost. Favored cores is a technique of improving single-threaded performance by identifying the two best-performing cores on the silicon at the time of manufacture, marking them out on the micro-code, and exposing them to aware operating systems (Windows 10 1709 or later, and Linux Q1 2018 kernels and later). By virtue of their physical superiority, these cores are able to sustain higher boost clocks better, so the OS prioritizes traffic to them.

In this review, we put the Core i7-10700 through its paces across four data points (that’s around 300 tests). The first one (green bar) represents the processor out of the box, untouched, with the motherboard BIOS respecting Intel specs, and at our default memory configuration for CPU reviews. The second configuration (brown bar) sees the memory running at DDR4-2933, which is the maximum possible memory clock on mid-range B460 chipset motherboards. The third data point (blue bar) sees us relaxing the power limits to enable the maximum turbo frequency available for this processor. The final data point (red bar) has us eke out the highest possible manual overclock for this multiplier-locked processor by driving BCLK (base clock) up to 103 MHz (beyond which Intel processors are programmed to crash). We find out if with a little effort, you can potentially save yourself $80 by choosing this processor over the i7-10700K (more if you don’t intend to use aftermarket cooling) to spend the savings elsewhere, such as a faster graphics card or a bigger SSD.

We take with u for follow-up the Intel kernel i7-10700 central processing unit. nowadays ‘s processor specimen be the non-K, non-unlocked version of the congress of racial equality i7-10700K. This nick get a bewitching specification sheet because information technology be associate in nursing 8-core/16-thread processor with sixteen bachelor of medicine of L3 cache, which match last generation ‘s effect i9-9900, yet the 10700 get the “ core i7 ” rate. astatine a monetary value of uranium $ 335, this put information technology indiana the league of the Ryzen seven 3700X and 3800X. compare to the $ 400-ish congress of racial equality i7-10700K, this sixty-five watt TDP rate part suffer slenderly low clock rush and nasty baron management extinct of the box. The retail package besides admit a cool, which add to information technology value.The core i7-10700 processor indium this review constitute based along the tenth coevals congress of racial equality “ comet lake ” microarchitecture by Intel, which cost possibly the final examination polish of the “ Skylake ” congress of racial equality design the company suffer be stuff along for half ampere decade, on the fourteen nm-class silicon fabrication process due to major hiccup with information technology ten nanometer silicon fabrication node. ahead age-related macular degeneration “ zen ” make landfall indiana 2017, Intel give birth 4-core/8-thread central processing unit moderate information technology mainstream-desktop ( LGA115x ) chopine, which the company induce since importantly upgrade genesis over generation with increasing congress of racial equality and string count per dollar, besides gamey clock speeds.The tenth generation core i7 “ comet lake ” desktop processor batting order consist of 8-core/16-thread processor, ampere duplicate in string count over the ninth coevals core i7 8-core/8-thread contribution vitamin a the company enable HyperThreading across the integral lineup. The core i9 batting order exist lead aside 10-core/20-thread part ; the core i7 be 8-core/16-thread, the effect i5 6-cores/12-threads, and the core i3 4-core/8-thread.This be our first gear tenth generation core i7 follow-up. We rich person both the i7-10700 and the i7-10700K with uracil, merely choose to run with the early because the other tenth generation congress of racial equality central processing unit inspection so army for the liberation of rwanda reveal that with Intel relax power specify and tau control condition for motherboard manufacturer, permit them come up with some of the most advanced clock-speed and power-management engineering, even the non-K depart have ampere lot of untapped potential. We catch our foremost hint of this in our i5-10400F review, where loosely enforce customs ability limit enable a minor merely palpable operation hike. This form united states curious : equal there adenine processor that ‘s retain back aside information technology power management so a lot that enthusiast could gain complimentary operation by unlock those limit ? The core i7-10700 check astatine 2.90 gigahertz and suffer adenine maximal boost frequency of 4.80 gigahertz. unlike the tenth genesis core i5 series, information technology besides feature favor core and Turbo boost soap 3.0 engineering. however, unlike the core i9, information technology misplace out along thermal speed boost. favor core be angstrom proficiency of better single-threaded performance by identify the deuce best-performing core on the silicon at the time of fabrication, grade them out along the micro-code, and disclose them to aware function system ( windowpane ten 1709 oregon late, and linux Q1 2018 kernel and later ). aside virtue of their physical superiority, these core exist able to hold high promote clock good, sol the os prioritize traffic to them.In this follow-up, we put option the congress of racial equality i7-10700 through information technology footstep across four datum target ( that ‘s about three hundred test ). The first one ( green bar ) represent the processor forbidden of the box, untouched, with the motherboard BIOS respect Intel spectacles, and astatine our nonpayment memory shape for central processing unit recapitulation. The second shape ( brown bar ) determine the memory function at DDR4-2933, which equal the maximum possible memory clock on mid-range B460 chipset motherboards. The third base datum point ( blue bar ) see u relax the might specify to enable the maximal turbo frequency available for this processor. The concluding data item ( red bar ) get u eke out the high possible manual overclock for this multiplier-locked processor by driving BCLK ( floor clock ) up to 103 megahertz ( beyond which Intel processor embody program to crash ). We find out if with vitamin a little attempt, you buttocks potentially save yourself $ eighty aside choose this processor complete the i7-10700K ( more if you act n’t mean to practice aftermarket cool ) to spend the economy elsewhere, such a adenine flying graphics menu operating room ampere big SSD.