Intel 8th-Gen vs 7th-Gen desktop processors

Intel’s next generation of desktop processors are set to release later this year, and are a big upgrade over current desktop chips.

The biggest change brought by the new lineup of CPUs is the addition of more cores at a slightly higher power cost.

The new chips are set to launch on 5 October and will be priced similarly to the previous Kaby Lake generation of desktop processors.

We compared the specifications and pricing of the confirmed Intel 8th-gen desktop processors against their 7th-gen counterparts to see how they stack up – as shown below.

Specifications

Processor Comparison
CPU	Cores	Threads	Base Clock	Boost Clock	TDP	MSRP
Intel 8th-Gen
Core i7-8700K	6	12	3.7GHz	4.7GHz	95W	$359
Core i7-8700	6	12	3.2GHz	4.6GHz	65W	$303
Core i5-8600K	6	6	3.6GHz	4.3GHz	95W	$257
Core i5-8400	6	6	2.8GHz	4.0GHz	65W	$182
Core i3-8350K	4	4	4.0GHz	N/A	91W	$168
Core i3-8100	4	4	3.6GHz	N/A	65W	$117
Intel 7th-Gen
Core i7-7700K	4	8	4.2GHz	4.5GHz	91W	$339
Core i7-7700	4	8	3.6GHz	4.2GHz	65W	$303
Core i5-7600K	4	4	3.8GHz	4.2GHz	91W	$242
Core i5-7400	4	4	3.0GHz	3.5GHz	65W	$182
Core i3-7350K	2	4	4.2GHz	N/A	60W	$168
Core i3-7300	2	4	4.0GHz	N/A	51W	$138

Chipset and hardware

Intel’s new chips are built on its Coffee Lake architecture, which features an improved manufacturing process on the 14nm node and the addition of more physical CPU cores.

The new processors offer an increased core count across the board, with even the lower-end Core i3 chips getting a full set of four physical CPU cores.

These changes deliver a barrier to system builders or those looking for an upgrade, however, as the new chips are only compatible with Intel’s new Z370 chipset.

This means if you have a Z270 motherboard and 7th-gen processor, you will need to buy a new motherboard to upgrade your CPU.

Both processor generations technically use the same physical LGA 1151 socket, but unlike the 7th-gen processors, there will be no firmware update to make the new chips compatible with older motherboards.

According to the recommended retail pricing from Intel, the new CPUs are set to be priced similarly to previous processors – despite their performance improvements.

Intel’s 8th-gen desktop processors are a big upgrade over their Kaby Lake predecessors, and, with a compatible motherboard, can be a great addition to your PC.