Performance: 37 out of 40
It may be pricey but this is the fastest Intel mainstream orientated CPU to be released to date. Better still is while it is ‘only’ a six-core processor it can (sometimes) even hold its own against AMD’s 8-core offerings in work related scenarios… and in games it is in a league all its own.
Ease of Use: 20 out of 20
This is where the Intel i7-8086K really shines. Intel has done all the work and the out of the box experience is hard to beat. Swap out your existing LGA 1151-300 compatible CPU, plunk this bad boy in… and watch it go like a scalded cat. Mix in better overclocking headroom and the i7-8086K does justify its Limited Edition moniker when it comes to ease of use!
Innovation: 15 out of 20
On the one hand, having a 6-core LGA 1151-300 chip that comes at a stock speed of 5.0Ghz is impressive. Especially when this chip still only has a 95watt TDP rating! On the other, it is nothing more than a highly binned i7-8700K. That is innovative for Intel… but not all that innovative. If Intel had given this more than a single core boost setting of 5.0Ghz it would be truly innovative, but for the most part it really is nothing that special. Most overclocking enthusiasts will get darn near the same performance with the cheaper i7-8700K as they will with the i7-8086K processor.
Value: 12 out of 20
Obviously the value of the i7-8086K is going to vary greatly depending on your needs. If you don’t want to mess around and get a guaranteed good i7-8700K the Limited Edition i7-8086K is a veritable no-brainer. Intel has done all the work for you and you are going to get at the very worst a top 15% i7-8700K. For everyone else… there is going to be very little real-world differences between the i7-8700K and the Limited Edition i7-8086K. So for some this is a perfect 20 and for others it’s a 4 – at best. We are going to split the difference and call it a 12.
Final Score: 84 out 100
While it may not exactly be all that much better than the run of the mill i7-8700K, if you do not care about value it is indeed a powerful CPU. The fly in the ointment is the fact that most people have to at the very least pay lip-service to value… and it really, really is hard to justify when the typical i7-8700K will get you darn close to what this CPU can offer for noticeably less money. This CPU really is meant for the overclocking enthusiast so the average buyer need not apply.
