Intel Core i7-6700K vs Intel Core i7-6700

Intel Core i7-6700K

The Intel Core i7-6700K is a high-end quad-core desktop processor based on the Skylake architecture, which was announced in August 2015. The CPU, which is manufactured in a 14 nm process, runs at 4.0 up to 4.2 GHz (2 cores: 4.0 GHz, 3 cores: 4.0 GHz, 4 cores: 4.0 GHz) and can execute up to 8 threads simultaneously thanks to Hyperthreading. Being a so called "K"-model, the Core i7-6700K has a free multiplier and can be easily overclocked. 

Performance

Even though the Core i7-6700K has a slightly lower clock than the old i7-4790K (4.0 GHz - 4.4 GHz), the performance is slightly better compared to the Haswell predecessor. Depending on the application, the per-MHz performance was increased by roughly 5-10 %. Even the most demanding applications and games are no problem for the high-end CPU.

Graphics

Graphics are handled by the integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 with 24 EUs (Execution Units), which is clocked at 350 - 1150 MHz. Compared to the HD Graphics 4600 (Haswell, 20 EUs), the performance is increased by around 25 percent. The overall GPU performance is still low-end, so modern games can, if at all, only be played smoothly with low settings. 

Power Consumption

The TDP was slightly raised from 88 to 91 Watts compared to the predecessor.

Intel Core i7-6700

The Intel Core i7-6700 is a high-end quad-core desktop processor based on the Skylake architecture, which was announced in August 2015. The CPU, which is manufactured in a 14 nm process, runs at 3.4 up to 4.0 GHz (2 cores: 3.9 GHz, 4 cores: 3.7 GHz) and can execute up to 8 threads simultaneously thanks to Hyperthreading. Contrary to the Core i7-6700K, the i7-6700 does not have a free multiplier and can hardly be overclocked. 

Architecture

Intel uses Skylake to replace both Broadwell and Haswell and therefore once again uses one core design for all TDP classes. Several improvements of the Skylake architecture include bigger Out-to-Order-Buffer, optimizations for pre-fetching as well as bigger gains by Hyperthreading. However, the changes are small for a "Tock" – a new micro architecture – in general, so the per-MHz performance is only between 5-10 % (compared to Haswell) or less than 5 % higher (compared to Broadwell), respectively.

Performance

Even though the Core i7-6700 has a slightly lower clock than the old i7-4790 (3.6 GHz - 4.0 GHz), the performance is slightly better compared to the Haswell predecessor. Another 7 % faster is the top model i7-6700K. Even the most demanding applications and games are no problem for the high-end CPU.

Graphics

Graphics are handled by the integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 with 24 EUs (Execution Units), which is clocked at 350 - 1150 MHz. Compared to the HD Graphics 4600 (Haswell, 20 EUs), the performance is increased by around 25 percent. The overall GPU performance is still low-end, so modern games can, if at all, only be played smoothly with low settings. 

Power Consumption

Intel specifies the TDP with 65 Watts.