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What’s Changed in 13 Years? Intel Core i7-2600K vs. Intel Core Ultra 7 265K Gaming Performance Compared

What’s Changed in 13 Years? Intel Core i7-2600K vs. Intel Core Ultra 7 265K Gaming Performance Compared

3 min read1 month ago

The YouTube channel Testing Games recently compared the 13-year-old Intel Core i7-2600K to the modern Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, both paired with Nvidia’s powerhouse GeForce RTX 4090. The results? A testament to technological leaps, but also a surprising nod to the staying power of some old hardware.

Benchmarks at 1080p:

  • S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

    • Intel Core i7-2600K: 33 fps
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: 91 fps

  • Forza Horizon 5

    • Intel Core i7-2600K: 116 fps
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: 234 fps

  • CS2

    • Intel Core i7-2600K: 203 fps
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: 551 fps

  • Hogwarts Legacy

    • Intel Core i7-2600K: 35 fps
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: 77 fps

  • Starfield

    • Intel Core i7-2600K: 44 fps
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: 134 fps

  • Red Dead Redemption 2

    • Intel Core i7-2600K: 82 fps
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: 177 fps

  • Ghost of Tsushima

    • Intel Core i7-2600K: 85 fps
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: 164 fps

  • Cyberpunk 2077

    • Intel Core i7-2600K: 38 fps
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: 110 fps

  • The Witcher 3

    • Intel Core i7-2600K: 35 fps
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 265K: 93 fps

What Does It Mean?

The difference in performance is staggering, and rightly so. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a marvel of modern engineering, showcasing up to a 6x improvement in some titles. Yet, the most remarkable takeaway here is the fact that the i7-2600K, a processor launched back in 2011, still holds its own. Paired with a top-tier GPU like the RTX 4090, it manages to deliver playable framerates even in demanding games.

My Take?
It’s kind of like watching your grandpa join a marathon with top-tier sneakers and still finish with a decent time. The i7-2600K was a legendary chip, built during an era where Intel processors truly dominated, and this test reminds us why.

Sure, modern hardware leaves it in the dust, but the fact that a 13-year-old processor can let you experience modern AAA titles (albeit with less smoothness) is both impressive and nostalgic. A small salute to those who squeezed every last bit of performance out of their beloved Sandy Bridge chips.