Intel Core i7-7700K Kaby Lake Processor Review

Power Consumption and Temperatures

Power Consumption

During idle conditions, the i7-7700K consumes around 60-watts which demonstrate its efficient nature rather well. Overclocking the CPU doesn’t have a massive impact on the power draw and keeps the product within respectable levels. When you compare clock for clock, the i7-7700K uses less power than the i7-6700K. However, the results seem skewed by the contrasting frequencies. Under load, the i7-7700K hovers around the 165-watt mark which is a decent number given the 4.5GHz Turbo. Overclocking the CPU to 5.1GHz results in a power consumption around 182-watts which isn’t a huge increase over the i7-6700K running at 4.8GHz.

Temperatures

The i7-7700K’s thermal output is greater than its predecessor due to the higher Turbo frequency. Saying that, the temperatures only increase at a leisurely pace and remain under 70C. Please note, there doesn’t appear to be any kind of improvements to the thermal interface material which is a major disappointment. As previously mentioned, overclocking the CPU to 5.1GHz requires a hefty voltage increase and should only be attempted on high-end cooling hardware. Even then, I wouldn’t advise using such a large amount of voltage for 24/7 usage. While the CPU was stable at 5.1GHz, the temperatures are perilously close to the thermal limit.