▷ Intel core i7

Finally the NDA finishes and we can offer you our own analysis of the new star processor for the gaming market, it is none other than the Intel Core i7-9700K, a very special model that marks the debut of an 8-core and 8-wire configuration in the range Intel mainstream. For the first time in history, we are facing a Core i7 processor without Hyper Threading, although with more cores than ever. Will it measure up to its predecessors?

Intel Core i7-9700K technical features

Architecture and news

The Intel Core i7-9700K belongs to the ninth generation of Intel Core processors, which is better known as Coffe Lake Refresh. Until now the Core i7 have been the most powerful chips within the LGA 115x platform, although this changes with this generation, which introduces the Core i9 within this range. Coffee Lake Refresh is still a rehash of Coffee Lake, so at the level of internal architecture there are few, if any, relevant changes.

These Coffee Lake are made using a process at 14 nm +++ Tri Gate from Intel, it seems that the leaders of the blue giant put many positives in the school and they have taken the taste. This process is the best in the world today, and allows Intel to have its processors reach very high frequencies. Thanks to this, the Core i7-9700K makes the jump to 8 cores and 8 threads, despite not having Hyper Threading, it is the Core i7 for LGA 1150 with more cores, so it must also be the most powerful, even more than the Core i7 8700K.

This Core i7-9700K is capable of a frequency of 3.7 GHz in base mode, which goes up to 4.9 GHz in turbo mode. We have an 8-core processor capable of 4.9 GHz, which promises to be quite a performance spectacle in video games. All this with a TDP of only 95W and 12 MB of Intel Smart Cache. Coffee Lake S is natively compatible with DDR4-2666 MHz memory and is also compatible with Intel Optane.

As for the integrated graphics, Intel repeats again with the UHD 630 at a maximum frequency of 1200 MHz, the same graphics technology used in the Coffee Lake series and which is excellent for multimedia, but insufficient for games.

This processor maintains the LGA 1151 socket and is compatible with all 300 series chipsets, although it will be better for anyone to think of mounting it on an H310 motherboard, since the weak VRM of these motherboards can end up burning.

Unboxing and design

The Intel Core i7-9700K has come to us as a sample unit, so we cannot show you the presentation that you are going to find in stores. This means that this chip is an engineering sample, so the temperature and overclocking values ​​may be slightly better than the commercial versions.

At this point, it 's fair to say that this Core i7-9700K brings the IHS soldered to the processor, something not seen from Sandy Bridge. This weld should have a much better thermal performance than the previous six generations (better late than never), with this weld there will no longer be a need to delid, in fact it would be extremely dangerous to do so and the benefit almost non-existent. Intel does not attach a heatsink with its K models, since they are CPUs intended for overclocking, and its reference heatsink is not enough.

The appearance of this Intel Core i7-9700K is identical to previous generations, something that is to be expected when you see that it uses the same LGA 1150 socket. The IHS is screen printed with the exact model and its surface is completely polished for excellent contact with the heatsink base.

On the back we have the contacts for the 1151 pins of the motherboard socket, as you all know Intel puts the pins on the motherboard and not on the processor.

Test bench and performance tests

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel Core i7-9700K
Base plate:	Asus Maximus X Hero
RAM:	Corsair LPX 64 GB DDR4 @ 2600 MHz
Heatsink	Corsair H115
HDD	Samsumg 850 EVO.
Graphic card	Nvidia GTX1080 Ti 11GB
Power supply	Corsair AX860i.

To check the stability of the Intel Core i7-9700K processor in stock and overclocked. The motherboard we have stressed with Prime 95 Custom and air cooling. The graph that we have used is an Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti, without further delay, let's see the results obtained in our tests.

Benchmarks (Synthetic tests)

We have tested performance with the enthusiastic platform and the previous generation. Will your purchase be worth it?

• Cinebench R15 (CPU Score).Aida64.3dMARK Fire Strike.VRMARKPCMark 87-ZipBlender

Game testing

The improvement we see between the i7-9700k and i7-8700k is not as relevant as we expected. We can say that the 8/8 and 6/12 configurations (cores / threads) are equivalent in performance.

Overlock i7-9700k

As standard the processor comes quite high in nuts: 4.9 GHz with its Turbo mode. This means that one or two cores will be at this speed while the rest will be more relaxed. In our case we have opted to add chicha to the processor and raise it to 5 GHz in all its cores.

Each processor is a world, you can be more lazy or a "black leg". - What is known as "the silicon lottery"?

The best ones are very good. We went through cinebench from 1507 cb to 1637 cb and memories at 3600 MHz. What a good performance! Considering that it is a processor with 8 physical and logical cores.

Consumption and temperature

We consider this series of processors to be the best in consumption. We have a standby consumption of 70 W and maximum performance at 173 W.

Regarding the temperature level, it can be seen that Intel has done a good job with its welding. Finally, the "toothpaste" that incorporated as a thermal component disappears. In this case, we could have better temperatures, but at no time do we have throttling.

Final words and conclusion about Intel Core i7-9700K

The Intel Core i7-9700K is manufactured at 14nm and consists of 8 physical cores and 8 logical cores (It does not have Hyperthreading). It is complemented by 12 MB of cache, a TDP of 95 W, a base speed of 3.6 GHz that can go up to 4.9 GHz in turbo and the advantage of being able to overclock, having the multiplier unlocked.

In our test bench we have been able to verify that its performance is very remarkable. Both in synthetic results and in games it is very interesting. Is it worth it compared to an i7-8700k ? The answer is clear to us, NO.

Surely you are interested in reading our guide to the best processors on the market

And it is that we find that although it has 2 more physical cores, in the tests it was not above. If you want to build a new team, we recommend you jump into the i9-9900k or take advantage of a good offer on the i7-8700k or i7-8086k.

A level of consumption and temperatures has impressed on the first contact. What we did not like very much is its price. In Spanish stores we have seen it listed for 499 euros . Being at 8700k a few months ago and with an exorbitant rise, what is the point of this processor on the market?

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
- 8 CORES	- HIGH PRICE
- GOOD CLOCKS	- NOT AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE I7-8700K.
- THE IHS AND DIE ARE ALREADY SOLDIER
- PERFORMANCE IN DECENT GAMING
- TEMPERATURES AND CONSUMPTION

The Professional Review team awards him the gold medal:

Intel Core i7-9700K

YIELD YIELD - 85%

MULTI-THREAD PERFORMANCE - 85%

OVERCLOCK - 88%

PRICE - 70%

82%