Intel Core i7-3960X vs Intel Core i5-3570K

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-3960X or Intel Core i7-3960X – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i7-3960X features 6 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2011 and belongs to the 3 generation of the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition series.
To use the Intel Core i7-3960X, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2011 socket.
The Intel Core i5-3570K features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2012 and belongs to the 3 generation of the Intel Core i5 series.
To use the Intel Core i5-3570K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1155 socket.
Intel Core i 3000X Group Intel Core i 3000
3 Generation 3
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-3960X Name Intel Core i5-3570K
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition Family Intel Core i5
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-3960X has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-3960X is 3.3 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.9 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The Intel Core i5-3570K has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i5-3570K is 3.4 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.8 GHz.
12 Threads 4
6x Cores 4x
6 CPU Cores 4
normal Core architecture normal
Yes Hyperthreading No
Yes Overclocking Yes
3.9 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.8 GHz
3.3 GHz Frequency 3.4 GHz
3.9 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) 3.8 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-3960X does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i5-3570K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i5-3570K uses the Intel HD Graphics 4000, which has 128 texture shaders
and 16 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- Shaders 128
-- Release date Q1/2011
-- Technology 22 nm
-- Direct X 11.0
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 2.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
-- Execution units 16
-- GPU frequency 0.65 GHz
-- Generation 7
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.15 GHz
GPU name Intel HD Graphics 4000
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- VP8 No
-- VC-1 Decode
-- JPEG Decode
-- AV1 No
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
-- AVC Decode / Encode
-- h264 Decode / Encode
-- VP9 No
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 64.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
DDR3-1600 Memory type DDR3-1600
No ECC No
64.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
4 Memory channels 2
51.2 GB/s Bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 130 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 77 W watts.
130 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 77 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-3960X is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 15.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i5-3570K is manufactured using a 22 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 6.0 MB cache.
Q4/2011 Release date Q2/2012
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d (C2 Stepping) Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX
32 nm Technology 22 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
970 $ Release price 235 $
Sandy Bridge E Architecture Ivy Bridge S
15.0 MB L3-Cache 6.0 MB
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Part Number --
LGA 2011 Socket LGA 1155
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
19300
19300
Intel Core i5-3570K
4C 4T @ 3.4 GHz
10165
10165

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
4973
4973
Intel Core i5-3570K
4C 4T @ 3.4 GHz
2866
2866

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
3488
3488
Intel Core i5-3570K
4C 4T @ 3.4 GHz
2286
2286

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
3314
3314
Intel Core i5-3570K
4C 4T @ 3.4 GHz
3300
3300

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
2643
2643
Intel Core i5-3570K
4C 4T @ 3.4 GHz
1447
1447

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
1158
1158
Intel Core i5-3570K
4C 4T @ 3.4 GHz
510
510

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i5-3570K
4C 4T @ 3.4 GHz
755
755
Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
736
736