Core i7 the name, the myth, the legend when it comes to the mainstream PC industry.
No surprise with todays standard, the i7 is a jack-of-all-trades processor.
But does that make it a viable option for gaming?
To find the answer, lets dig into this article.
TheCore i7 965 Extreme Editionled this CPU family, being the alpha SKU.
So, these improvements must mean something, right?
Yes, they do.
In the later section, Ill get down to the nitty-gritty of the performance of i7 processors.
Read more onwhat is AMD equivalent to Intel Core i7?
If there is no tangible benefit that comes with the latest iteration, then whats the point?
To answer the question, lets have a look at the performance across sequential generations of core i7 processors.
Modern games, however, can exploit many cores and threads.
With that being said, synthetic benchmarks simulate what you might expect from a silicon microprocessor.
Thanks to the all-new10nmprocess node and core architecture.
Multicore
Multicore scenario for the core i7 part is even more fascinating.
The extended numbers of cores and threads made this part a multicore monster.
It all began with the i7 8700K, introducing the first 6-core mainstream desktopIntelprocessor.
Below, Ive put together the multicore scores of i7 CPUs.
The radical paradigm shift occurred with the 12th generation.
The combination ofGolden Coveperformance andGracemontefficient cores opened a new horizon for the i7 processors.
And the excellence continues with 13th gen i7 as well.
Lets follow this up down to the last detail in the next section.
Also related to this guide onare i7 CPU good.
So Is Core i7 Actually Good For Gaming?
Good is an understatement for a core i7 CPU on the question of gaming.
The i7 processor is an overkill part for sole gaming purposes.
Modern i7 CPUs can handle any high-end GPU without a hitch, showing no sign of CPU bottleneck whatsoever.
It can handle any CPU-intensive game, delivering the maximum frames per second.
Dont take my word for it.
Let the numbers speak for themselves.
Ive tested all the modern titles up against the core i7 processor.
Lets see how the i7 CPUs stack up next to it.
And the lower the resolution, the more load on the CPU.
This is why 1080p data is crucial in measuring CPUs horsepower.
The same thing can be said for the other generation i7 CPUs.
And these are no slouches when it comes to gaming.
Especially, if you target high resolution, you are basically offloading all the heavy work on the GPU.
2560x1440p Benchmark
A break-even point for high-resolution gaming and CPU performance is the 1440p resolution.
Good CPUs deliver brilliant 1% low FPS, reducing the stutter issue and slow-downs.
Core i7 CPUs do an exceptional job in this regard.
Lets have a look.
Like the 1080p gaming results, things are pretty much the same in 1440p resolution as well.
Though in this resolution, the load is more on the GPU.
The latest gen products come ahead as expected, delivering the maximum possible Frames Per second in every game.
Older-gen parts, however, sometimes bottleneck the GPU, such as 9700K and 8700K.
CPU generation comes into play in such instances, as we talked about earlier.
Power Consumption
Yielding maximum FPS in every game does come at a cost Power Draw.
That being said, the notion everyone has especially for Intel CPUs is that these are power hogs.
Which is technically true, but in specific scenarios.
See, for casual tasks and gaming, you dont need to stress yourself over power consumption.
The package power of the i7 typically stays between80-130W.
Though depending on games, these numbers can fluctuate.
You have the power at your disposal to swing through core heavy works on the back of this SKU.
See, with the billion dollars gaming industry, streaming and content creation is nothing out of ordinary.
Its not too much to ask from your rig, is it?
And this is where the i7 processor starts to flex its muscle, being the multicore powerhouse.
Even if you compare it with the i9 part, this statement remains as true as the sunrise.
The i7 is no slouch, even having fewer cores.
But the disappointment hit me hard once I tried streaming with the i7 9700K.
I also tried hardware encoding based on the iGPU, but it simply doesnt worth it.
The image quality is blurry and unusable.
So does that make these CPUs obsolete for streaming?
But the iGPU has one major advantage that will thrive in video editing IntelQuick Sync Technology.
Should You Buy Core i7 For Gaming?
The most common question when picking up a CPU is Should I go for it?
Is it worth my money?
As simple as the question sounds, the answer, however, is not confined toYesorNo.
But why would you take my word for it?
Lets check some minimum and recommended processors for modern titles.
Do you mind taking a closer look?
See, even with modern titles, the i7 is a luxury for gaming.
Well, in terms of Intel processors, generation matters big time.
TakeHogwarts Legacyfor an example.
Which is currently one of the most popular games out there with stunning graphics.
Surprisingly, the developers are suggesting ani7 10700KCPU to run it with maximum graphics preset at 4K.
But the core i5 12600K outperforms this CPU by a long shot in everything Single Core&Multicore.
So, if you pick an i5 12600K, you are completely geared up for gaming.
And its a hell of a future-proof chip, thanks to the added cores.
An i7 from recent generations such as 12700K or 13700K is simply redundant in such cases.
Not to mention, the i5 13600K outperforms the i9 12900K in gaming.
It also goes head-to-head with the i9 CPU with its multicore performance thanks to the increased core count.
Therefore,i5 is the CPU you should opt for gaming.
No hiccups, no slowdowns, but rather a blistering fast computing experience.
It can handle any gaming workload like childs play.
But theres no denying, the core i7 is overkill for most people.
An i5 from a similar generation is all it takes to do gaming at the highest standard.
What do you think then?
