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Intel Core i7-10700K

Intel Core i7-10700K in 2025: Is it worth getting the legendary processor?

This is a relevant guide for enthusiasts and budget builds

Main Features: Comet Lake Architecture and Its Characteristics

The Intel Core i7-10700K processor, released in 2020, remains a popular choice for budget PCs. Its Comet Lake-S architecture is based on a 14nm manufacturing process — an outdated technology compared to modern 7nm and 5nm chips, but it provides stability and proven reliability.

Key Specifications:

- 8 cores / 16 threads — multitasking for gaming and work tasks.

- Base frequency of 3.8 GHz, turbo boost up to 5.1 GHz — high performance in single-threaded applications.

- 16 MB L3 cache — acceleration in data processing.

- TDP of 125W — requires adequate cooling.

- Integrated UHD 630 graphics — suitable for office tasks, but not for gaming.

Performance:

According to Geekbench 6 tests (2025):

- Single-Core: 1705 — comparable to Ryzen 5 7600X (1730), but lower than modern flagships.

- Multi-Core: 8152 — sufficient level for rendering and streaming.

Features:

- Unlocked multiplier — potential for overclocking (up to 5.2–5.3 GHz with good cooling).

- Support for Hyper-Threading — efficient resource distribution.

Compatible Motherboards: LGA 1200 Socket and Chipsets

The processor uses the LGA 1200 socket, limiting motherboard options to 400 and 500 series chipsets.

Recommended Chipsets:

1. Z490/Z590 — for overclocking and maximum performance.

- Examples: ASUS ROG Strix Z590-E ($180–$220), MSI MPG Z490 Gaming Edge ($150–$170).

- Features: PCIe 3.0 (not 4.0!), DDR4 support up to 3200 MHz (with overclocking).

2. B460/B560 — budget option.

- Example: Gigabyte B560M AORUS Elite ($120–$140).

- Limitations: Memory overclocking only on B560, no CPU overclocking.

Important!

- LGA 1200 boards do not support PCIe 4.0 and DDR5.

- With a BIOS update, compatibility with 11th generation CPUs (e.g., i9-11900K) may be possible, but it's not always justified.

Memory: DDR4 and Its Potential

The i7-10700K only works with DDR4. In 2025, this is no longer a top-tier solution, but DDR4 remains accessible and practical.

Recommendations:

- Frequency: Officially supports up to 2933 MHz, but with Z490/Z590 chipsets, it can be overclocked to 3600–4000 MHz (depending on the board).

- Configuration: 2 modules of 8/16 GB in dual-channel mode — optimal for gaming.

- Examples:

- Kingston Fury Renegade 32 GB (2x16) 3600 MHz — $75–$90.

- Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2x8) 3200 MHz — $50–$60.

Why not DDR5?

The processor does not physically support the new standard. If you plan to upgrade to DDR5, consider modern platforms (AM5 or LGA 1700).

Power Supply: Power Calculation and Tips

With a TDP of 125W and power-hungry graphics cards of 2025 (e.g., NVIDIA RTX 4070), it’s important not to skimp on the power supply.

Recommendations:

- Power: At least 650W for systems with RTX 4060/4070. For top GPUs (RTX 4080/4090) — 850W.

- Certification: 80+ Gold or higher (e.g., Corsair RM750x — $110–$130).

- Examples:

- EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G6 — $100.

- Seasonic Focus GX-850 — $140.

Important: When overclocking the CPU and graphics card, allocate a power reserve of 20–30%.

Pros and Cons of the i7-10700K in 2025

Pros:

- Price: $200–$250 (new) — half the price of the Ryzen 7 7700X ($400).

- Multi-threading: 16 threads are sufficient for 4K editing and streaming.

- Durability: Proven architecture with a low defect rate.

Cons:

- 14nm manufacturing process: High power consumption and heat generation.

- No PCIe 4.0/5.0: NVMe and graphics card speeds are limited to PCIe 3.0.

- Outdated platform: No upgrade path to newer generations of CPUs.

Use Cases: Gaming, Work, and More

Gaming

In Full HD and 1440p, the processor performs admirably:

- Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p, Ultra): 85–90 FPS with RTX 4070 (5–7% drop due to PCIe 3.0 limitation).

- CS2 (1080p): 300+ FPS — ideal for esports monitors.

