Intel Core i7-9700 vs Intel Core i7-6700T vs Intel Core i7-9700K

Intel Core i7-9700

The Intel Core i7-9700 is a high end desktop processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It integrates 8 cores (no Hyperthreading therefore also 8 threads) clocked at 3 - 4.7 GHz. Compared to the similar named Core i7-9700K, the 9700 has no open multiplicator for easy overclocking, offers lower clock speeds and offers a reduced TDP.

Compared to the old Core i7-8700, the 9700 offers two more real cores but no Hyperthreading. Therefore, the performance gain is not that big - depending on the app. The single core performance was slightly improved thanks to the higher Turbo clocks. As a high end desktop CPU, the i7-9700 is well suited for demanding tasks and gaming.

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 graphics card is clocked at up to 1.2 GHz and offers no advantage compared to previous generations. As it is a very low end GPU, only some low demanding games like Hearthstone can be played with it (see GPU page for benchmarks).

Intel specifies the TDP at 65 Watt (instead of the 95W of the faster models) and therefore the CPU wont need a high end desktop cooling system.

Intel Core i7-6700T

The Intel Core i7-6700T is a quad-core processor based on the Skylake architecture, that has been launched in September 2015. It is generally intended for desktops but due to the relatively low TDP of 35 Watt is is also used in some laptops. In addition to four CPU cores with Hyper-Threading clocked at 2.8 - 3.6 GHz, the chip also integrates an HD Graphics 530 GPU and a dual-channel DDR4-2133/DDR3L-1600 memory controller. The CPU is manufactured using a 14 nm process with FinFET transistors.

Architecture

Skylake replaces both Haswell and Broadwell and brings the same microarchitecture in every TDP class from 4.5 to 45 W. The extensive improvements of the Skylake design include increased out-of-order buffers, optimized prefetching and branch prediction as well as additional performance gains through Hyper-Threading. Overall, however, performance per clock has been increased by only 5 to 10 percent (compared to Haswell) respectively under 5 percent (compard to Broadwell), which is quite modest for a new architecture ("Tock").

Performance

According to the specified clock rates and the improved architecture, the Core i7-6700T performs roughly on par with the former, somewhat higher clocked Intel Core i7-3770K (Ivy Bridge). Therefore, the CPU is also well suited for demanding applications.

Graphics

The integrated graphics unit called HD Graphics 530 represents the "GT2" version of the Skylake GPU (Intel Gen. 9). The 24 Execution Units, also called EUs, are clocked at 350 - 1100 MHz and offer a performance about 20 percent above the old HD Graphics 4600. Games of 2015 can thus be played smoothly in low or medium settings. For more information about performance and features, check our page for HD Graphics 530.

Power Consumption

Specified at a TDP of 35 W (including CPU, GPU and memory controller), the CPU is best suited for bigger notebooks 15-inches in size and above or small desktops.

Intel Core i7-9700K

The Intel Core i7-9700K is a high end desktop processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It offers an open multiplicator for easy overclocking and integrates 8 cores (no Hyperthreading therefore also 8 threads) clocked at 3.6 - 4.9 GHz and it needs a new Z390 based mainboard.

Thanks to the two additional cores, the performance in multi-threaded applications is even better than the old Core i8-8700K with 6 cores and Hyperthreading. As a high end desktop CPU, the i9-9700K is suited even for very demanding applications and perfect for 3D gaming.

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 graphics card is clocked at up to 1.2 GHz and offers no advantage compared to previous generations. As it is a very low end GPU, only some low demanding games like Hearthstone can be played with it (see GPU page for benchmarks).

Intel specifies the TDP at 95 Watt, so if the CPU is used in laptops a big and chunky cooling system is needed to avoid throttling and lower clock speeds under sustained loads. When overclocking the CPU, the power consumption can easily rise up to 200 Watt and higher.