What "PC 8th Gen" Means
A "PC 8th gen" refers to a computer built around Intel's 8th Generation Core processor family (codenamed Coffee Lake), introduced in 2017. It was a landmark generation because Intel moved mainstream desktop and mobile parts from 4 cores to 6 cores on the desktop side (and 4 cores on many mobile parts), delivering a large jump in multi-threaded performance over the 7th generation. Typical 8th gen SKUs include the Core i3-8100, i3-8100T, i5-8400, i5-8500, i5-8500T, i7-8700 and i7-8700T, plus the low-cost Pentium Gold and Celeron variants used in entry-level desktops and thin clients.
Key Specifications and Technical Details
Eighth-generation Core processors are built on a 14 nm process, support DDR4 memory (officially up to DDR4-2666 on most SKUs), and integrate Intel UHD Graphics 630. Desktop parts generally run at 65 W TDP, while the "T" suffix versions run at 35 W for small-form-factor and fanless designs. The platform supports up to 6 cores and 12 threads (on the i7 models), Intel vPro and AMT on select chips for remote management, and hardware-accelerated video decode for H.264 and HEVC. Chipset families pairing with this generation include H310, B360, H370, Q370 and Z370, with Q370 being the usual choice for business and industrial systems thanks to its long-lifecycle availability and remote management features.
Typical Use Cases
Because the 8th gen platform has been in the market for years, it remains widely deployed in point-of-sale terminals,
