Intel Core i5-7600K
The Core i5-7600K made its gains over the previous generation Core i5 6600K The Core i5 K continues as the strong gaming choice.
Like the Intel Core i7-7700K reviewed on the previous page, the Intel Core i5-7600K is based on the Kaby Lake-S microarchitecture, a tweaked — or optimised in Intel speak — implementation of the Skylake-S core found in the Intel Core 6th-gen processors. Check out the Core i7-7700K review for details on the hardwarebased encoding and decoding of high- res, high-bitrate audio-visuals.
Coming to the party with four cores and four threads, like the previous four generations of Core i5 K SKU processors (we’ll count Haswell and Devil’s Canyon as much the same), the crucial differentiator between the i7 and i5 continues to be the implementation of hyperthreading (HT) in the i7 and reduced CPU cache density for the i5.
For many gamers, the Core i5 K SKU is the go-to CPU. This is due to complications arising in some game titles — both new and old games — from the handling of hyperthreading. In addition, the heat generation typically associated with hyperthreading can also be a concern for gamers that may have a small form factor (SFF) solution for LAN gaming, utilising a MicroATX or Mini-ITX motherboard and SFF case with potentially reduced cooling capacity.
As a practical example of the Core i5 K SKU having proven gaming chops, the Core i5-7600K delivers similar if not better gaming performance as the more expensive and hotter running Core i7-7700K. This is shown in the graphics score and combined score sub-tests of 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme throughout the testing at stock, 4.5GHz and 4.7GHz frequencies. However, the Core i5 is then pummelled into submission during CPU-centric tests, such as the physics test, ultimately boosting the final 3DMark score in favour of the Core i7. Based on this synthetic test, if your gaming involves plenty of physics processing and you cannot offload this to a secondary or tertiary GPU for processing, the Core i7 is a relevant and practical option to explore.
However, if you play titles more restricted by instructions per clock (IPC), cranking the Core i5 K SKU frequency up delivers comparable performance to the Core i7 clock for clock. The comparable IPC gaming performance and hyperthreading-related gaming loss was observed in the Far Cry Primal benchmark results. Showing that the Core i5-7600K continually delivered a faster gaming platform compared to implementing the Core i7-7700K.
However, if gaming is not your focus and content creation is, specifically utilising multi-thread optimised software, the Core i7 becomes the unit best fit for purpose. Understanding the differences of application is key to getting the most out of the choice between selecting a Core i5-7600K or Core i7-7700K, as both are effectively unbound by a CPU frequency limit, with cooling and the silicon lottery the main restraint.
Like the Core i7 variant, the Core i5-7600K made its gains over the previous generation Core i5 6600K through a stock frequency boost of 300MHz. Once this was removed from the equation and compared clock for clock, the differences were minimal.