Intel Core i7-8700K vs Intel Core i5-12400F

Introduction and Technical Details The Intel Core i7-8700K, from the fourth quarter of 2017, is based on Intel's 14 nm Coffee Lake S architecture.

It was designed for gaming enthusiasts and offers 6 cores, 12 threads, 12 MB Level 3 Cache, PCIe 3.0, and Intel UHD Graphics 630 with 43 GB/s memory bandwidth. The Intel Core i5-12400F, launched in the first quarter of 2022, uses the more modern 10 nm Alder Lake S architecture (Intel 7).

It targets the mainstream market and also features 6 P-cores, 12 threads, 8 MB Level 2 Cache, 18 MB Level 3 Cache, and PCIe 5.0. Its significantly higher memory bandwidth is 77 GB/s; an integrated graphics unit is absent. Performance, Gaming, and Efficiency The Intel Core i5-12400F significantly outperforms the Intel Core i7-8700K in both single-core and multi-core performance, due to its more advanced architecture and higher IPC.

This makes it a clearly better choice for gaming and demanding applications. With a TDP of 65W, the Intel Core i5-12400F is also more energy-efficient than the Intel Core i7-8700K with 95W, which means lower cooling requirements. Price-Performance Ratio and Recommendation For new system builds, the Intel Core i5-12400F offers an outstanding price-performance ratio and is more future-proof with PCIe 5.0.

The older Intel Core i7-8700K is mainly relevant for upgrades of existing, compatible systems. Overall, the Intel Core i5-12400F is the recommended choice for most modern use cases.