The Core i7-7700K is Intel’s flagship Kaby Lake based CPU which is reported to have the same IPC as its predecessor, Skylake. Comparing the 7700K and 6700K shows that both average effective speed and peak overclocked speed are up by 7%. Most of the increase in average effective speed is explained by the 5% boost in base clocks from 4.0 to 4.2 GHz. The improved peak lab speed is attributable to a combination of better overclocking capacity and improvements in Intel’s speedshift technology which make the 7700K slightly more responsive. Kaby Lake also has marginally better HD 630 integrated graphics. The i7-7700K is priced similarly to the i7-6700K so for top end gaming and workstation builds, the 7700K is the clear choice for 2017. AMD’s Ryzen will release later this year so things could change at that time. [Jan '17CPUPro]
This was the ultimate niche CPU. At the time of its release, it had an optimal combination of multi-core performance without sacrificing as much single- and quad- as the higher-core CPUs, at an excellent price-point. It utilizes quad-channel RAM. If you were a content creator without external funding, had one machine in the budget, then this chip might even now in mid-2019 be what you're looking for.
The higher-end Threadrippers will throw more cores at you... for up to five times the price. If you've a home studio, running a DAW on the same PC you use for everything; or you do your own video editing; or you're an independent streamer; then those extra 12 or 18 cores aren't really going to help you that much anyway, for all that extra cash - AND those CPUs have lower performance in more common applications (single- low-thread apps). Not worth it. Intel isn't even on the table, of course.
If you're reading this in the future: these benchmarks have multiple categories for a reason. Read and think. Find the best combination for what you intend to do with it - not some arbitrary "the best" overall. There is no such thing, because you won't be using your computer for Overall, now will you? [Aug '19spacefiddle]
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.