Intel Core i5 vs. i7: Which Is Better for Gaming?

Edited by Ben Jacklin
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If you are asking yourself “Which processor for gaming should I get?”, chances are you are comparing i5 vs. i7 for gaming. So, here we'll cover the difference between them and help you make a choice.

Comparison parameter

i5 8600k

i7 8700k

Socket

LGA1151

LGA1151

Base frequency

3.6 GHz

3.2 GHz

Maximum frequency

4.3 GHz

4.6 GHz

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i7 or i5 for gaming – what is the difference?

Intel Core i5 and i7 are two families of Intel Core; the key advantage of an i7 over an i5 of the same generation generally lies in the fact that it performs better in multitasking, photo and video editing, and, in general, in handling heavy workloads. That is why the i7 is more expensive. So, is i5 or i7 better for gaming? Do you really need the benefits that the i7 system provides?

A basic comparison between the 8th generation i5 and i7 models on UserBenchmark shows that i7 is only slightly better in all areas except for the one where it really leaves i5 in the dust – multitasking. That is because the i7 models have twice as many threads as i5 models of the same generation. And the threads are the key actors in the hyper-threading technology that is responsible for multitasking or the sharing of tasks among the processor’s cores.

Hyper-threading was first introduced by Intel back in 2011 when it was only accessible for the i7 family. Essentially, it adds two “virtual” cores for each physical one, sharing the workload between them. So in the test above, an 8th gen i7 model with 12 threads performs better in multitasking than an 8th gen i7 model that has only 6 threads.

How many cores do you need to play?

In October 2017, a new round of Intel Core i5 vs. i7 gaming rivalry began with the introduction of the 8th CPU generation. Intel increased the number of cores and threads for each of the models by 50 percent and increased the core’s clock speed for i7-8700K processors. From that point on, both i5 and i7 8th gen processors have had six cores and hyper-threading.

CPU family

Generation

Core/thread count

Core i7

8th gen

6C/12T

Core i7

7th gen and lower

4C/8T

Core i5

8th gen

6C/6T

Core i5

7th gen and lower

4C/4T

Although the 8th generation processors are more expensive than their predecessors, the difference in price tends to go down quickly and the increase in performance they provide makes them usually worth the additional cost. The specific benefit you’re likely to get from upgrading depends mostly on how much the tasks you regularly perform on your computer require multi-threading, as well as the age of your current chip. The number of single or dual-core applications is going down these days, and Windows tends to send different single-threaded tasks to different cores, so multicore applications running simultaneously are handled much more efficiently by 8th gen processors.

All that said, we have to admit that games don’t normally take up more than four cores if you use hyper-threading. Some speculated that the newest DirectX 12, being more “multicore friendly”, might change the situation. But the actual tests proved not only that game performance does not change after you pass the boundary of 6 cores, but also that the increase from 4 and 6 cores is not that significant. So, if no important workloads pass through your CPU outside the game, you shouldn’t expect much benefit from i7 or i5 for gaming.

Nevertheless, if you want to play demanding games and stream at the same time, a 6-core processor can increase your performance, even if by not as much as you might expect from two extra cores. Having six cores also gives you an extra fallback in case newer games start to use multi-threading more actively. So, if you already have, say, a 6th or 7th gen i5, you shouldn’t probably bother upgrading to an 8th gen. But if you have an altogether different CPU and are thinking of moving to Intel Core, we’d advise you to go directly to 8th gen. The difference in costs between generations is not significant.

As for the i7, if you’re planning to use it exclusively for gaming, it is probably not worth the price. Core i5 will be just as fast for games, and 6 extra threads won’t make a noticeable difference. Core i7, or, better yet, Core i9, are great for 3D rendering or video editing and encoding but, if that’s not your deal, don’t even bother.

Bottleneck argument

“Bottlenecking” seems to have become a trending term among gamers talking about processor performance lately. Let’s see what this actually is.

The core of the issue lies in the interaction between CPU and GPU that makes your PC function correctly. Simply put, the CPU decides what needs to be rendered when by the GPU. If the CPU is somehow unable to perform this task, the GPU doesn’t have enough work to do, its capacity is left unexploited, and, consequently, the PC’s performance drops off. In this case, we would say that the GPU is bottlenecked.

Bottleneck argument

So, should you worry about bottlenecking?

As we’ve already seen, the trick lies in balancing CPU and GPU capacities to ensure both function at their best. And you should know that, frankly, you either need a really high-end graphics card or multiple cards installed on your PC at the same time for an i5 to “lag behind” and bottleneck your GPU during gaming.

Conclusion: Which CPU to buy?

All things considered, there are significant differences between i5 and i7 CPUs, but they are not differences that really matter for gaming. It is true that the gap in price between an i5 and an i7 depends on the system. But even if it is less than $100, you may want to spend this money on a better graphics card. It is actually more important if you are a gamer: remember that minor CPU bottlenecks resulting from combining an i5 with a high-end card are not such a big deal. It is better to bottleneck a GTX 1080 a bit than to have an i7 with a GTX 1070. Invest your money wisely and, if you’re a gamer, upgrade your GPU rather than count on the slight performance boost that an i7 offers.

Summing up, we advise you not to be fooled by digits: “7” is not always better than “5”. Intel Core i7 models should remain the prerogative for workstations, powerful 3D rendering, and media editing machines. As for gaming, unless you are getting several high-end GPUs, an i7 processor will probably be a waste of money.

And yes, you might consider buying a processor of an altogether different brand – AMD, for instance.

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Frequently asked questions

Is i5 better than i7 for gaming?

The Core i5 and Core i7 processors stand out when looking for CPUs that are good for gaming. The Core i5 is less expensive, but the Core i7 performs better while multitasking. If you're a streamer, spending a little extra money and getting the Core i7 would be a better option.

Does i7 make a difference for gaming?

If you're running some programs along with your game, like streaming or recording software, then using i7 is worth it. These processors are better at multitasking than i5s.

How much is i7 faster than i5?

There are many models and generations of both Core i5 and Core i7 processors. i7s generally outperform i5s, albeit the difference is not so significant, according to i5 vs. i7 gaming benchmarks.

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