We’re pleased to say we now have the latest Intel 8th generation processors and motherboards in stock! Now we’ve got our hands on the new tech, we’ve decided to explore exactly how this new generation of Core CPUs compares with its predecessor, the 7th gen Kaby Lake line, and why 8th generation is a bigger and better alternative.
What does the 8th generation consist of?
Intel’s 8th generation of desktop and mobile CPUs was officially announced last August during 2017’s total solar eclipse. Rather than an entirely new architecture, this instead consists of three microarchitectures evolved from the 7th gen Kaby Lake – the refreshed 14nm+ Kaby Lake-R, the 14nm++ Coffee Lake, and the yet-to-emerge 10nm Cannon Lake.
What’s the difference?
There are several key differences between Intel 8th and 7th gen, the most notable of which is the promised 40% increase in performance. This claim states that 8th gen Intel Core i7 and i5 processors demonstrate up to a 40% improvement, even when multitasking. This huge boost is due in part to the fact that 8th gen chips are no longer dual, but instead quad-core, which has afforded a 25% performance rise alone. This combined with design and manufacturing changes has lifted the 8th gen Core CPUs to that impressive 40% mark.
Another significant change is the core count in each CPU. As we’ve seen with Coffee Lake, the core count for i7 and i5 processors has gone from 4 to 6, with an accompanying jump in threads, too, meaning the newer generations are much faster. In fact, according to Laptop Mag, 4-cored Kaby Lake-R can be up to 91% quicker, depending on the task. What this has meant, though, is a lower base clock for Kaby Lake-R due to Intel’s efforts to keep to a 15W TDP, but this is barely apparent in performance, thanks to higher clock speeds at Turbo.
Beyond the core and performance increase, however, not a great amount has changed; the 8th generation line-up isn’t wildly different. What is evident, though, is that the surge in performance is substantial enough to set the 8th generation CPUs into a league over and above 7th gen.
Conclusion
While there isn’t an overwhelming amount of difference between Intel 8th and 7th gen, the new generation certainly holds its own when it comes to speed, accuracy, and performance. We’re really excited about what has been revealed to us of Intel’s 8th generation so far, particularly the Coffee Lake i7-8700k CPU, and can’t wait to see what’s yet to come from it as we head further into 2018.
If you’re interested in a Rack or Mini PC containing Intel’s 8th generation CPUs, or would like to learn more about what 8th gen has to offer, speak to one of the team.
