The hex-core i5-8500 hails from Intel’s eighth generation of Coffee Lake processors, known for featuring a higher number of cores at each SKU than in previous generations and their refinement of the 14nm architecture as seen in 6th and 7th generation processors. At an estimated price of $184 it offers good multi-core value for money. Its quad core performance nearly rivals the more expensive i7-7700K (the 2017 CPU of choice for many top-end gamers). However based on preliminary benchmarks, the i5-8500 is only marginally faster (2% greater effective speed) than the i5-8400 which is also a recent and competitively priced hex-core Coffee Lake processor. Also, like the i5-8400, the 8500 features 9MB of L3 cache and a frugal TDP of 65W, leaving not much to choose between them. As is the case of all Coffee Lake processors, currently the only motherboards that the 8500 can be paired with feature Intel’s high-end Z370 chipset for overclocking. However, alternative and more suitable 300 series motherboards are long overdue and expected to be available soon. [Mar '18CPUPro]
The 8 core, 16 thread 2700X is AMD’s second generation Ryzen 7 flagship following in the wake of the Ryzen 7 1800X which continues to offer excellent multi-core value for money. This new Pinnacle Ridge processor features the Zen+ architecture with 12nm lithography compared to 14nm previously. Whilst there is no increase in the number of cores, the stock base / boost clocks appear to have received a bump up to 3.7 / 4.3 GHz from 3.6 / 4.0 GHz. The 2700X is compatible with both the new 400 series and 300 series of motherboards. Early benchmarks indicate that the 2700X has a slightly greater effective speed than the 1800X, although further benchmarks are necessary to quantify this. The expected launch price of $329 includes a Wraith Prism cooler and is in the same price bracket as the 1800X and Intel’s Coffee Lake i7-8700K. Whilst the 6 core, 12 thread 8700K beats the 2700X in single and quad core performance by around 15%, the 2700X wins on multi-core workloads. PC gaming and desktop performance is generally governed by six or less cores but the 2700X offers value for money to workstation users. Even though the 2700X excels at video production, streamers should look elsewhere. Streaming with dedicated hardware such as NVENC or a separate stream PC will nearly always result in fewer dropped frames. [Apr '18CPUPro]
We calculate effective speed which measures real world performance for typical users. Effective speed is adjusted by current prices to yield a value for money rating. Our calculated values are checked against thousands of individual user ratings. The customizable table below combines these factors to bring you the definitive list of top CPUs. [CPUPro]
Welcome to our PC speed test tool. UserBenchmark will test your PC and compare the results to other users with the same components. You can quickly size up your PC, identify hardware problems and explore the best value for money upgrades.