Limitation: In games reliant on SSD speed (DirectStorage), PCIe 3.0 may become a bottleneck.

Work Tasks

- Video Editing (Premiere Pro): 10-minute 4K video rendering in 12–15 minutes.

- 3D Modeling (Blender): BMW scene takes 4 min 20 sec (Ryzen 7 5800X takes 3 min 55 sec).

Multimedia

Streaming in OBS + gaming — lag-free thanks to 16 threads.

Comparison with Competitors

- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X ($250): Better energy efficiency (7nm), PCIe 4.0 support, but more expensive motherboards (AM4).

- Intel Core i5-13400F ($220): Newer, but only 6P+4E cores. Better performance in single-threaded tasks.

- Ryzen 5 7600 ($300): DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, but requires expensive AM5 boards.

Conclusion: The i7-10700K is a good option if you already have an LGA 1200 platform or need an affordable 8-core CPU.

Build Tips

1. Cooling:

- Minimum — DeepCool AK620 ($60).

- For overclocking — NZXT Kraken X63 (liquid cooling, $130).

2. Graphics Card: RTX 4060/4070 or AMD RX 7700 XT — a balanced choice without bottlenecks.

3. Storage: Samsung 970 EVO Plus (PCIe 3.0) — $80 for 1TB.

4. BIOS: Update to the latest version for stability.

Final Conclusion: Who Should Choose the i7-10700K?

This processor is a good choice if you:

- Have a limited budget but need a powerful 8-core system.

- Are upgrading an old PC with LGA 1200 (e.g., from an i5-10400F).

- Do not need PCIe 4.0 or DDR5 — for example, for a mid-range gaming PC.

Alternative: If you're starting from scratch and want to "future-proof," consider AM5 or LGA 1700 platforms. However, for the same $500–600 (processor + motherboard + DDR5), the i7-10700K will provide more cores and threads than modern i5/Ryzen 5 options.

In 2025, the Intel Core i7-10700K is a choice for pragmatists who value a balance of price and performance without chasing trends.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

April 2020

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i7-10700K

Code Name

Comet Lake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

3.80 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

5.10 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

5.00 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

Yes

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency

Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best performing core(s) on a processor and provides increased performance on those cores through increasing frequency as needed by taking advantage of power and thermal headroom. Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 frequency is the clock frequency of the CPU when running in this mode.

5.10 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0

Yes

L3 Cache

16 MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCLGA1200

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

14 nm

TDP

125 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

100°C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

3.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

PCI Express Configurations

PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.

Up to 1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8+2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR4-2933

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

128 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

8 GT/s

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

45.8 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® UHD Graphics 630

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

350 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.20 GHz

Graphics Video Max Memory

64 GB

4K Support

Yes | at 60Hz

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

Max Resolution (HDMI)

Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2160@30Hz

Max Resolution (DP)

Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)

Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)

Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

16 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Boot Guard

Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel Clear Video Technology

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel OS Guard

Yes

OpenGL Support

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.

4.5

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

1705

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

8152

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

1280

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

8414

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

3059

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

18892

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i5-1345UE

1935 +13.5%

Ryzen 5 PRO 5650GE

1838 +7.8%

Core i7-10700K

1705

Core i5-11500T

1653 -3%

Xeon Platinum 8351N

1598 -6.3%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Xeon W-11955M

9081 +11.4%

Core i9-9820X X-series

8592 +5.4%

Core i7-10700K

8152

Ryzen 3 8300G

7702 -5.5%

EPYC 7551P

7244 -11.1%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Ryzen 7 7735H

1382 +8%

Ryzen 9 5900HS

1326 +3.6%

Core i7-10700K

1280

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

1239 -3.2%

Core i9-10920X

1201 -6.2%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon Gold 6242

9550 +13.5%

Ryzen 9 7950X

8963 +6.5%

Core i7-10700K

8414

Ryzen 9 6900HS

7989 -5.1%

Ryzen 7 6800HS

7605 -9.6%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i7-1260U

3206 +4.8%

Core i9-10900K

3145 +2.8%

Core i7-10700K

3059

Xeon Gold 6421N

2978 -2.6%

EPYC 9684X

2905 -5%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i5-1250P

20287 +7.4%

Core i9-9900KS

19528 +3.4%

Core i7-10700K

18892

Xeon E7-8880 v3

18244 -3.4%

Core i5-11500

17393 -7.9%