Intel Core i7-8670 socket: LGA 1151

What the Core i7-8670 is

The Core i7-8670 is a six core, twelve thread desktop processor with a 3.1 GHz base and up to 4.4 GHz turbo. It carries 12 MB of shared L3 cache and a 65 W TDP on the 14 nm process. The TechPowerUp database lists it with a January 2018 launch on Socket 1151 with Coffee Lake coding.

Hyper-Threading doubles the thread count over the i5 six cores, which helps compilation, rendering and streaming beside play. The 65 W rating keeps it inside mainstream cooling despite the twelve threads. The multiplier is locked at 31 times the 100 MHz base clock.

UHD Graphics 630 covers office displays without a separate card. ECC is listed as not supported. The chip appeared in early 2018 system leaks before wider 300 series board supply, so board BIOS dates matter more than usual.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 8670 fits LGA 1151 revision 2 on 300 series motherboards such as H310, B360 and H370. Boards sold in early 2018 accept it where the maker lists the part, while very early 300 series releases may need a BIOS update. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide explains the two revisions of this socket.

It does not fit 100 or 200 series boards, which are revision 1 for 6th and 7th Gen chips. Buyers of used boards should confirm the 8670 on the maker CPU list before paying. A missing entry means the board may not start with the chip.

H370 and B360 boards with four DIMM slots suit this chip where memory growth matters. A tower cooler on the shared 75 mm pattern covers the 65 W load with headroom for turbo bursts. The Intel Core i7-8700 is a nearby twelve thread chip with wider listings at slightly higher clocks.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory support is DDR4 in two channels at up to 2666 MT/s, with about 42.7 GB per sec of bandwidth. ECC is listed as not supported, so standard desktop DIMMs are the fit. Two matched sticks give dual channel speed for twelve thread multitasking.

PCI Express arrives as version 3.0 with 16 lanes from the CPU for graphics and storage. A single NVMe drive and a mid range card fit the lane budget of a mainstream tower. Cooling uses the shared 75 mm LGA 1151 pattern at 65 W, so stock coolers and common towers fit.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket the step up is the Intel Core i7-8700 with higher clocks on the same boards, keeping DDR4 and the cooler. The 8670 keeps its place where twelve threads cover creation at lower cost. Gamers on this chip usually upgrade the graphics card before the processor.

Moving past LGA 1151 to LGA 1200 needs a new board, since no 8th Gen chip fits the newer socket. Owners usually add memory or an SSD before replacing the processor.