Intel Core i7-6950X vs Intel Core i7-8700K

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-6950X or Intel Core i7-6950X – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i7-6950X features 10 processor cores and has the capability to manage 20 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2016 and belongs to the 6 generation of the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition series.
To use the Intel Core i7-6950X, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2011-3 socket.
The Intel Core i7-8700K features 6 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2017 and belongs to the 8 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-8700K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1151-2 socket.
Intel Core i 6000X Group Intel Core i 8000
6 Generation 8
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-6950X Name Intel Core i7-8700K
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition Family Intel Core i7
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-6950X has 10 CPU cores and can calculate 20 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-6950X is 3.0 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.5 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The Intel Core i7-8700K has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-8700K is 3.7 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.7 GHz.
20 Threads 12
10x Cores 6x
10 CPU Cores 6
normal Core architecture normal
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
Yes Overclocking Yes
3.5 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 4.7 GHz
3.0 GHz Frequency 3.7 GHz
None None 4.3 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-6950X does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i7-8700K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i7-8700K uses the Intel UHD Graphics 630, which has 192 texture shaders
and 24 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- Shaders 192
-- Release date Q4/2017
-- Technology 14 nm
-- Direct X 12
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 64.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
-- Execution units 24
-- GPU frequency 0.35 GHz
-- Generation 9.5
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.2 GHz
GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 630
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- VP8 Decode / Encode
-- VC-1 Decode
-- JPEG Decode / Encode
-- AV1 No
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
-- AVC Decode / Encode
-- h264 Decode / Encode
-- VP9 Decode / Encode
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
DDR4-2400 Memory type DDR4-2666
No ECC No
128.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
4 Memory channels 2
76.8 GB/s Bandwidth 42.7 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 140 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 95 W watts.
140 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 95 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-6950X is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 25.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-8700K is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 12.0 MB cache.
Q2/2016 Release date Q4/2017
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
14 nm Technology 14 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
-- Release price 370 $
Broadwell E Architecture Coffee Lake S
25.0 MB L3-Cache 12.0 MB
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Part Number --
LGA 2011-3 Socket LGA 1151-2
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
32399
32399
Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
27445
27445

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
17377
17377
Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
13770
13770

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
12713
12713
Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
8960
8960

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
8993
8993
Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
6693
6693

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
7421
7421
Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
6750
6750

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
5950
5950
Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
3709
3709

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
5330
5330
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
3387
3387

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
1819
1819
Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
1447
1447

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
1486
1486
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
1237
1237

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
1242
1242
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
974
974

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
1209
1209
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
1091
1091

Cinebench R15 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
208
208
Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
152
152

Cinebench R11.5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6950X
10C 20T @ 3.0 GHz
19.1
19.1
Intel Core i7-8700K
6C 12T @ 3.7 GHz
16.0
16.0